Beauty resets our compass. It reminds us of who we are and what we are made for. ~ Andrew Peterson

Our children will grow no matter what, but how they grow and what they learn is heavily dependent on their environment. Parents can shape the world of their children to include beauty, freedom of artistic expression, and space to wonder. In this podcast, we talk to Andrew Peterson, singer, songwriter, author, father and now grandfather. Over the last 25 years, Andrew has used his creative talents in the world of music and fantasy books for kids. He has done this out of the firm belief in the power of art to commuicate eternal truths and draw people into relationship with God. Our family has been blessed by his work over the past 25 years and we hope that all our families will be too!

• Parents need to shape the world to be beautiful for their children. Beauty evangelizes even to the very young child. Art, in all its expressions, is essential to life.

• Beauty resets the compass. It reminds us of who we are and what we are made for. It awakens within us the desire for the Kingdom - God’s Kingdom here on earth and in heaven.

• Delight in your children. They need to know that they are wonderfully made and they learn that by how we respond to them.

• Sin is when I forget who I am. Our kids need to be solid in their identity as a child of God and so do we!

• We need to learn to desire things in the right order. Sin happens when we live a life of disorder. As parents we can help order the lives of our children in the right way.

• How does our family experience art (music, literature, movies) in our home? What do these things communicate to our children?

• Do we delight in our children? How can we do this more?

• What are we doing in our home to help our children “desire things in the right order?” How can we shape the environment in our home to do this?

• God in the Garden

• Wingfeather Series (books)

• Wingfearther series (series on Angel studios)

• Andrew-peterson.com

• Music list on spotify

“21% of teens said their #1 concern was not having enough time with their parents. Only 8% of parents said their #1 concern was not having enough time with their kids.” ― Meg Meeker

After 13 years of marriage we had six children and were pretty confident in our parenting. But when our oldest daughter became a teenager, we felt like we needed to learn how to parent all over again! This sweet 12 year old seemed to begin changing before our eyes and we had to pivot pretty quickly to learn what it was that she needed and what our new role was as parents. The teen years do not need to be horrible. In contrast, it should be the flowering of all the parenting you have done and an exciting time for you and your child! The question for parents is how do I learn how to love my child during this turbulent time of change from being a child to being an adult. In this episode, we give you some principles to remember and some practical things you can do to REALLY love your teenager.

• If you want your teen to grow in virtue and maturity, you must give them freedom. Parents of teens move from being a protector to being a coach.

• For teens who are forming their identity in relation to the world, their interests are equal with who they are. So if you learn more about their music, games, friends, and trends, they will receive the message that you like them, not just love them.

• Teens need to be encouraged to take appropriate risks. Failure is a part of learning. They won’t succeed at everything they do and that is OK. This is the best time for them to learn these lessons.

• Invite them into spiritual adulthood. Give them the opportunity to make the faith their own.

• Looking back on your teen years, do you love your “teen self”? How can you grow in this?

• List the names of your tweens and teens. What do you love about them? Share with your spouse and add to the list together.

• What are your concerns about your teens? Does your spouse have the same concerns? Why or why not?

• In what areas are you giving too much freedom? Where can you help your teen grow in independence?

• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

IGen by Jean Twenge

Happiness is determined by our expectations…. If our expectations are modest… we will be happy; if our expectations are unrealistic, we end up disappointed.
~Bishop Anthony Taylor, Diocese of Little Rock

All of us come into our vocations with expectations. We have dreams and plans, but expectations are more like assumptions. We have our own experience and we expect that things will go a certain way. The problem is, we can’t always articulate these expectations or even realize that we have them until they are unfulfilled and this can cause conflict with our spouses. In this episode, we talk about the relationship between expectations and happiness, how to articulate our expectations, and how to have realistic expectations of our marriage as you grow. We also share on a personal level what our expectations were and how we handled things when we were newly married compared to how we are today. This podcast is really one that you want to discuss with your spouse to help you both learn how to communicate better and forge greater unity.

• Happiness is determined by our expectations and our ability to notice and rejoice in little things. If our expectations are modest, life will usually exceed our expectations and we will be happy; if our expectations are unrealistic, we end up disappointed.

• Many young couples have unrealistic expections of their spouse. They expect their spouse to do what only God can do: To meet all their needs for security, support and closeness.

• Don’t lower your standards, just make them more realistic and realize you need to grow in your communication skills to have a strong marriage.

• No matter if your expectations are fulfilled or now, always choose gratitude. There is always something to be thankful for and recognizing that is the key to happiness.

• What were my expectations coming into our marriage?

• Which of these were fulfilled? Which has led to disappointment?

• What am I grateful for?

Article on Expectations and Happiness