Nothing hurts more
My children are now over 20. One of them has left home. You’d think I would have cut the apron strings when it comes to attachment to them. A father and son. PICTURE: StockSeller_ukr/iStockphoto Yet, I can’t think of anything that hurts more than when they hurt. When life goes wrong for them, my heart […]
Conversations: Ainsley Freeman, children’s ministry pastor and author
SAMANTHA ELLEY speaks with Australian children’s ministry pastor Ainsley Freeman about her new book, ‘Impress’…
“One minute experts”
Talking to a professional councillor who works with young mums, she said the first thing her and her colleagues have to do these days, is counter all the stupid advice parents have picked up from Tik Tok and Instagram reels. PICTURE: Bastian Riccardi/Unsplash “It’s really frustrating”, she said. “All these supposed one minute experts” – hmm, I […]
Freedom (as a child)
Freedom is such a hard concept. In my own life I have felt most free as a child on holidays. Nothing to do but play outside. Riding bikes, pets, playing cricket, or in the mud. PICTURE: MI PHAM/Unsplash But is that even freedom? I was safe in the world mum and dad made. I had […]
THE INTERVIEW: DAVID ZAHL, AUTHOR OF ‘SECULOSITY’
AYSHA KHAN, of Religion News Service, speaks to David Zahl, author of ‘Seculosity’, about how he believes, in contrast to the view that US society is becoming more secular, it’s actually becoming more religious about more things…
Parent trap
As parents, it’s easy to fall for the trap that some things are inevitable – for example, that our kids will experiment with drugs, smoke, drink alcohol, go crazy. PICTURE: Sandy Millar/Unsplash Because we think it’s inevitable we can give in before the battle has even begun. We can let them have a sip, turn a […]
Don’t give in!
I recently spent a week at day camp with 250 kids. Confrontation? Paul Clark says giving in to young children when they throw a tantrum will simply mean more tantrums. PICTURE: Jelleke Vanooteghem/Unsplash It soon becomes obvious which kids are used to getting their own way. When a child is told ‘no’, some throw a ‘wobbly’ […]