Hanging with the Fam

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Hanging with the Fam

Several years ago, a neighbor asked my wife, Kara, "So what are Jon's hobbies? What does he do for fun?" She told him simply, "When Jon comes home, after seeing me, he seeks out the kids and plops down and starts playing with them. That's what he loves to do. That's his fun. I guess that's his hobby: Our kids." My wife's observation of me made me feel great…

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Parenting: Avoiding Power Struggles, Part I

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Parenting: Avoiding Power Struggles, Part I

One parent recently contacted me seeking help for a common parenting problem: Power struggles. She stated that her child thinks she’s the boss, is defiant, does the opposite of what’s asked, and ignores her. Sound familiar? She lamented, as many of us have, “We’ve tried everything” and admitted that they end up resorting to yelling even though they know that’s not helpful.

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Fathers' Day Picture Says 1,000 Words

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Fathers' Day Picture Says 1,000 Words

We attended church on Fathers' Day with my cousin's family where I spied this dad zonked out with his little guy on the foyer couch. Been there. This picture says so much. As a father of two girls and two boys, I caught as many desperate cat naps as I could snag wherever and whenever I could. This father and his baby boy brought a lot back and I felt for him: For his exhaustion, and for the sublime honor and pleasure to be so entrusted with such a profound little life.

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Husband Training 101

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Husband Training 101

I'm giving a presentation called "Husband Training 101.” Some people have recoiled against the choice of word "training" as they think it sounds demeaning somehow--like training a dog (what's demeaning about training a dog? Okay, I know, I get it--the problem is that I'm supposedly comparing husbands to dogs. Am I? No, I are one! Husband, not dog, that is...). My point is that good training in ANY aspect of life tends towards mucho better results (sports, work, school, and yes, marriage, family, parenting AND even husbands).

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Don't Blame Me. Make Yourself Look Good

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Don't Blame Me. Make Yourself Look Good

I love this. I really do. Once a good friend of mine, in response to his wife (who was good friends with my wife) getting on his case because "Jonathan does this" and "Jonathan does that..." in reference to what I do for my wife and children. He jokingly/seriously said to me one day, "Man, you're making me look bad." I laughted and said, "No. I'm making myself look good. You're making yourself look bad."

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Marriage Prep: To the Parents and Grandparents of Young Married Couples

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Marriage Prep: To the Parents and Grandparents of Young Married Couples

I recently attended one of the several bridal shows in the community. There was aisle after aisle of gorgeous displays with many excited young brides accompanied by their mothers, fiancés, sisters and friends. Every product and service you could imagine was available to help these wonderful couples prepare for a truly memorable wedding. In the midst of all this joy I wondered why there weren’t any services to help couples ensure that their marriages would last well beyond their wedding day to their golden anniversary. 

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Marriage Prep: What to Expect from Pre-Marital Work

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Marriage Prep: What to Expect from Pre-Marital Work

What better wedding gift to give each other than to commit to enhancing your marriage by learning skills that will continue throughout the years to reinforce your love for each other? Couples want to give the best gifts: the gifts of knowledge, commitment, appreciation, communication and time together. However, as many a parent and grandparent are aware, many newly married couples do not have the skills and tools to take the love that initially led to their decision to marry into the long-haul daily practice of creating, maintaining and improving a lasting marriage.

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