Category Archives: Parenting

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An Open Letter to Young Adults Who Are Living at Home with their Parents

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Dear Young Adult,

So there you are. Living in your parents’ home. Maybe you recently moved back in after graduating from college, or after a difficult divorce or job loss. Maybe you’re trying to save money or going through a transition and need a place to stay temporarily.  Or perhaps you graduated from high school and never moved out, and you’re working or taking classes while still living with your parents.

However you got there, you’ve probably already noticed that living in your parents’ home has some challenges.

Now part of making this a positive experience depends on your parents. My next blog post will be tips for parents. But what can you do on your end to make the situation as positive as possible? Here are a few ideas…

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The Consequences of Overprotecting — Ideas for Training Up Our Kids

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As parents, we are given the incredible opportunity to train up our children. From toddlers to college students, each stage brings joys and challenges. Most parents want their children to succeed in life. How well are we preparing them for the future? Are we doing things that make it difficult for them to thrive?

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One Key to Parenting Teens

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Parenting teens can be difficult.

Teens can be unappreciative and demanding. They can push the limits of our patience and of our wallets. They can be moody, edgy, rebellious and hurting — all in the same afternoon!  Sometimes our heart goes out to them, and sometimes we are counting the days until they leave home.

But parenting teens can also be very rewarding. During the teen years, we can have profound conversations with our almost-adults about ideas, faith, and the meaning of life. We can watch as their efforts pay off, and they achieve in sports, arts or academics. If all goes well, we start to be able to trust their choices, and our respect for them increases.

As we seek to navigate this challenging stage of parenting, one key principle to keep in mind is this:  Focus on internals, not externals.

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