Segment One: Prayer

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting© It’s official. The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that Americans can no longer begin high school football games with prayer. It is sad, but not surprising. In an age of apostasy, that is, rebellion against God, we can only expect more of this ridiculous reason. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and I agree with my colleague Cal Thomas, who invokes the wisdom of St. Francis of Assisi, who is credited with saying: "Preach the Gospel. If you have to, use words." As believers, it is our daily walk, our quiet, private prayers, our integrity and commitment to Christ that change the world. If you want to, hold hands in small groups, and pray for the safety of the players before a game, but if you want to really make a difference in your community, preach the Gospel, without words.

Segment Two: Dangers of Ecstasy

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©.In the 70’s, smoking grass was hip. In the 80’s, teens experimented with cocaine, and in the 90’s it was crack or crank. But what is the drug that parents in the millennium should know about? Ecstasy. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and ecstasy is a fairly cheap, very accessible pill that causes a rush of serotonin in the brain. Kids feel great for hours on end, full of energy and creativity. Ecstasy or "e" is often taken at parties, called "raves" and in clubs and kids think it is harmless. But ecstasy can cause long tern neural damage and has killed many kids. For prayerful parents, and all parents, it is important to watch for the signs of alcohol or drug use, and to be aware that ecstasy is around and very dangerous.

Segment Three: Revival in the Schools

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©. Miracles happen all the time, and this isn’t a line from the hit TV series, "Touched By An Angel." Instead this is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and the June 5, 2000 issue of Time magazine reports on a miraculous revival that occurred at Pearl River Central High School on April 12th of this year. In an article titled, "The Day God Took Over", the author reports that a simple skit about the Crucifixion, done by the Fellowship of Christian athletes at a school assembly, resulted in the conversion of hundreds of students. The brief assembly stretched into 5 hours, and was described by the Billy Graham Evangelical Association as a full-fledged revival. From all reports, the Holy Spirit intervened at this school assembly and breathed new life into just about everyone there. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t end peacefully. The ACLU says that the principal should have intervened and stopped the revival. Instead, she spontaneously gave a profession of faith. There is criticism of the school and of what critics fear is an invasion of Christianity into the public square. Not to worry. Clearly, God is at work here. In Psalms 105 we read: "Glory ye in His holy name. Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord."

Segment Four: Back to School

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©. It is September and time to send children back to school. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and I have taught public and private school and trained future teachers. I know about going back to school. But I’m afraid that many parents, even prayerful parents don’t really understand what it means to get back into the school routine. Here are some suggestions for making this school year a success. 1) Kids need to be in bed early. They need rest if they are to learn. 2) Kids need a healthy diet. Protein feeds brain cells and protein isn’t found in potato chips and cola 3) Kids need to have their homework supervised. 4) The papers in the back pack need to reviewed and signed. They don’t crawl out of the backpack on their own and 5) You need a relationship with your child’s teacher. Make the effort. It is worth every minute. Finally, kids need to feel your commitment to education. If you think that school is important, chances are, your children will too.

Segment Five: Mentally ill children

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©. A friend of mine is ready to give up on her very successful career as a teacher. This outstanding educator, who has been "teacher of the year" and holds several advanced degrees, can no longer manage her 5th grade classroom because of the numbers of seriously disturbed and violent youngsters who cannot control their behavior. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and my friend’s experience is not unique. In June 2000, researches at the University of Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital revealed that the numbers of children with emotional and behavioral problems such as ADD, hyperactivity, aggressive and defiant behavior, depression, and anxiety have soared in the last 20 years. Researchers have cited the increase in single parent homes as one cause. For children with problems, and for their families and teachers, Psalms 33:18 is a source of hope: "Let thy mercy O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee."

Segment Six: Harry Potter books

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©. It was kind of shocking and yet exciting to hear that major bookstores were going to stay open until 1:00 am, to allow parents and children to be the first to buy copies of the hottest selling new children’s book. As a professor of children’s literature and a children’s writer myself, it is wonderful to see such interest in reading. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and much as I love to see kids reading, I worry when a juvenile book contains witchcraft, sorcery, "terrifying images including a disembodied voice repeatedly hissing "kill"; monstrous, flesh-eating spiders, children being attacked and paralyzed; an apparently dead cat hung upside down on its tail and creatures that suck out people’s souls. The author herself has promised more violence in upcoming books and the death of a major child character. Proverbs 1:33 says that "Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil." Is it really a good idea to bring evil into your home, especially in the form of a children’s book?

Segment Seven: Free to be Fathers

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©. One of the most liberating verses of scripture for parents is John 8:36. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." It seems that many prayerful fathers are using their freedom in the Lord to spend more time with their children. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and a new study reported by the Michigan Institute for Social Research indicates that fathers are spending 65% as much time with children as mothers do on weekdays and 87% as much time on weekends. This is a radical increase since the late 70’s, and it seems that much of the time dads are spending is in "direct engagement", actually interacting with, playing with, and attending to their children. Fathers in the study are pleased with this change themselves. In fact, 87% of dads report that they can be as good as moms at meeting their kids’ needs. Free indeed, to love and protect their children.

Segment Eight: Don’t Be Afraid to Be a Parent

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©. This is a hard message to write, but it is one that many parents need to hear. Some of you are too chicken to be parents of teenagers. That’s right. Chicken. Too scared to say no to your 13 or 14 or 15 year old child. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and part of being a parent means saying "NO" to teens. Kids who are failing in school should not have televisions and telephones in their bedrooms. Kids who are drinking should not have driver’s licenses, much less their own cars. Kids who are sexually promiscuous should not be allowed to set their own curfews or to date whenever they please. Too many of you are either afraid of hurting your teen’s feelings or afraid of curtailing your own freedom in order to supervise your children. II Timothy 1:7 says: "For god hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Use it to bravely face your teenaged children.

Segment Nine: Teens in Trouble

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©. I have noticed a troubling trend in parent-teen relationships. Parents have become nonchalant about teens who drink alcohol. In one recent case, a parent who was arrested for allowing dozens of teens to drink alcohol in her home, claimed that she didn’t know the kids were drinking, though there were hundreds of beer cans on the property. This parent, and many others who called into local radio stations in support, didn’t think that the underage drinking was a big deal. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and teen drinking is a big deal, for the obvious reasons, and for others. The results of a study done at Columbia University suggests that teens who drink are much more likely to have sex than other teens, to start having sex in middle school, and to have multiple sex partners. So, if a 15 year old knocking back a few beers doesn’t bother you, how about that same 15 year old having an STD? They seem to go hand in hand.

Segment Ten: Halloween

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone and I love the season of Autumn. It is my favorite time of year. I love the crisp weather, the tart apples, the colorful leaves. The only part that brings me down is Halloween. What is Halloween anyway? It is the remains of an ancient pagan ritual that has been packaged as a family event. Don’t be fooled. Witches are real. The devil is a dangerous force to invite into your home and Halloween is a waste of your time and money. As Christians, we need to use discernment in dealing with Halloween. I have allowed my children to make simple costumes such as bunny rabbits and ballet dancers and knock on next door neighbor’s door for candy. Beyond that, I have some real concerns. Scary costumes scare children. That is psychologically damaging. Scary talk of the devil and witchcraft scare me. Halloween is spiritually dangerous and I’m not afraid to admit it.

Segment Eleven: Humor in Marriage

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©. If you want to stay married, you had better develop a sense of humor. That’s right, a sense of humor. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and while intimacy and sensitivity are critical to marriage, a sense of humor seems to be what keeps couples from imploding. When researchers at the University of Washington’s "Love Lab" studied video tapes of 130 couples over a 6 year period, they found that couples that survived and thrived learned how to take a break from rising anger and to interject humor into almost any situation. A spouse’s annoying behavior becomes endearing or at least tolerable when one begins to see it as a funny idiosyncrasy instead of a personal attack. These findings are consistent with scripture. Luke 11:17 says: "Any kingdom filled with civil war is doomed, so is a home filled with argument and strife."

Segment Twelve: Abundantly Autumn

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©.Psalm 90 reminds us to ask God to "Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are." In the short, quickly darkening days of Autumn, there is an abundance of blessings to remember. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and this autumn, why don’t you take your toddler to an orchard or a market and pick out a bushel of apples? How about going walking through the autumn leaves with your spouse? Take a group of teens to a country fair and eat some shamelessly fattening elephant ears or cotton candy. Autumn is a good season to thank God for your family, for their health and for your opportunity to be a wife, a husband, a parent. It is a time of harvest and a time for thanksgiving. Don’t forget to thank our provider for all of His blessings to your family.

Segment Thirteen: Distrusting Dads After a Divorce

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©.The scripture is clear. God does not want his people to divorce. He wants us to work at our marriages, not just to survive, but to become a reflection of His love in us, and through us. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and I believe God teaches against divorce for many reasons, and one of them is that children are always hurt and changed by divorce. Psychological research, sponsored by the National Institute of Child Health reveals that children of divorce grow up distrusting their fathers, and this leads to intimacy and trust issues in other adult relationships. Divorce breaks sacred bonds, between husband and wife, and between parent and child. Proverbs 4:23 warns us: "Above all else, guard your affections, for they influence everything in your life." Your affection for your spouse must be guarded and nurtured, for the sake of your marriage and your children’s futures.

Segment Fourteen: Infant Brain Development

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©. How important are the early years, or even the earliest months of life? Researchers at Baylor University have found that the brains of infants who do not receive adequate stimulation are up to 30% smaller than those of other babies. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and when my students, who are future teachers, read the article that cites this research, they often cry. No wonder it is so hard to teach and reach today’s learners. Many of them are trying to learn to read and count and express themselves with brains that are much smaller and less powerful than God intended. Infants need mother’s milk, on demand, not on a schedule, lots of cuddling and conversation, stimulating toys, books, and music, and two parents who are committed to everything that I just listed. If you want your baby to have a healthy brain, you have to do things right, from the very beginning.

Segment Fifteen: Set Apart

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©This is a message for all of you parents out there who are feeling like you are different and even a little strange compared to the other parents on the block. Congratulations, you are probably a Christian. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and maintaining a home in which God is honored and revered and in which the Bible is the final authority will set your family apart, and others may not understand. Your kids may not get everything they want, when they want it. They may not date at 13 or have boys and girls spend the night together or drink beer in your rec room, stay out late, be allowed to cut school, fail courses, talk back to you, or skip church. They may, however, feel secure and loved, as Proverbs 14:26 says: "Reverence for God gives a man deep strength; his children have a place of refuge and security." It is okay to be different, especially today, especially for the sake of pleasing God.

Segment Sixteen: Home Schooling

Welcome to Prayerful Parenting©. I have never home schooled my own children, though I am an advocate of school choice. So, it is with an objective voice that I say that the whole nation was impressed and compelled to re-think home schooling when the top three spellers in the National Spelling Bee 2000 were home schooled, and the winner was a top placement in the National Geography Bee a week earlier. This is Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, and while this evidence might be considered coincidental, a study released in March 2000, by the Home School Legal Defense Association, shows that home schooled students consistently score far higher than their peers on standardized tests and that by the 8th grade, home schoolers are scoring four grade levels higher than the national average. It is estimated that close to 1.2 million children are now taught at home, and there may be valuable lessons for all of us to learn, from the home schooling phenomenon. For a start, we might begin calling them Home Scholars rather than Home Schoolers. They seem to deserve that distinction.

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