Create Special Bonding Time While Reading About Sports

As I was doing research for blog ideas, I came across this photo and editorial online Get Your Child Reading and Thinking About Sports at www.atlantaparent.com.  I just love this photo of a child, laughing and holding a book he is reading, while he is sitting next to his father, who is also laughing and reading.  It’s tender, happy, and shows the importance of reading, which is the key focus of As the Stars of the Sky Foundation. Spreading the love of reading in every way that is possible – that is our goal and mission.

One of the best ways to get your children to read is to select a subject that they are interested in.  If your children are interested in sports, or if you would like to introduce your children to various sports, consider having them read books about sports.  There are a plethora of children’s books on sports in general, on specific sports and about famous athletes – from picture books for young children to novels, biographies and autobiographies for older children.  The online editorial gives some suggestions of books to read and I provide some website links as well at the end of this blog.

Be sure to set aside time to read the book with your children.  If it is a long book, break it up into chapters.  Talk with them about each book they read.  What did they learn?  What was the most interesting part to them? What sport do they like and why?  By asking these and other questions, you will help them develop their memory, analytical and word processing brain functions.

Visit the following websites for more recommendations for books on sports:

• Kids Books for Sports Lovers

• Scholastic - Children's Books About Sports

Helping Your Children Understand Disabilities

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Picture from friendshipcircle.org

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 1 Peter 3:8 ESV

It is of utmost importance that we raise children who are compassionate, empathetic, and loving to others.  One of the ways to do that is teaching them at a young age about persons with disabilities and how to treat them. Many of us have persons with disabilities in our families and there may be children with disabilities at your children’s school.  As Christians, we are especially called to show our love and be tenderhearted. 1 Peter 3:8.

Children are naturally inquisitive and will ask questions.  Here are some suggestions to assist your children:

• It is acceptable to notice a person who has a disability.  Do not ignore the situation but offer an explanation that is not emotional.  Author Lindsay Hutton in her online article Six Tips to Talk to Your Children About Disabilities, suggests the following:

A short and matter-of-fact description will answer your child's questions while showing her that the person has nothing to be ashamed of.

For example, if you see a child with muscular dystrophy in a wheelchair, you can say to your child, ‘I see you looking at that little girl in the wheelchair, and you might be wondering why she needs it. Some people's muscles work a little differently, and her wheelchair helps her move around, just like your legs help you.’

• Words are important, so be respectful and not hurtful.  Ms. Hutton recommends the appropriate words to use: “Avoid using derogatory terms like ‘cripple’, ‘retarded’, or ‘midget’, and instead, use terms and phrases like ‘wheelchair user,’ ‘little person’, and ‘he has a learning disability’.’’

• Point out similarities between all children and adults.  Persons with disabilities are human beings who have feelings, love their families, and enjoy music as well as playing sports.  By emphasizing the similarities, you will help your children to understand that persons with disabilities are people too.

• Children love to ask questions.  If you do not know the answers and the child’s parent is present, consider asking the parent.  Many parents of children with disabilities welcome questions and spend time answering them.

• Ask your children to think about a scenario where they have a particular disability.  How would they like to be treated? For example, if there is a child in your children’s school who has a hearing disability and wears a hearing device, ask your children how they would feel if they could not hear well.  How would they want to be treated? 

There are many children’s books to familiarize your children with disabilities.  Visit the links below for some suggestions. 

For more helpful information, please visit the following:

• Explaining Disability to Children

• 6 Tips to Talk to Your Kids About Disabilities

• Disability Awareness for Kids

Start a Family Movie Night as a Regular Family Activity

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What is a special family activity that can become a regular event?  Try a family movie night!  Since it is a night for movies for kids of all ages, be sure to find appropriate ones for all tastes.  Here are some helpful tips.

1. Research what movies would be good for all age groups.  There are many websites that list family friendly movies so review the selections.  I have links to some of those websites below.

2. Negotiate with your family members what movie will be seen on a specific day.  Since sibling rivalries are almost certain to happen, prepare a method of selecting a movie that will be fair to all.  Also, because children are watching, adults erroneously believe that only kiddy or cartoon type movies would be appropriate (and often boring).  However, there are many types of movies that would be acceptable to both adults and children.  Take the time to read up about them. 

3. Be sensitive about the themes of the movies and the impact on a child.  For example, I never enjoyed “scary” movies as a child (and still don’t).

4. Make it feel more authentic by having some theater-type snacks for movie night.  Popcorn, of course, is a ubiquitous treat, but there are many others such as nachos and hot dogs.  Perhaps add candy bars.  The selections are up to you.

5. Talk with your children about the movie after it ends.  What were their favorite characters and why? What did they think about the way the movie ended? There are many questions that you can ask to stir their imagination and help them express their thoughts.

For more information, please visit:

• Beliefnet - 6 Must-Watch Christian Family Films

• Keith Ferrin - Top 41 Christian Movies for Families

• Mommy Poppins - 50 Best Kids Movies for Family Movie Night

Celebrating the Importance of Families on International Family Day on May 15

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The importance of the family unit is celebrated all over the world.  In fact, the United Nations passed a resolution in 1993 establishing the International Day of Families as an annual recognition of the paramount importance of families.  The resolution provided, in part, the following:

“This annual observance reflects the importance which the international community attaches to families as basic units of society as well as its concern regarding their situation around the world. The International Day of Families provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families as well as to promote appropriate action.  The Day can become a powerful mobilizing factor on behalf of families in all countries, which avail themselves of this opportunity and demonstrate support of family issues appropriate to each society.”

For Christians, the family unit plays a vital role both physically and spiritually.  We have a physical, earthly family with parents and siblings and other members.  And, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become members of the spiritual family of God our Father as we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. (Romans 8:15; Galatians 3:26-29).   From the Old Testament to the New Testament, God’s Word expresses the importance of family, from children honoring and obeying their parents and parents not provoking their children; the sanctity of marriage; the prohibition against adultery; and the disdain of divorce. 

The links below have some activities for families for this day.  Note that they are secular web pages but some of the ideas are worthwhile to do, especially after the COVID-19 quarantines are over.  

For more information, please visit:

• National Today - International Family Day

• International Event Day - Family Day

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Celebrate with As the Stars of the Sky

We would love to celebrate this day with your family! Our top reads or suggestions can be found below:

Some Important Things for Parents to do to Raise Successful Children

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Dedicate your children to God and point them in the way that they should go, and the values they’ve learned from you will be with them for life.
Proverbs 22:6 (TPT)

During these days of quarantine due to the Coronavirus pandemic, parents are staying home with their children.  With a growing body of information filled with all kinds of recommendations of things that parents should do with their children, how can parents decide on what are the most important?  Although this is a Christian blog, I will concentrate today on what the world of science promotes. 

Here are some of the best recommendations:

1. Read with and to your children.  Importantly, when reading a book, take your time and make it exciting.  Change your voice depending on the characters.  Talk with your children about the plot.  Look at the pictures.  As a children’s author, I know that pictures in a book are very important so don’t just read the book quickly with a monotonous voice and move on.

2. Have them do chores to build a work ethic. Once a task is assigned, monitor them and explain to them how to do it better.  Don’t nag and don’t accept complaints from them.  Make sure that they follow through.

3. Have dinner together regularly as a family.  Studies have shown that children who have dinner with their families have lower substance abuse, depression and pregnancy issues and do better in school.  Children want to be loved and one way to show them love is to spend time together as a family.

4. Limit the use of mobile devices and screen time, especially for younger children.  Too much screen time has been shown to negatively affect children.  Again, it’s important for you to monitor their activities and ensure that they are abiding by the rules.

5. Praise your children properly.  Don’t praise them for their innate abilities – example: “You aced that exam because you are so smart!”  Instead, praise them for their effort – example: “You aced the exam because you really studied hard and put a lot of effort into your work.”  With the former praise example, there is truly nothing they can do about improving as they will think that they are “naturally smart”.  In the latter example, they learn that their success depends on their positive efforts.

For more information, please visit:

• Science Says Parents Should Do These Five Things

• Most Successful Kids Have Parents Who Do This

A Christian’s Perspective of Talking to Your Children About the Coronavirus

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

2 Tim. 1:7 AMP

Picture from www.thedadsnet.com

We are all experiencing the quarantines resulting from the Coronavirus or COVID-19.  There is so much news about it, much of which is inaccurate and just scary.  Your children are out of school and concerned about what is happening.  For Christian parents, it is very important to use information being provided by experts and lace it with pertinent Bible verses.  Here is some information to help explain in a comprehendible way about this virus to alleviate fears and anxieties.  I rely on several excellent online articles and hope you read them in their entirety for further information.

Experts say, first and foremost, do the research and allay your own anxieties.  By doing so, you will prepare yourself with all the facts, not fiction or false assumptions.  Speak calmly, armed with your research material.  Start the discussion with asking your children what they have heard.  So much erroneous information is on social media, so be prepared that your children have heard many frightening things that are totally wrong.

Gear your talk to the developmental age of your youngest child, as by doing so, even your older children will understand.  When the older child asks questions, you can also provide age appropriate answers.  Alternatively, you can break the children up into age groups.

Explain what should be done as a daily routine and enforce it.  Do demonstrations.  Properly washing hands, for example, is critical.  Demonstrate how they wash their hands.  Not touching friends’ hands is also very important – show them how to bump elbows instead. 

Focus on being hopeful and confident, not fearful. Share Bible verses, as the one in today’s blog and Psalm 91, to establish that God does not want us to have fear, but to put our trust and confidence in Him and His protection.  As Christians, we must be the vessels of faith, courage and truth during this time of turmoil. We are the light of the world! (John 8:12)

National Public Radio created a comic book type story for children to better understand the virus.  That comic book is now being used with children all over the world, translated into many different languages, and even a short video was created.  This is a very helpful tool for children to learn more.

To learn more, please go to:

• Kids Health

• ChildMind.org

• NPR Just for Kids - A Comic Exploring Coronavirus

Instilling Hope in Your Children

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We are living during some difficult times.  There is political upheaval and divisiveness with our presidential election just around the corner; rumors of a pandemic with the Coronavirus; and fears of an economic slump, just to name a few.  Children hear and read many things, especially via social media, much of which is inaccurate.  As Christian parents, building hope in our children is critical for their future.

Psalm 71:5 expresses that our hope and trust should be in God.  I especially like the version in the New Living Translation: “Oh Lord, you alone are my hope.  I’ve trusted you, O Lord, from childhood.” 

Teaching our children to put their hope in the Lord is the foundation for their successful future.  Talk with them about what is happening in the world.  As I have repeatedly written, help them to memorize scripture verses on hope, faith, and trust.  I have put together some websites below that have those Bible verses readily available.

There are many children’s books based on stories in the Bible and scripture verses that give hope.  I have included a couple of websites with some suggestions.

Please do not assume that your children are not hearing anything about what is going on in the world, because I can assure you that they are.  Being an assertive parent is vital to your children’s Christian understanding of our chaotic times.

Some children’s Christian books on hope can be found at the following websites:

• Free CCM

• PureFlix Summer Reading List

Bible verses on hope can be found at the following websites:

• Daily Verses on Hope

• Encouraging Verses About Hope

The Importance of Laughter for Children

  A merry heart does good, like medicine.
Proverbs 17:22 NKJV

Children love to laugh and they laugh readily and energetically.  It has been said that the average 4-year-old laughs 300 times a day!  What I didn’t know was how beneficial a sense of humor and laughter are to children.  As I was researching this topic, I learned about these benefits and hope that you will be motivated to laugh more and encourage your children to develop a good sense of humor.

At the website www.theirworld.org, early childhood development writer Elaine Hunter explains that laughter is a vital part of a child’s development.  For babies and children, laughter becomes a part of how they engage people – their social interaction.  As children grow older, humor allows them to learn to put thoughts together and process language.  As they memorize jokes, their memorization skills improve.

According to clinical psychologist Emma Cintron, “humor and laughter also defines children’s friendship groups. They will bond with children they can laugh with because they all find the same things funny. There are lots of different people in the world and we all laugh at different things.”  Ms. Cintron encourages parents to use humor when talking with children, especially about difficult subjects.  “We can tackle difficult subjects with the use of humor. It’s a healthy parenting aid. When things make us laugh, we are less stressed and deal with things in a more positive way. Humor allows children to see things from a different perspective and to look at the world in a different way.”

Consider incorporating humor more and more in your daily interactions with your children.  They will learn from you and enjoy laughter throughout their days.

To learn more, please click HERE or HERE.

Raising Children Who Are Givers

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Photo from firstbaptistdelavan.com

Hebrews 13:16 is about doing good and sharing.  In fact, the Bible refers to these as sacrifices.   Just what is a sacrifice?  Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word “sacrifice” as an act of giving up something that you want to keep especially in order to help someone.  What ways can you teach your children to be make sacrifices in order to do good and to share?  Below are some suggestions.

Consider all the myriad toys that your children have.  Donating them to a worthy cause that supports children is “doing good” and “sharing” contemplated in our verse.   What toys have your children outgrown or are not being played with anymore?  Can they be cleaned and donated to other children?  Assist your children in compiling a list of these items and then discuss where they could be donated.  Is there a children’s hospital or clinic in your area?  What about a shelter? Have your children accompany you to make the donation so they can see where their toys will be placed.  It will give them a sense of accomplishment and well-being to be part of the effort to do good and share.

Also consider your children’s outgrown and unused clothing and shoes.  As springtime approaches, what better than to go through closets and drawers, including yours, to select clothing and other items that can be donated.  Please make sure that the items that are being donated are clean and in good condition. 

Donating time and efforts are valuable lessons too.  Is there a park in your community that needs sprucing up?  Consider forming a group of caring parents and children and after getting approval from the appropriate authorities, spend time making the improvements.  These efforts will definitely be sacrifices as children will want to do other “fun” things with their spare time.  But, these are all life lessons.

This list is just some of the things to consider.  The goal is to have children  learn that obeying the Word of God is important and brings honor and glory to Him. 

For additional reading, CLICK HERE.

Teaching Your Children Christian Mindfulness

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There has been a lot of attention on and encouragement for adults to develop mindfulness, especially through yoga and meditation.  There is also a growing movement to teach children about mindfulness.  As Christians, we are called to “rest in the Lord,” meaning that we should spend quiet time with the Lord and trust Him.  This week I wanted to take a look at Christian mindfulness and how you can help your children develop it.

Just what is mindfulness? A simple definition is to be attentive to the present.  Our thoughts race around in our minds throughout the day.  How much are we aware of what is happening now – in the present time?  At the website, christiansimplicity.com, the writer gives a wonderful description of Christian mindfulness: “Because God is part of our everyday lives, paying attention to God and focusing on God’s kingdom is a fundamental practice of Christian mindfulness.”  The writer refers to it as “mindfulness Jesus-style.”  I like that!

Living in the present means that we are to have our hope in God and not dwell on our worries.  We should be at peace with ourselves and our surroundings.

Meditation is a good way to develop mindfulness.   Christiansimplicity.com further recommends using scripture during meditation:

Christian meditation can be as simple as sitting still for ten minutes, breathing easily, and repeating a line of Scripture. Good phrases for this kind of meditation are “Maranatha” and “Be still and know that I am God.” This kind of meditation renews both our minds and our spirits. It provides a centeredness that helps us listen for God. It also trains us over time to release all the distracting thoughts that occur to us during the average day and refocus on what matters.

Children need assistance in dealing with their emotions and worries.  Select appropriate scripture verses that they can easily memorize.  Encourage them to take some time each day to sit quietly and repeat scripture or to just experience the present moment.

To learn more, CLICK HERE.

Parental Involvement is Key to Your Children’s Development & Successes

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How involved are you in all aspects of your children’s lives?  I have written quite a bit about parents being involved with their children as much as possible. Experts have long concluded that a key ingredient for your children’s development and future successes is your involvement!

What does “involvement” mean? Your active participation!  It includes talking with them, asking questions, and actively listening.  Put your cell phone aside and strike up a conversation.  It means spending time with them such as playing games and attending their functions, no matter how trivial these games and functions may appear to you.  It means attending parent-teacher meetings and developing a relationship with their teachers to make sure you know how your children are progressing in school.

Especially during the holiday season, there are usually a number of activities to attend with your children.  Try your best to attend all that you can.  And, please do not promise your children that you will attend an event and then make up an excuse for not, in fact, attending.

When should parental involvement start?  As soon as your child is born!  From holding your children in your arms, to talking to them, to reading to them – those are just a few examples.

There are many stages to your children’s development and you should be an active participant in all of them. If you haven’t made an absolute commitment to them, consider doing it now.   They are more than worth it!

To read more, please visit:

• Child Development Info

• The Role of Parents

• Why Parental Involvement is Important

• The Importance of Parental Involvement in Your Child’s Education

Overcoming Hectic School Mornings

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All parents have suffered through those hectic school mornings.  Getting ourselves and our children ready on time is often challenging.  Here are some pointers adopted by successful parents to overcome those chaotic times.

Get enough sleep the night before.  Your children should have a regular routine for going to bed at night with that routine including a regular time to get to bed and praying together.  There should not be any exceptions on a school night.  Children need adequate sleep and if they are not getting it, their performance at home and in school will show it.

Prepare, prepare, prepare the night before.  Preparation is the key to a smooth sailing morning.  Consider all the tasks that need to be done in the morning and prepare the night before for them so that they can be accomplished easily that morning.  Remember to get your children involved in all the preparations so that they learn what needs to be done and can take over when they are able to.  Select your children’s clothing.  If they take a lunch to school, prepare their lunches that night or at least double check to make sure you have all the ingredients.  Pack the lunch kits when possible.  Have their bookbags ready with the completed homework and anything else that they will need the next day. Make sure to double check whether they need any materials for school – such as pencils or notebooks.  All those can be packed that night as well. Don’t forget about their breakfasts.  Prepare ahead of time to ensure that that they have healthy food to eat. 

Have a checklist, just in case.  I’m a person who loves checklists but they have to be manageable.   Having a short list for each child to do will help you (and them) to better prepare. 

Wake up before your children.  You, as a parent, have important tasks that you need to get done in the morning too, including having some quiet time to pray.  It is best that your tasks are completed (or almost completed) before you take on helping your children to get ready.  Waking up before your children will give you the ability to do what you need to do and be ready when they get up.  When they do wake up, pray with them to help them start the day with a thankful heart and direction.

Organize your home. Everything needs its place in your home.  Lunch kits in one area, school related items in another area, etc., etc. Being organized will help you and your children get prepared quickly and efficiently.

For more information, please read:

• Morning Routine for Kids

• School Mornings Without the Stress

Suicide - The Second Leading Cause of Death for Children & Teens

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According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology, suicide is the second major cause of death for children and teens.  My blog this week is on this subject because I would like to educate more and more adults about this dangerous issue and help protect our children from the belief that suicide is a viable way to end their problems.

According to the Academy, young children who commit suicide typically do so impulsively because of negative emotions.  For adolescents, suicide is usually associated with depression and other factors such as bullying and exposure to violence.

Warning signs may start with a child saying such things as “I wish I was dead.”  The Academy urges us to be vigilant about all warning signs, including the following:  changes in eating or sleeping habits; frequent or pervasive sadness; withdrawal from friends, family, and regular activities; frequent complaints about physical symptoms often related to emotions, such as stomachaches, headaches, and fatigue; decline in the quality of schoolwork; and preoccupation with death and dying.

In an excellent online article When One Teen’s Suicide Turns Into a Cluster at the website www.thefamilycoach.com, Dr. Catherine Pearlman stresses the fact that too little is being done to effectively combat suicides.  For example, just having suicide awareness programs in schools is not enough.  She suggests some critical changes that individuals as well as a community as a whole should make to fully address the issues surrounding suicide.  These include:

1.    Parents and schools must stop putting so much pressure on children to succeed at all costs.        

2.    Schools need to stop sending grades to parents on a daily basis.

3.    Children should be taught that “perfect” is a fallacy and even the idea of striving to be at close to perfection should not be the goal.

4.    Schools need crisis intervention plans as well as prophylactic plans for addressing suicide.

5.    Parents need to assume that their children are exposed to many risky things, such as drugs, alcohol, vaping, sex, porn, violence, social isolation, bullying and much more.  “Talk to your kids even if they don’t talk back. Talk in the car, over dinner or at night with the lights out before bed. Text these conversations if that’s the only way. Have the conversations before you think you have to. Your kids are going through so much more than you think. Get in there and help them.”

6.    Love your children no matter what.

No longer should we downplay our children’s suicidal tendencies.  Vigilance is key.

To learn more, please go to the following links:

• American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychology - Suicide in Children & Teens

• Family Coach - When One Teen Suicide Turns into a Cluster

Dads Teaming Up to Make a Difference in the Lives of Their Children

Photo of New York City Dads Meetup Group

All across the country, dads are joining together to seek guidance and learn from each other, all with the goal of becoming better fathers.  It’s such a wonderful thing to see!  One group that has made impressive strides is 4 Your Child, a project of the University of Kentucky’s School of Social Work.  Since the program started in 2015, it has helped 900 dads to become better fathers.

Professor Armon Perry and his team are the power houses behind the project.  According to the project summary on the website, research “has concluded that factors such as fathers’ parenting skills, co-parenting relationship quality, and socio-economic status all impact fathers’ ability to contribute to their children’s growth and development.”  The project aims at providing non-custodial fathers with “a comprehensive, solution-oriented program featuring group-based parent education and individualized case management to help them achieve financial independence, increase their parenting skills, and develop a co-parenting alliance.” 

According to a recent article in usnews.com about the project, dads receive parenting-related classes over a period of 28 weeks through workshops that help them develop better skills in communication and conflict resolution.  After completing these classes, the men are eligible for 6 months of further assistance from various professionals.  The goal is to develop men who will be not only good financial providers for their children, but also have better relationships with both their children and the women who are the mothers of their children.

This program is very impressive and should be a model for others throughout the country.  It is funded by a federal grant and similar programs in other states should be able to be funded the same way. 

To learn more about 4 Your Child, CLICK HERE.

How to Talk to Your Children About Immigration & What is Happening at the US Borders

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The news media has been replete with stories of the sad situation with immigrant families at the US borders, especially what has been happening with children.  One very sad recent story was about a father and daughter who drowned while attempting to cross over the Rio Grande River from Mexico to Texas.  It is very difficult for children to comprehend tragic news and the controversial situation with immigrants does not appear to have any resolution soon.  As a parent, you have a responsibility to assist your children to understand what is happening as well as to make sure that they are getting information from reliable sources and not “fake news”.

There are many articles on the internet with advice to help parents.  Of course, the recommendations center on talking with your children based on what is age appropriate for each of them.  One expert suggests that parents should start with discussions of family history – where did various members of your family come from?  How did they get to the U.S.? Why did they leave the countries they were from?  I think this is a wonderful suggestion as it helps children to understand how their own family members were involved with immigration.

Reading and discussing books about the history of immigration in the U.S. and the struggles that individuals have gone through are also good ways to learn about what has happened in our nation’s history and what is happening now.  In the links below, books for children of all ages about immigration are suggested.

Raising compassionate and intelligent children requires that they be informed as best as possible about what is happening with immigration in our country.  They will likely hear the news from someone else, so as a parent, talking with them and helping them to understand the issues involved is critical.

For more information, please visit these websites.  Please also note that although I have these websites listed, I do not agree with everything they say, but they are, nevertheless, good sources of information.

• Time Magazine - How to talk to Your Kids About Immigration

• Little Feminist - Empathy Toward Immigrants

• Parent Map - Where to Start When Talking about Immigration

• Romper - How to Talk to Your Kids About Immigration and Family Separation

Children and Friendship Drama – Should Parents Get Involved?

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It’s back-to-school time with children returning to school.  There will be old friends for them to laugh and talk with and new friendships to build.  Of course, there will be times when there are squabbles.  What do you as a parent do when your child comes to you with a complaint?  You likely remember the times when you were a child and what happened to you.  Perhaps you have upsetting memories of quarrels that you do not want your child to experience.  Some expert advice can help you now that you are a parent to handle these squabbles.

Many experts agree that instead of going immediately to the other child’s parents to lodge a complaint, there are several other actions that you can take.   First, listen to what your child has to say.  Ask questions.  Be empathetic to what your child has experienced. Try to get the full account of what happened.

Second, encourage your child to standup for herself.  After finding out what happened, ask your child “Did you stand up for yourself?”  This does not involve your child saying anything that is rude or derogatory but does involve her not putting up with someone else’s bad behavior.  Try role-playing with your child so that she can learn how to react and respond differently in the future.  You should not be the one fighting your children’s battles for them unless it is necessary.

Third, help your children learn the differences between healthy and unhealthy friendships.  Ture friendships are built on trust and respect.  When a “friend” crosses the line, your child should know what to do. 

Fourth and perhaps most important, be there for your children to talk to.  Let them know that you are always available to talk and help them understand what has happened and not be judgmental.

For more information, please visit these websites below:

• Should We Get Involved in Our Kids’ Friendships?

• Your Child’s Friendship Drama - Do’s and Don’ts for Parents