February 18 | Parents, steer clear of these mistakes with your teen!🚫

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February 18, 2022

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tips & tricks for growth

parenting doesn't have to feel like a constant power struggle

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By Gena Ellis

“NO!” Do you remember how you felt the first time your child dead-eyed defied you? As a parent of very strong-willed sons, I remember the first time my oldest said, “NO!” when I asked him to pick up his toys in the living room. I was so taken aback I said to myself, “I must have misheard him.” I repeated, “Please pick up your toys.” He matter-of-factly repeated, “NO.” As a parent, I had just entered the Wild West. Gone was my compliant, sweet child. He was replaced with this toddler-gunslinger who shot down everything I said.

Here's how you can keep your sheriff's badge during power struggles:

🚨 Remember, you are in charge.

🚨 Choose your battles wisely.

🚨 Give your child choices.

🚨 Be specific and make it fun!

🚨 Don’t be afraid to deputize the universe.

To remain in charge, you have to keep your cool.

[/av_textblock] [av_button label='READ MORE ON KEEPING YOUR BADGE & YOUR COOL' icon_select='no' icon='ue800' font='entypo-fontello' link='manually,https://firstthings.org/i-feel-like-im-in-a-constant-power-struggle-with-my-child/' link_target='' size='small' position='center' label_display='' title_attr='' color_options='' color='custom' custom_bg='#b33151' custom_font='#ffffff' btn_color_bg='theme-color' btn_custom_bg='#444444' btn_color_bg_hover='theme-color-highlight' btn_custom_bg_hover='#444444' btn_color_font='theme-color' btn_custom_font='#ffffff' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv7y74v' admin_preview_bg=''] [av_hr class='invisible' icon_select='yes' icon='ue808' font='entypo-fontello' position='center' shadow='no-shadow' height='40' custom_border='av-border-thin' custom_width='50px' custom_margin_top='30px' custom_margin_bottom='30px' custom_border_color='' custom_icon_color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv88ljq' admin_preview_bg=''] [av_hr class='invisible' icon_select='yes' icon='ue808' font='entypo-fontello' position='center' shadow='no-shadow' height='50' custom_border='av-border-thin' custom_width='50px' custom_margin_top='30px' custom_margin_bottom='30px' custom_border_color='' custom_icon_color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv88ljq' admin_preview_bg=''] [av_textblock size='16' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' font_color='' color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv7telh' admin_preview_bg='']

handling toxic family members

[/av_textblock] [av_textblock size='' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' font_color='' color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-jqck11' admin_preview_bg=''] Have you ever noticed that every time you leave a certain family member’s presence, you feel worse than you did before you saw them? Have you ever noticed that your aunt gossips all the time? Or that your future in-laws criticize your every move? Or that your own parents are more controlling now than ever? And what about that uncle who doesn’t care what you’re doing—he thinks it’s okay to show up whenever he wants. Toxic family members make your head hurt. They are poisonous to your health. They can drain you emotionally every time they are around.

How do you recognize toxic family members?

When you leave their presence, you often feel worse than you did before.
They want to control your life. They tell you the decisions you should make, how you should spend your money, and the people you should be friends with.
You feel that they seem to always criticize you—your parenting, your cooking, your house management, anything and everything.
They may be physically, verbally, or emotionally abusive.
They always “need” you to come to their rescue.

It’s important to deal with the toxicity. Your mental and emotional health—and maybe even your physical health—can depend on it. [/av_textblock] [av_button label='READ MORE' icon_select='no' icon='ue800' font='entypo-fontello' link='manually,https://firstthings.org/how-to-deal-with-toxic-family-members/' link_target='' size='small' position='center' label_display='' title_attr='' color_options='' color='custom' custom_bg='#b33151' custom_font='#ffffff' btn_color_bg='theme-color' btn_custom_bg='#444444' btn_color_bg_hover='theme-color-highlight' btn_custom_bg_hover='#444444' btn_color_font='theme-color' btn_custom_font='#ffffff' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv7y74v' admin_preview_bg=''] [av_hr class='invisible' icon_select='yes' icon='ue808' font='entypo-fontello' position='center' shadow='no-shadow' height='40' custom_border='av-border-thin' custom_width='50px' custom_margin_top='30px' custom_margin_bottom='30px' custom_border_color='' custom_icon_color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv88ljq' admin_preview_bg=''] [av_hr class='short' icon_select='yes' icon='ue808' font='entypo-fontello' position='center' shadow='no-shadow' height='50' custom_border='av-border-thin' custom_width='50px' custom_margin_top='30px' custom_margin_bottom='30px' custom_border_color='' custom_icon_color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv88ljq' admin_preview_bg=''] [av_one_full first min_height='' vertical_alignment='' space='' row_boxshadow='' row_boxshadow_color='' row_boxshadow_width='10' custom_margin='' margin='0px' mobile_breaking='' border='' border_color='' radius='0px' padding='0px' column_boxshadow='' column_boxshadow_color='' column_boxshadow_width='10' background='bg_color' background_color='' background_gradient_color1='' background_gradient_color2='' background_gradient_direction='vertical' src='' background_position='top left' background_repeat='no-repeat' highlight='' highlight_size='' animation='' link='' linktarget='' link_hover='' title_attr='' alt_attr='' mobile_display='' id='' custom_class='' aria_label='' av_uid='av-2w5yyf1'] [av_codeblock wrapper_element='' wrapper_element_attributes='' codeblock_type='' alb_description='' id='results' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kseps2mr'] [/av_codeblock] [/av_one_full] [av_section min_height='' min_height_pc='25' min_height_px='500px' padding='default' custom_margin='0px' custom_margin_sync='true' color='main_color' background='bg_color' custom_bg='#b33151' background_gradient_color1='' background_gradient_color2='' background_gradient_direction='vertical' src='' attachment='' attachment_size='' attach='scroll' position='top left' repeat='no-repeat' video='' video_ratio='16:9' overlay_opacity='0.5' overlay_color='' overlay_pattern='' overlay_custom_pattern='' shadow='no-border-styling' bottom_border='no-border-styling' bottom_border_diagonal_color='#333333' bottom_border_diagonal_direction='' bottom_border_style='' custom_arrow_bg='' id='' custom_class='' aria_label='' av_element_hidden_in_editor='0' av_uid='av-kqv856ql'] [av_textblock size='16' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' font_color='custom' color='#ffffff' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv7telh' admin_preview_bg='']

what we're lovin'

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share the love

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Know a friend who would love reading all the relationship goodness we've packed in here? Go ahead and share it with them!

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