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Printed by permission of HomeWord (formerly YouthBuilders). For additional information on HomeWord, visit www.homeword.com or call 800-397-9725.
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For many of us, the holiday season is a time that is anticipated
with both joy and anxiety. Sure, we love the celebrations, the family
traditions, and we cherish the memories of holidays gone by; but along
with them, we add the stresses of preparation, expectations and the
fear of letdowns, or family squabbles that we have experienced in the
past. Here are ten tips that I’ve found to be helpful in getting ready
for an enjoyable, meaningful holiday season.
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It’s Christmastime and it’s time to celebrate! But, for many
parents, just the thought of the season makes them want to scream “Bah
hum-bug!” Why? It’s because the holidays can be hectic, heartbreaking,
harrowing and just plain hard to deal with. In short, the holidays can
be a hassle! Even though we’re celebrating the birth of our Savior and
our gratefulness to God for His many blessings, the thought of
Christmas shopping, school and church “holiday pageants,” and the
various Christmas functions can cause us a lot of stress!
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Traditions are important for families because they provide
opportunities to keep your family legacy going. From the simple to the
silly to the sentimental, traditions can create meaningful memories.
Don’t hesitate to try out some new traditions this Christmas season and
see what works and what doesn’t for your own family. You just may
create a new tradition that will keep going for generations! If you are
looking for some ideas in the search for new Christmas traditions,
consider the following:
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Is
your family in a rut when it comes to celebrating Christmas? Check out
our “Family Christmas Toolkit” with lots of fresh ideas for fun,
activities, traditions, devotionals and articles to try out during this
holiday season.
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Last month, we asked our readers to give advice to parents
about if parents should require teens to participate in family holiday
events. Here are some of the responses we received from you, our
subscribers.
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Fruitcake aside, who doesn’t love the special foods that show up
around Christmastime every year? Sure, everyone has their favorite
Christmas goodies, but how about trying something new this year? Our
HomeWord staff (past and present) have provided their favorite
Christmas recipes to pass along to you. Try one of these and you might
find a new family favorite in your home!
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This month our Good Advice newsletter is offered as a tool
to help you focus your family’s holiday season. Christmas is a favorite
time of year at the Burns’ household and likely yours as well. In the
hustle and bustle of the season, we can easily overlook the “reason for
the season.” Take advantage of the content provided in Good Advice this month to refocus your family’s celebration! From all of our family here at HomeWord, we wish you the best Christmas ever!
Blessings,
Jim Burns
President, HomeWord
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A group of HomeWord supporters has stepped forward with an
incredible opportunity of a challenge grant of $125,000. This means
that these friends will double all gifts given to us between now and
December 31. These funds will help us continue our work of helping,
encouraging, and equipping parents and families across America with the
biblical answers they need to experience all God desires for them!!
Please consider a truly generous gift today. And remember, whatever
gift you decide to give will be doubled by the generous challenge grant!
December Offer
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Parenting Priorities for 2008 – What is your number one priority as a parent in the New Year? Tell us both what and why. Click Here
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I never saw myself as an angry person until my children became teenagers. How can I pull it together? 
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 Updates
on teen spending for the holidays, the age when kids start to drink
alcohol, how teens use instant messaging – and all of the latest in
fresh youth culture items in this month’s YCW.
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 The trait that is most closely linked to the success or failure of your marriage is your ability to communicate. Sometimes in marriages, we develop some very poor communication habits. Dr. John Gottman is one of the world's leading experts on marriage. He claims that he often can determine if a couple is on the road to divorce by observing them interact on an issue of conflict. Much of Dr. Gottman's finding centers around the use of negativity as poor communication.
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 It is likely no surprise to you that God has wired women and men differently. We all recognize some of these differences, but others often hide in plain sight. Not long ago, I had the opportunity to interview Shaunti Feldhahn for our radio broadcast, HomeWord with Jim Burns. In our discussion, we talked about ten things guys wish women knew about men. I think you’ll find these ten things fascinating!
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 Not long ago, I had the opportunity to talk with Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn for our radio broadcast, HomeWord with Jim Burns. We had a great discussion about the truths they learned about women after a national survey and follow-up interviews. Here are the six things they’ve discovered women wish men know about them.
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 All marriages have problems. Knowing how we solve our problems will give us a much better handle on our goal, which is to create warmth and intimacy as well as rekindle romance in our relationship. When it comes to conflict, read my lips: Not all problems are resolvable! I wish more marriage experts would just tell us that from the beginning. Some problems we face are perpetual. These are problems that will always be in our lives in one form or another.
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 In the June edition of HomeWord's Good Advice Parent Newsletter, we asked our readers to give advice to parents who asked about whether or not they should allow their teen to be involved in the current poker-playing fad. Here were some of the responses we received from you, our subscribers...
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 Wahoo! Summer is here! This is the perfect time to take advantage of the long days, warm weather and your kids’ school vacation time to have some fun as a family. If you’re looking for some practical and simple ideas to increase the “play” factor in your family, this article is for you! Here are ten simple games with minimal props and little preparation required.
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For years, I've felt that keeping your marriage strong is one of the best things you can do to build your family and keep it healthy. The reality is, however, that too many marriages seem more like a business partnership rather than the intimate relationship God intends. I encourage you, for your family's sake, to do the hard work of keeping your marriage on track. In this issue of Good Advice, you'll find some helpful articles to encourage and challenge you in this important area.
Blessings,
Jim Burns
President, HomeWord
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Strenghthening Your Marriage CD
This incredible line up of speakers and authors provides great insight and wisdom to help you grow your marriage.
The Gift of Sex
by Clifford & Joyce Penner
A sensitive and forthright guide to understanding sexuality and how it fits into God's design for marriage.
You Matter More Than You Think
by Dr. Leslie Parrott
What a woman needs to know about the difference she makes.
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Family devotional times in a home with teens have crashed and burned. How can the parents bring life back into this weekly time they consider a nonnegotiable. Give us your advice. 
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 My 13-year-old son is a screamer. When he gets frustrated he screams. How do I get him to stop?
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 New info on teen athletes’ need for rest, weekend sleep “jet lag,” the decrease of sex portrayed on television – and all of the latest in fresh youth culture items in this month’s YCW.
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 It’s Christmastime and it’s time to celebrate! But, for many parents, just the thought of the season makes them want to scream “Bah hum-bug!” Why? It’s because the holidays can be hectic, heartbreaking, harrowing and just plain hard to deal with. In short, the holidays can be a hassle! Even though we’re celebrating the birth of our Savior and our gratefulness to God for His many blessings, the thought of Christmas shopping, school and church “holiday pageants,” and the various Christmas functions can cause us a lot of stress!
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 We had a great response to last month’s “Family Thanksgiving Toolkit,” so we’ve put together a new “Family Christmas Toolkit” with lots of fresh ideas for fun, activities, traditions, devotionals and articles to try out during this holiday season.
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 Christmas traditions are important for families because they provide opportunities to keep your family legacy going. Recently, I asked our HomeWord staff to pass along their favorite Christmas traditions to you, our readers. I’ve compiled their responses in this article. Don’t hesitate to try out some new traditions this Christmas season and see what works and what doesn’t for your own family. You just may create a new tradition that will keep going for generations!
|
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 |
 Fruitcake aside, who doesn’t love the special foods that show up around Christmastime every year? Sure, everyone has their favorite Christmas goodies, but how about trying something new this year? I asked our HomeWord staff to give me their favorite Christmas recipes to pass along to you. Try one of these and you might find a new family favorite in your home!
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 In the November edition of HomeWord’s Good Advice Parent Newsletter, we asked our readers to give advice to parents whose 16-year-old son hates church. Should he be allowed to make his own decision on whether or not to attend? Here were some of the responses we received from you, our subscribers…
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 Most kids have access to and play video games regularly. Research by Piper Jaffrey in 2005 revealed that 79% of teens have video game consoles in their home, and 59% owned multiple gaming systems. The National Institute on Media and Family states that their research indicates that 92% of kids aged 2-17 play video games regularly. So, there’s no doubt that kids are comfortable with today’s technologies. Many see and use them everyday. When it comes to video games, the thrill and challenge involved in playing can easily become addictive.
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 For many of us the holiday season is a time that is anticipated with both joy and anxiety. Sure, we love the celebrations, the family traditions, and cherish the memories of holidays gone by, but along with them we add the stresses of preparation, expectations and the fear of letdowns or family squabbles that we have experienced in the past. Here are ten tips that I’ve found to be helpful in getting ready for an enjoyable, meaningful holiday season.
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 Typically, Thanksgiving Day is a day full of family traditions. While traditions are important, even the best of families can find themselves in a rut. Other families like to mix things up a bit, and look for some new ideas to spice up their Thanksgiving Day celebration. If you find yourselves in either of these categories, you might want to check out our Thanksgiving toolkit. It’s full of activities, readings and recipes to help you make the most of your Thanksgiving!
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 'Tis the season to dig a little deeper and share in the spirit of giving – and no one is going to let you forget it! Everywhere you go you're faced with another gift to buy or a charity to support.
Giving is a wonderful thing if your intentions are in the right place. And when your intentions are in the right place, a little wisdom will help keep your finances in the right place as well.
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 It’s recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, (Matt. 10:8) Jesus said, “Freely you have received; freely give.” Though our lives may not always be everything we hope them to be, for the vast majority of Americans, we lives that are richly blessed. One of the ways we can demonstrate that we are grateful to God for His many blessings, is to help others. The holiday season is a great time for your family to get involved in helping to meet the needs of others in your community – showing them the light and love of Christ. Here are some ideas for reaching out and helping others during the holidays.
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 In the October edition of HomeWord’s Good Advice Parent Newsletter, we asked our readers to give advice to parents about whether or not to allow kids to participate in Halloween activities. Here were some of the responses we received from you, our subscribers…
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 The adolescent years seem to hit from out of nowhere and they often leave parents wondering exactly what has happened to that relatively intelligent and well-mannered child they used to call their son or daughter. Well, while it’s true there is no way you can accurately predict exactly when adolescence will begin, there is a way you can begin preparing for it so that it doesn’t seem like such a startling jolt when it does hit (and believe me, it will!)
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Helping teens manage their schedules. How many extracurricular activities are too many?
What your teens want for Christmas according to a recent survey of thousands of students.
Parent asks: My soon-to-be 13-year-old son and I constantly battle over almost every issue. What can I do?
Research shows cellphone text messaging is biggest teen driving distraction.
