Posts Archive

Watching other people’s children grow up can be a shocking experience. We are around our own children every day, and we see small, day-to-day changes in them. However, when we see someone else’s children, whom we haven’t seen in a while, we’re surprised by how much...

Experiencing Awe with Children I’ve come across several news posts lately that reference the work of Dacher Keltner, mostly related to his recent book, AWE: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life1. Keltner is a professor of...

Over the past few years, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about theology and parenting. From starting a doctoral program to writing a soon-to-be-defended dissertation to planning a book and seminars, I’ve been working on giving people healthy ways to think about God...

Applying Open and Relational Parenting to Real Life Recently, one of my patient’s moms asked, “How do I get my children to start taking responsibility for themselves?” She gets frustrated when they leave their toys and clothes strewn all over their rooms and play...

A Chuppah Blessing Last weekend, Linda and I were blessed to attend a beautiful Jewish wedding led by Rabbi Micah Greenstein. He translated and explained the Hebrew readings and songs, highlighting several delightful themes, including the underlying love in the room,...

Loving despite what others do My dad grew up as one of three boys. They were each three years apart, starting with my Uncle Herrold, followed by my Uncle Bud, and finally followed by my dad, Charles. I remember hearing stories of their childhood antics whenever our...

Valuing others in relationship Kids love to do things alongside their parents. Over the past several weeks, I’ve asked my patients what they enjoy doing with their parents. I’ve heard about camping, hiking, fishing trips, and amusement parks. Sports, crafts, cooking,...

Valuing others because of who they are. I’ve repeated the routine of knocking on a hospital room door, walking into the room, congratulating the parents, and examining the baby time and time again. It’s a routine that never gets old. Every time I see a new baby, I...

Moms, babies, and interconnectedness My friend jonathan_foster explores grief in his beautifully poetic and thought-provoking book, indigo: the color of grief. His exploration of his daughter’s tragic death leads him to ponder big ideas like family, presence, absence,...

We first meet Disgust and Anger in the movie Inside Out at the Andersens’ dinner table. Young Riley is in her highchair, and her dad is offering her a spoonful of broccoli while her mom watches. Disgust enters the control room for the first time, surveys the...

I remember being in elementary school when the summer days started to shorten, and it was almost time to return to school. I wanted summer to last longer, but I also admitted that it would be nice to see my friends again. There was no social media, iPhones, or email,...

I love and hate this time of year. The office is bustling with families coming in for their last-minute back-to-school checkups. It’s a delight to reunite with some of my older patients, whom I may not have seen since last year. It’s a joy to catch up with their...

This week, Megan, a toddler's mom, was in my office struggling with a hard decision about a trip she and her mother are considering, separating her from her child, Annabelle. The journey will take Megan and her mother back to their homeland and has profound...