Single Parents learning to trust again

It’s not easy, as a single parent, to learn to trust again. If you feel you have been rejected by your partner, you can feel pain almost beyond description. The pain of that broken relationship might leave you thinking, ‘never again.’ It simply hurts too much. It rocks your self-worth,…

Am I less of a man

I thought my self-image was unshakable. But then the test results came in.   As told by Greg, age 30 I thought my self-image was unshakable. I thought I could handle anything. After all, I was a man’s man. A sportsman, a monster-truck, built-Ford-tough type of guy. But then the…

When food begins to rule your life

On the surface, eating disorders seem to be all about food and weight. In fact they are much more complicated than that. Eating problems, like any addiction, are strategies that some people use in an attempt to cope with difficult things going on in their life. However, because we have…

Low self esteem and your marriage

by Shana Schutte When Ed married Mona, he adored her red hair and freckles. Ten years later, he still admired them. One evening, as he gazed upon her beauty, he said, “Honey, I just love your red hair and your freckles.” “No you don’t!” she snapped. Ed was shocked and hurt. I do…

Parental Sarcasm is No Joke

by Paul Coughlin When I was 11 years old, a teacher called our house to deliver some exceptional news. She told my mother that I qualified to be placed in a class for gifted students. My mother replied, “Him? He can’t even find his shoes in the morning!” That swift and…

Teen Identity

by Tiffany Stuart In many ways, Irish teens have never had it tougher. Perhaps a surprising statement, given Ireland’s obvious affluence compared to the rest of the world. If you’re a parent today, you know what I mean. Social pressures are more pervasive and destructive than ever before in Irish…

Who is Encouraging your Children?

by Dawn Michelle Michals His birth name was Joseph, yet the disciples nicknamed him Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement (Acts 4:36). He traveled alongside the Apostle Paul during his first missionary journey, which proved to be a driving force of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. Without Barnabas, would Paul and…

How Far is Too Far?

Written by Dr. Julianna Slattery What do I say if my teen asks, “What is outercourse? Is it sex?” The first thing for any parent to do in this situation is take a deep breath. Push away those images of your once six-year-old playing with LEGOS® or Sylvanian Families,® and…

Failing Motherhood

When daily failures become life lessons by Laura Polk If there were a midterm exam in motherhood, I’d fail it. My lecturers? Three too-intelligent-for-their-own-good mini-versions of my husband and myself. That’s right, our three school-age children. Surely, they would enjoy poring over the long list of mummy mess-ups that translate…