Let’s Stop Controlling and Start Listening to Children

The urge to control our kids can be almost uncontrollably strong at times, can’t it? “I just want her to do what I want right now!” But whenever we’re struggling with a child and we want them to submit to our authority, we’re silently taking away everything we’ve said (or were about to say) to our kids about standing up for themselves against peer pressure.  We’re sending the message that we’re the more powerful ones and their ideas, thoughts, and desires don’t even matter.

Well I’ve got news for you. What children want does matter. In fact, I would argue that what they want is just as important as what you want. Yes, you are the parent and you get to make the final decision about what’s happening next, what the rules are, and how you’ll handle it when rules are broken. But if you’re really honest with yourself, is your desire to get out the door really more important than his desire to play with his trains for five more minutes? read more

Circumcision is Genital Mutilation

OK, now that I’m sure I’ve got your attention, I can’t believe I never realized this before. When we think of genital mutilation, most people think of the African practice of removing a young girl’s external genitalia purportedly to reduce libido.

International organizations have joined together to help end the horrific practice of female genital mutilation. But there is a socially accepted form of genital mutilation that happens to newborn baby boys every day here in America and elsewhere. It’s called circumcision. read more