“Why do you talk so much these days about the problems you and Dad used to have?” queried the teen daughter.
Mom sighed. “Because it hurts so much to think about the good times we had that are now gone.”… Read more
Getting Counsel from My Dad
At a time when I was at a spiritual and professional crossroads, I desperately wanted counsel from my wise and compassionate dad. But he had died a year previous. I missed him terribly.
Fortunately I got even more desperate as … Read more
Blessed by Angels
A father died. His young adult daughter missed him terribly. She thought about him regularly.
Her sister chided her: “By missing Dad, grieving over him, and insisting on his attention to your life, you are keeping him from doing his … Read more
Finding a Way to Bless Rather than a Reason to Judge
Humans have a tendency to categorize. When we confront a new person, we promptly (and often unconsciously) start a process of sorting that person into categories. Educated or not? Religious or not? Nice or not? Attractive or not? Decent or … Read more
Relationship Parenting: How Can I Fix My Kids
Imagine that our bishop, in an attempt to encourage sacrament meeting attendance, began handing out candy bars after meeting. He also hinted that there would be steak dinners and late-model automobiles available for the regular attenders. Attendance might increase. Yet … Read more
Helping Children Become Themselves: How Can I Fix My Kids
Several years ago I was invited to be a discussant for a controversial presentation given on our university campus. The presenter represented extreme and simplistic views. One of the statements made by the presenter was, “We must keep our children … Read more
Agency and Parenting: How Can I Fix My Kids
The battle really hasn’t changed. In the premortal life, the fight was over agency, and it is here as well (see Moses 4:1–4). Satan promised success in delivering all pilgrims home again with some costs in the area of agency. … Read more
Different Parenting Books for Different Purposes
Editor’s Note: The books mentioned in this column connect the line of reasoning in the last two Myths of the Month with specific book recommendations.
There are almost as many different kinds of parenting books as there are different kinds … Read more
Seek Ye Out of the Best Books Words of Wisdom (D&C 109:7)
As you begin a new year in a still-youthful century, you may be interested in resources to strengthen yourself and your family. As the quality of research has improved, so the conclusions have gotten closer and closer to God’s recommendations. … Read more
First Comes Charity, Then Comes Teaching
In my last Myth of the Month, “Charitable Parenting,” I described the central importance of love in raising healthy children. Love is simply the first law of parenting— just as it is the great commandment in the law. Nothing matters … Read more