Focus on the Family with Jim Daly on Bott Radio

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Monday, April 29

The Unexpected Pitfalls of Teasing in Your Family

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Do you remember people saying that when you were a child? How old were you when you realized that it wasn’t true? Words can hurt. That’s a good reminder if you’re part of a family whose members like to joke around with each other. Channeled properly, friendly teasing can be both healthy and bonding. Laughter is contagious. It brings people together by diffusing arguments and smoothing out differences.

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Friday, April 26

Basics of Discipline

Being a parent is the most natural thing in the world in many ways. But there’s a lot to learn as well. At Focus on the Family, we routinely hear from parents who struggle with how and when to discipline their child. If you have questions in that area, keep a few basics in mind. First, make sure your child understands the rules before you discipline him. If Junior hasn’t been told ahead of time a particular behavior is wrong, cut him some slack.

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Thursday, April 25

Forgiving the Past, Embracing the Future

Forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian message. But that doesn’t make forgiveness easy. Forgiveness is difficult because we often confuse “forgiving” with “excusing.” Forgiveness never excuses the wrongs against us or waters down the awful nature of an offense. It doesn’t pretend that something didn’t happen. Forgiveness acknowledges the ugliness of the sin, no matter how dark, then sets us free, not the other person. Forgiveness releases our heart, heals our pain, and allows us to move forward through life in peace.

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Wednesday, April 24

History is the Best Teacher

Two statues are erected outside the entrance to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Though completely different, each one conveys wisdom about building a better future. The first statue is titled “Past.” It’s a sculpture of an old man staring back through time. He’s holding a closed book, representing history. The past is over. It’s unchangeable. But carved into the statue’s base is a paraphrase from Confucius that reads, “Study the past.” That is, remember the past and learn from it.

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Tuesday, April 23

Helping Your Child Develop Resilience

When it comes to instilling character in children, the most important characteristic we can model is resilience – overcoming struggles and difficulties. Resilience is a mindset. It’s a process of adapting in the face of significant stress. With resilience, challenges become opportunities to learn and mature.

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