Sometimes, loving, caring parents are confused whether or not they’re enabling their child’s troublesome behaviors. Aren’t we simply showing love, giving grace, and being...
Am I An Enabling Parent?
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what you can do
Can a Parent in Pain Reduce their Stress?
Stress. Most of us experience it in some form. Stress with our jobs, our finances, our health, politics, and sometimes with our extended families. Some of us are parents who have...
When a Parent Needs Comfort
When my husband placed our newborn daughter on my chest, I fell instantly, totally, and completely in love. In awe and wonder, I caressed her still-moist body as I examined her...
Embarassment and Shame Isolate Parents in Pain
As I have journeyed down the road of painful parenting with a child who has struggled with many troubles: addiction, self-harm, mental health issues, sexual trauma, and suicide...
Encouraging Words for Brokenhearted Parents
Today’s blog is a collection of quotes from my book, You Are Not Alone: Hope for Hurting Parents of Troubled Kids. It includes comments from our daughter Renee on boundaries. I...
A Dangerous Situation for Struggling Parents of Troubled Kids
Summer is here. I live in Florida an hour from the beach. There's danger in the waters and it's not always from a sea creature. We hear tragic reports of drownings from a...
7 Prayers for A Troubled Child
Sometimes parents don't know how to pray for their troubled children. We need help. Today's blog is a re-post of one written by my dear friend Judy Douglass. She's a mom who...
What Can Broken-hearted Parents do in the Face of Deep Disappointment?
Today’s post is from author, speaker, Christine Caine. Her message on disappointment was spot on for what parents in pain struggle with. Parents whose children break their...
Olympics and Parenting
The Winter Olympics are over and in a way I’m glad. Too many late nights watching figure skaters, snowboarders, downhill skiers, and bobsledders are wearing me out. Hurting...
A Special Message to Parents Affected by the Parkland School Shooting
My husband and I want to express our deepest sympathies to the families who lost a child (or were impacted in some way) by the Parkland school shooting. Our hearts are heavy for...
Interview with a Mom
Valentine's Day is soon. It's a hard day for parents who find it difficult to love their wayward children, who feel unloved by them, and would give anything to hear them say, "I...
Healthy Detachment for Parents of Addicts
What is healthy detachment? There was a time when I had no clue. My husband and I first learned about detachment at a conference for parents fo addicts. I wasn't sure I had the...