On Birthdays

The Fullers are in the middle of summer birthday season, which began in May and ends tomorrow. In the span of 10 weeks five members of our family mark their entrance into this world. Appropriate to summer time parties, we have a lot of outdoor cook-outs and we eat a lot of watermelon as we celebrate. And of course there is the ice cream and cake!

I have some pretty strong recollections of our kids’ births. Every parent remembers the events surrounding the labor and delivery of that first child (Moms more than Dads, I suspect, for obvious reasons). We had done our homework and knew – to the best of our ability – what to expect for various stages of labor and what the delivery might be like. Of course, in many ways we were clueless, but how can you really know what birthing a baby is like until you’ve experienced it firsthand?

Our second child was born only eight hours after I accepted a job with Focus on the Family.  We had spent several days in prayer and conversation after the offer was extended, and over the weekend we determined that a move to Colorado Springs to join the staff of Focus was a good thing. My wife went into labor shortly after making that decision and hours after I called to say, “Yes,” we were at the hospital and she was pushing. Who could forget those circumstances?

I caught one child. Really. That was an unplanned home birth, and I was the attending “physician!”

The last couple of births were in different hospitals, but as I recall, both went well and there were no problems at all.

Alright, enough strolling down memory lane about the summer birthday season, and where I was. By the way, I noted that one of our kids was born hours after I accepted a job with Focus on the Family. That was 18 years ago tomorrow. Where did the time go?!

Teens “Dig” Into Faith

Have a teen at home? I do – three of ‘em! If, like me, you want to prepare your teen(s) for the onslaughts of the culture, consider The Big Dig event coming up August 8 to a venue near you. My two oldest participated in the last Big Dig event, and it was a great time of being strengthened in their faith and energized to take on the culture. Make plans now – August 8 is only a few days away!

The Faith – And Life

One of the best books I’ve read in the past year was The Faith, by Chuck Colson. It is an engaging, story-filled look at the Christian faith and what it means to live life for God in a world that increasingly dismisses those who have religious commitment.

Here’s a warm, fascinating exchange between two dear friends, Dr. Dobson and Chuck Colson, about The Faith.

Working Moms

Here at Focus on the Family we often lift up the ideal, reminding folks of God’s design and intentions for us as individuals, couples and families. That doesn’t mean we aren’t familiar with those situations when life is gray, not black-and-white. Many of us have had challenging decisions to make about our work and our kids.

Finding balance in life is not always easy, and so it was good to hear this two-part conversation with some moms who have had to confront the many factors involved in determining if they should stay in the workplace or stay home to care for their child. Interesting insights, and we have heard quite a few comments from listeners who found it practical and helpful.

Life Lessons From A Pet’s Passing

A few years back, we had an incident in our family that I thought illustrated the importance of seeing the world through a child’s eyes. As parents, we need to be reminded of the things we can learn from life’s disappointments.

She was so excited. It was a special. Her very own pet! Ah, but the lessons of life were to be learned all too soon.

“Science is Fun” is an event helping introduce the joys of scientific discovery to youngsters. My first grade daughter was pleased to attend this year. It became a very special field trip because of the pet “Little T” brought home.

A common earth worm, in a small plastic cup of dirt. That was her “pet.” Came with clear instructions on how to care for the thing, and equally clear directions to release the worm in our backyard after a week.  Ecologically correct, I guess. My first grader couldn’t be more pleased. Her very own pet for a week! She was so proud to have her own…worm. Hey, we didn’t mind, because worms aren’t really a high-maintenance kind of pet.

My wife put that little pet into the Suburban’s cupholder. But Little T couldn’t leave it alone. “I want to check on my worm, Mom.”  We had to pass that cup back for her inspection numerous times as we drove home.

“Wormy” had a place on the kitchen counter. Throughout that first day, Little T checked in on him (her? it?). Unfortunately, the next morning my wife noticed a conspicuous lack of water in the cup, and a corresponding lack of meaningful movement. Uh-oh. The worm had passed on.  “Gone to meet its Maker.” In only 24 hours, it went from healthy-as-can-be to deceased. This would be hard on our little girl.

My dear seven year-old daughter cried. Her little pet worm had died. This was heart-breaking! And this was precious to see, to be there so we could guide her through the emotions. Through this incident, I think she learned a bit about the need to care for our pets, and how to take on responsibility. I think she learned that that life is short. Well, alright, maybe she didn’t learn those lessons completely, but this sad passing probably did help her start to grasp the bigger picture of life. That’s something every child has to come to terms with, eventually. Better sooner than later.

I guess it’ll be a stop at the pet store tonight to see if I can buy a replacement pet. And I can’t wait to see her face when I bring her a new…worm.

Yuk Factor Is High

Here’s a list of four of the grossest things a parent might have to deal with regarding their child’s health. I’ll admit it is a bit hard to read, even for this seasoned dad, but I did learn a few things. Maybe you will too.

Last Day: Do You Post Ultrasound Pics?

Closing the poll later today, so tell tell us ASAP: Have you, or will you, post pictures of your ultrasound online? Why or why not?

Gearing Up For School? Backpack Wisdom For Kids

In our home my wife is the teacher, and there’s not really a summer break. She has been thinking and planning (and praying!) for the coming year for the past two months. I suspect that’s the case for most educators, regardless of where they teach. And one thing we’re about to do is the annual “load up the cart with school supplies” routine.

When I was a kid, the preparations for the new school year were always kicked off with a trip to the store for pencils, art supplies, notebooks and more. And I had a locker for those items, along with books and such. One thing  don’t recall having: a backpack into which I would cram and carry everything I might possibly need. I’m sure I had some sort of book bag, but taking things back and forth between school and home was relatively easy. My, how things have changed!

The load of things kids carry, which these days includes MP3 players, multiple text books, water bottles and more, is astounding. In one study,

On average, 6th graders in the study were carrying backpacks weighting 18.4 pounds, although some backpacks weighed as much as 30 pounds.

‘Scuse me? 20 or 30 pounds of stuff loaded into a backpack? Well, you know, I’ve seen plenty of kids humped over, trying to balance their packs, which are themselves stuffed to capacity and nearly bursting at the seams.

So, is this a problem? If so, who is to blame here? How do you lighten the load and protect your child’s health?

Three Million Visitors

Hard to believe, but recently Focus on the Family welcomed our 3-millionth (is that a word?) visitor. I remember when we used to have three or four visitors at a time, and it is really humbling to think that more than three million people have stopped by to say hello. Here’s a little story and a photo about the individual who earned the special “3-millionth” visitor designation!

Posting Ultrasound Pictures?

Brian is an expectant dad. He’s got a sonogram of his baby, only a few months along the way toward birth, posted on his cubicle wall. “Alright,” I exclaimed, “Congratulations!” We chatted a few minutes about the miracle of new life, and the changes he’d be seeing in his wife – and his life.

I like seeing such pictures, and I rejoice with a couple who are experiencing a first-time pregnancy with all its joys and excitement. Over at the Wall Street Journal Marisa Wong wonders if it is “over-sharing” to post ultrasound pictures of your pre-born baby at sites like Facebook? She writes,

In an age where we’re engaged in digital communities that connect us to strangers and siblings alike, just how much do you share and reveal about yourself online? Where do you draw the line, if you do at all, between keeping in touch and over-sharing?

I think it is perfectly appropriate to share sonograms with friends – personally or online. Many of us are interested, we just aren’t nearby. So I don’t mind if someone puts such pictures up. I can see them and move on, or dwell on the image. It’s my choice.

What do you think? Have you ever posted a sonogram online? Why/why not?

Have you shared ultrasound pictures online?

  • Not yet, but I plan to do so in the future! (22%)
  • No, I prefer not to share ultrasounds with folks online. (33%)
  • Yes, but I wish I hadn't. Never again. (0%)
  • Yes, and I'll post them again if/when we have another child. (45%)
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