Mi Choza De Nipa

By Dr James Dobson I was walking toward my car outside a shopping centre a few weeks ago when I heard a loud and impassioned howl. I spotted a man about 15 metres away who was in great distress. His fingers were caught in the car door, which had obviously been slammed unexpectedly. Crouching in the front seat was an impish little three-year-old boy who had apparently decided to close the door on dad. The father was pointing frantically at his fingers with his free hand and saying: “Oh, oh, open the door, Chuckie!” Chuckie finally got the message and unlocked the door, releasing dad’s blue fingers. The father then hopped and jumped around the parking lot muttering things that a child should never be allowed to hear. Now, I know this incident was painful for the man, but I must admit, it struck my funny bone. I suppose his plight symbolises the enormous cost of parenthood. If you find yourself stressed out by your kids today, who don’t seem to appreciate the sacrifices you’ve ...

Image via Wikipedia By Dr James Dobson One of the best ways to show your children how to succeed may just be to teach them how to fail. It’s not news to anyone that youngsters mimic the behaviour of their parents. And since parents are being watched, they obviously need to be careful about what their children see. This is especially true when it comes to handling failure and disappointment. Do we set ourselves up as models of perfection that never fall short of our goals? Or are we able to say to our kids: “I’m sorry — I really blew it this time.” If we miss out on something that we really wanted — say, a new job — do we mask our feelings by offering phony excuses, or do we simply say: “Apparently the bosses thought Mr Lim would be better suited for the job.” Our children must see that Mum and Dad can admit their failure and their shortcomings, and that the world won’t end because they did. Some of the greatest times of growth between parents and children can occur when youngs...

Image via Wikipedia By Dr James Dobson Whose fault is it when a child goes bad? Who gets the blame when adolescents skip school, or spray graffiti on a bridge, or begin to experiment with drugs? In the opinion of some people, parents are inevitably responsible for the misbehaviour of their teenagers , and certainly, many deserve that criticism. Some of them are alcoholics, child abusers, or they otherwise damage their kids in some way. But I think it's time we admitted that the sons and daughters of some very loving, caring parents can go astray too. A hundred years ago, if a kid went bad, he was a bad kid. Now it's the fault of his dear old mum and dad who "mishandled his childhood". Well, maybe; and maybe not. Teenagers are old enough to make some irresponsible choices of their own, and they must share the consequences of their mistakes and failures. Am I trying to take bad parents off the hook and make them feel better for their shortcomings? No. But I do want t...

By Dr James Dobson So many men I meet have such good intentions. That is why they say yes to their wife and children so often. Unfortunately, as plans change and other pressures take priority, those yeses soon become nos. This turns many men into promise breakers. Are you a promise breaker or keeper? How would your children answer if we asked them that question? A son asks his father: “Dad, can we go bowling on Saturday?” The father replies: “Sure,” without really thinking. The days pass and then Friday comes and the man’s boss asks if he can come in for a few hours on Saturday. The man says yes. Saturday morning , his son is waiting for him with his bowling gear ready by the door. “Sorry son, I forgot about bowling. Daddy has to work today. Maybe next week,” says the man. And another promise has been broken. What the world needs and what your children need are more promise keepers and less promise breakers. Is there a commitment that you have made recently that you have pushed to t...