Archive for September, 2016
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Keeping siblings of divorce together at church events. Part 2
In part 1 of “Keeping siblings together at church events” we talked about how attached children of divorce get to their siblings when traveling between homes. In this post we learn that many times when a child experiences the divorce of their parents, it affects their schoolwork. It is not unusual for a child to lose an entire school year due to the Read more…
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Keeping siblings of divorce together at church events, Part I
God’s design for children is for them to depend and rely upon their parent. For instance when they wake in the middle of the night and they are scared they run to their parents. Their parents are the trustworthy adults who lead their family. When a divorce happens children can no longer turn to the parents as a unit. When it’s time Read more…
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How do I help a single dad whose kids live with their emotionally unhealthy mother?
This article stems from an email I got several months ago. Here is that email. I have been divorced for three years. My ex-wife no longer practices the morals and/or values in which I believe. In short, my ex-wife is an expert at covert manipulation (toward the kids) and causing problems. She’s like a pyromaniac setting a house on fire then going to Read more…
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Overwhelmed & Frazzled Single Parents
Ministering to the children means knowing something about their single parent and understanding the family situation. Situations are not always what they appear to be. A couple of years ago a leader of a DivorceCare group contacted me. She had a lady from another church in her group and she had received a call from this participant’s pastor. While the pastor was appreciative Read more…
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Contagious anger and how it affects kids
A few weeks ago my thirteen-year-old grandson, my husband, and I were walking on the beach one evening. We were so busy talking and looking for seashells that I didn’t see a storm moving in. By the time we noticed the huge black cloud in the picture above moving over us, we were a mile and a half from our car. As Read more…
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School year helpful tip #5: School anxiety & the older child of divorce
While younger children may revert back to separation anxiety that equates to a toddler separating from their parent, older children of divorce may have issues also. The older child of divorce worries and wonders about many issues concerning the divorce. The thoughts whirling around in their heads and the stress they are under can interfere with the start of school and throughout the Read more…
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Is the size of your classroom causing behavior problems in your group?
Within half an hour of arriving in your group, Braden has tripped over a chair, fallen into another kid, walked into the end of a table, and caused mass confusion when he came to the worship time and bumped into several kids already singing and praising the Lord. Friends are frustrated with him. Others are mad at him for hurting them. Volunteers are Read more…
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Helpful Tip #5 for starting the school year: When school causes separation anxiety for the younger child of divorce
Recently a friend of mine had a child start kindergarten. This past summer this family moved from one state to another. While everything seemed to be going great the first day of school brought tears, screams and an all out tantrum of “don’t leave me.” This mom was caught off guard and did not know what to do to help her child. Children Read more…
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What do you do when single parent just won’t listen to you?
A single mom approaches you about a problem she is having with her son. He doesn’t want to come to church anymore—she’s not sure why, but she suspects it’s because he doesn’t fit in. While this is disappointing, you have noticed that her son is always late. By the time he arrives, the other kids are involved with each other. High fives Read more…