When most of us think about things we dislike about our bodies, this usually feels like such a personal and unique problem. Body insecurity doesn’t just affect teenagers staring into mirrors or scrolling through social media. It usually stretches across the ages, lives inside families, and passes quietly from one generation to the next. Parents, grandparents, and children all carry thoughts about their bodies. Some worries aren’t so obvious, while others slip into daily talk and habits. These beliefs [...]
Sibling rivalry between children is an everyday event. There is always some reason that children choose to be at odds with each other. However, there are times when these feelings of rivalry follow them into adulthood. It is also common for adult siblings to disagree about various things as they build their lives according to their beliefs and values. The problem arises when they take the rivalry to extremes and end up in the aftermath of a heated and [...]
Most families juggle a lot every day. There’s work, school, errands, dinner, and cleaning, just for a start. The days fly by. Everyone’s doing their best to keep things running. That’s just life, right? Sometimes, in the middle of all the busyness, it’s easy to miss something important: how your child is feeling. Emotional neglect isn’t always what we think it is, and doesn’t only mean yelling or being mean to a kid. It happens when a child’s need [...]
Understanding a mother with borderline personality disorder can be immensely perplexing due to her unpredictable behavior and lack of consistency. She lacks the emotional tools to provide stable parenting, and whereas to other people, she may seem like a kind, likable, normal person, at home, it is a different story. At home, the borderline mother tends to be a whirlwind of unpredictable reactions, unable to provide solid emotional rapport to her child. One moment she may be loving, empathetic, [...]
Family rifts often arise from unconscious causes, creating deep divides that can last for years. Even minor disagreements may escalate due to miscommunication or differing values. For instance, political views have torn apart families, and such conflicts have become more common than one might think. Some studies show that over 25% of adults experience family estrangement in the US alone. Family rifts can often arise even when the warring parties initially had no intention to hurt or disappoint the [...]
Many people who had a difficult childhood grew up knowing that their parents were the problem, but only much later realized the specific issue was that their parents were narcissistic. Narcissistic parents are self-centered, controlling, or emotionally neglectful and tend to cause much emotional and psychological damage to their children. Sadly, narcissists do not change with age. The first step in dealing with narcissistic parents is to learn the particular tactics they use. If we can’t teach an old dog [...]
As the cost of living continues to rise, a majority of Americans are struggling to make ends meet and keep up with household expenses. More and more people are living in debt and cannot afford to have emergency savings to turn to on those inevitable rainy days. Amidst these financial struggles, having to care for one’s aging parents can present a significant challenge. Aging in America has become increasingly expensive. Care homes and paid caregivers are unfortunately out of [...]
If your child seems to have strong reactions to some simple everyday things, like bright lights, loud noises, or certain textures, it might leave you scratching your head, wondering what’s going on. These strong reactions can be confusing and disheartening, especially when they lead to behaviors that seem hard to manage. What many parents don’t realize is that sensory processing disorder (SPD) might be at the heart of confusing child behavior. Sensory processing disorder makes it hard for children [...]
There are many sources of generational family conflict; disagreements, misunderstandings, and tensions that can arise between family members of different generations. These conflicts can be influenced by a variety of factors, including differences in values, beliefs, lifestyles, and communication styles. Have you ever found yourself engaged in a conversation something like this: “Back in my day . . .” “Things aren’t the same for you as they are for me.” “You just don’t want to work.” “Well, you don’t [...]
The beauty of intimate relationships emerges from being seen and known by those who love us. Unconditional love and acceptance remove certain barriers from having to explain parts of ourselves that seem odd or unusual to others outside our family circle. This can free us to fully be who God created. However, this is not the case with every family. Sometimes, challenges with intimacy arise when our hearts feel unsafe with those closest to us, giving rise to a [...]
Change is hard. We all find comfort in the familiar and the predictable. Relocation throws us into a world of the unknown which can be stressful, more so for children. However, it is noted that a lot of families need to move at least once in their lifetime. This number increases for families whose lives involve having to move constantly and can cause relocation stress. This is especially true for military families, who on average can spend no more [...]
Single motherhood can be one of the loneliest and most overlooked experiences any woman can face. Whether she is widowed, divorced, or has never been married, a woman who is parenting alone faces an array of challenges that a married parent does not. Although single parenting is much more common than it used to be, it often carries a stigma, including in the church. No matter how someone became a single mother, they are worthy of love, inclusion, and [...]
