4 great winter science experiments for awesome family fun (with videos)

March 9, 2014 | Michael Foust | Posted in Parents of toddlers, Parents of young children | Tagged boiling water, Children, family fun, freezes, glory of god, God, Mississippi river, Parents, science experiments, winter, winter science experiments

Scripture tells us that all of creation declares the glory of God, but many of us scratch our head and wonder, “Does that mean, winter, too?”

Of course it does. God was wise to give us variety in creation because it helps in our worship of Him.

For instance, we all enjoy scenic pictures of mountains and beaches, but what if the entire world was one big beach or one huge mountain range? As much as we think we’d enjoy it, we really wouldn’t. We’d soon grow bored and our sinful nature would lead us to say, “Is this all there really is in the world – one monotonous stretch of white sand?”

Consider the 24-hour day cycle. What if that wondrous starry night never ended or that beautiful sunny day went on and on? We’d rebel and start pouting, “God, I can’t sleep with all that sunshine!”

It would be the same with a week’s worth of steak suppers or lobster meals, and it’s the same with the seasons. Variety in creation is good for us. We see God’s glory on display in different ways, and about the time we grow tired of beautiful buttercups or red maple tree leaves or a stellar snowy landscape, God changes the scene and gives us a different reminder of His greatness. Winter makes us long for spring, and summer makes us long for fall, and on and on. Continue reading →

3 reasons to say ‘I love you’ when disciplining your child

February 26, 2014 | Michael Foust | Posted in Parents of toddlers, Parents of young children | Tagged Children, discipline, disciplining, God, Hebrews, love of god, Parents, timeout

For some reason, I don’t remember the specifics about the first time I disciplined my firstborn. I only remember hating it.

I’m sure I’m not the only parent who felt that way. Disciplining a child – giving them a stern lecture, taking away their favorite toy, or putting them in timeout, all while they cry – is never fun.

It is, though, bound up in love. As parents we discipline our children because we want a peaceful home, yes, but also because we want them to learn to obey higher authority, and ultimately to obey God (Hebrews 12:5-9).

To fail to discipline is to fail to love. A child without discipline is a child possibly on the path to failure, to lifelong rebellion.

Continue reading →

5 lessons from Proverbs that will make you a better parent

February 10, 2014 | Michael Foust | Posted in Parents of infants, Parents of toddlers, Parents of young children | Tagged Children, Father, God, kids, morals, mother, Parents, Proverbs, solomon, values, wisdom

For most of my life I’ve thought of the book of Proverbs as a collection of “moral nuggets” – a buffet of sorts that has a verse for just about any situation in life.

Proverbs certainly has plenty of wisdom in it, but lately I’ve been looking at its overarching themes. That is, the “lesson behind the lessons.”

Moms and dads can learn a lot from Proverbs. Here are five themes that stick out to me:

1. Be a parent and not a “buddy” or “friend.” That is, a parent has God-given authority over their kids, a role that comes with enormous but wonderful responsibilities. The writer of Proverbs, Solomon, makes this obvious from the start: “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.” Think about your best friends in high school. Did you ever give them “instruction” or “teach” them anything? No, you just had fun. Of course, I have lots of fun with my children. We laugh all the time. But even though I playfully call my two sons my “buddy,” my role is to be their father. Continue reading →

5 great educational apps your kids will love (part 1)

January 25, 2014 | Michael Foust | Posted in Parents & media usage, Parents of toddlers, Parents of young children | Tagged Android, apps, brain pop jr, Children, clifford, educational apps, fun, iPhone, stack the states, wordworld

Brain Pop Jr.’s characters.

I’m kind of an old-fashioned dad to my three children. I’d rather them play outdoors than indoors, and I want them to read books instead of watch TV.

But I do like to use smartphone and tablet apps, in moderation, for learning. My oldest son has learned quite a bit from educational apps, and I’m always looking out for new ones that can help him learn something else.

We’ve tried dozens of apps – deleting many of them – and we only keep ones that have education and fun at their core. Typically, we pay a dollar or two for them.

In this first part of a multi-part series, here are five that have stood out. All are available on iPhone and most on Android devices. Continue reading →

The reason boredom is actually good for children

January 7, 2014 | Michael Foust | Posted in Parents & media usage, Parents of infants, Parents of toddlers, Parents of young children | Tagged Archibald hart, Children, digital invasion, focus on the family, Parents, protecting your child, Sylvia hart frejd, video games

As it turns out, “I’m bored, Mom” could be one of the best things a parent can hear.

That’s the conclusion of counselor and author Archibald Hart, who believes that our media-crazed, constantly stimulated culture is harming the creativity and imagination of children. Hart and his daughter, Sylvia Hart Frejd, appeared on Focus on The Family’s radio broadcast recently, and if you have children who play video games or desire to do so, I’d encourage you to listen. And after you do, you just might pick up your child and flee the next time someone hands him or her that Wii controller.

The theme of the broadcast (which is in two parts) is “Protecting Your Child From the Digital Invasion.” They say parents should avoid flocking to media every time their child is looking for something to do. When kids are bored, Hart says, they are forced to use their imagination.

Among their somewhat shocking conclusions: Continue reading →