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Journal News Commentary Wisdom

New study links childhood religious practice with key health advantages in young adulthood

Here is something that common sense has always suspected. Applied religious faith makes a practical difference in the wholeness of people. Now we can say that the sociologists have confirmed it. A new study has shown statistically that religious practice by kids in childhood and teen years results in better well-being as young adults in crucial areas. Here are the links to both the news article reporting on the study and to the study itself. Among the list of positive effects carrying over into young adulthood are increased reported happiness, decreased drug use, and much less sexually transmitted disease.

If we needed it, it should be just one more reason to take the Bible seriously. And it certainly is an encouragement to parents that practicing faith as a family has a salutary effect on children in so many ways. Remember King David said;
Blessed is the one… whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. (Psalm 1:1, 3 NIV)

Jesus said;
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matt 7:24-25 NIV

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Journal Wisdom

A wise article for parents

Here is a very helpful article for parents. It has a good perspective on helping children make healthy emotional adjustments in today’s world.

Reasons Today’s Kids Are Bored, Entitled, Impatient with Few Real Friends

 

Categories
Journal News Commentary Wisdom

“Vitamin N” for children

I have long said that one of parents’ main jobs is teaching their children the meaning of “no.”   Here is a great article from the Hartford Courant in which the writer, John Rosemond, calls this kind of teaching for children “Vitamin N.”   Mr. Rosemond also mentions that far from dashing the happiness of children, the experience of  “Vitamin N” actually contributes to their long-term happiness.   On the other hand, the nonstop indulgence common today is producing increasingly depressed people who can’t get enough kicks to keep the party going.

http://digitaledition.courant.com/tribune/article_popover.aspx?guid=f610bf18-8790-4290-81cd-7657fa9fc571

 

 

 

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Journal Wisdom

Having a Mom and Dad is best for children

Research has repeatedly shown that children of same sex relationships are at much greater risk in so many ways.  Here is one of the more recent and largest studies to come up with that result.     As a corollary, helping Mom and Dad keep together and do well as a couple needs to be one of the goals of the church’s ministry.    If heterosexual marriage were doing better as an institution,there would be much less gender confusion in our culture.

“A new study published in the February 2015 issue of the British Journal of Education, Society, and Behavioural Science appears to be the largest yet on the matter of same-sex households and children’s emotional outcomes. It analyzed 512 children of same-sex parents, drawn from a pool of over 207,000 respondents who participated in the (US) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) at some point between 1997 and 2013.

Results reveal that, on eight out of twelve psychometric measures, the risk of clinical emotional problems, developmental problems, or use of mental health treatment services is nearly double among those with same-sex parents when contrasted with children of opposite-sex parents. The estimate of serious child emotional problems in children with same-sex parents is 17 percent, compared with 7 percent among opposite-sex parents, after adjusting for age, race, gender, and parent’s education and income. Rates of ADHD were higher as well—15.5 compared to 7.1 percent. The same is true for learning disabilities: 14.1 vs. 8 percent.”   from http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2015/02/14417/

 

 

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Journal Wisdom

A good article about helping children grow into leaders

 

Many years ago JoAnne and I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Tim Elmore who is being interviewed for this article.   He makes excellent points about how many parents are trying to protect their children or do what is easy for themselves but in the process are not doing what is strongest for their children’s growth in leadership.   It is so important for parents to take the long term perspective.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2014/01/16/7-crippling-parenting-behaviors-that-keep-children-from-growing-into-leaders/