Do you know your toddler’s favorite book? or food? Do you know your elementary child’s favorite color? or flavor of ice cream? Do you know your Middle Schooler’s favorite subject? or band? or app/game? Do you know your High Schooler’s favorite fast food joint? At the end of the day, children are very in […]
Author: Ricky Cassford
George Washington did it! – Name Calling (3 of 3)
Words are powerful! How you talk to people is just as important as what you say! This is no truer than when you are speaking to your children. Often however, we relegate this thought simply to the negative side of the equation. I want to encourage you to utilize this reality to powerfully build up […]
Sweet and Low – Name Calling (2 of 3)
I have heard it said that your favorite word in any language is your name (or the name you like to be called). While I believe that this is true in an extra familial sense, I do know that nicknames – especially ones that endear a person to you (and you to them) are loved […]
Name Calling …but Reversed! (1 of 3)
How many times have you heard that name calling is a bad thing? It is true, the father who calls his daughter names that demean her gender, or make parts of her body to be focused upon instead of modestly de-emphasized will not benefit her development. Just as calling your son names that emasculate him […]
Encouragement
I want to encourage you… Encourage your children, daily. Don’t wait for them to ask for it, or deserve it, you may never have an opportunity if you wait for these things, so find encouragement for them in the moment. There is always something, in every situation, that you can encourage. You may have to […]
Communicate …Daily!
This may sound silly, but do you talk to your children on a consistent basis? Not just talk, but communicate? Is there ever a time when you are sharing the same space, and you don’t talk? As your children get older it is more common to be caught up in the tasks at hand (especially […]
“Consistency” vs “Constantly”
Any Guru, parental advice columnist, or grandparent will tell you that the most important thing to be as a parent is consistent. Well… what I’m going to tell you is going to… “go right along” with that! The reason they will all say that is on the other side of parenting, is this thing that […]
Fatherly Example?
“…but my father made mistakes!” …and you will make mistakes as a father too …but don’t let that discourage you from engaging in the calling that God has put on your life. Every day outweigh your mistakes with heroic love and encouragement. Your children are looking for validation and support from their father, and knowing […]
Complain, Complain, Complain
Are you a complainer? Are your kids turning into complainers? Is it a problem to be a complainer? I had the fortunate upbringing that helped me to look on the bright side of things, and do my best not to complain. … but I learned to do it as an adult! I remember being at […]
Love, Loyalty, and Siblings
There is a story I once heard that exemplifies the idea of love and loyalty… putting someone else’s needs before your own. It is one that made me wonder, in our age of texting and social media, if there were “textese,” (or SMS language) for Crying Out Loud. This is one of those stories that […]