Family Matters

Family Matters is a 5 minute programme offering practical advice from Focus on the Family. Receive a daily dose of encouragement and advice for the family with keys to stronger marriages, effective parenting, deeper relationships and a more satisfying lifestyle.

Husband and father involved in same sex extramarital affair

The daunting task of breaking the news to your kids about your spouse’s affair is not one any parent wants to face. When the affair your spouse has engaged in is with someone of the same sex, your conversation with the kids gets even more difficult.

07-30
04:34

Child doesn’t want single mom to date

There is definitely no easy way to go about dating again as a single mom after a divorce. If your child has been separated from a parent and is now being introduced to your new potential partners, this can be extremely scary for them and you can be sure to meet with some adverse behavior and ridicule. How does one ensure that the children are okay whilst pursuing a new relationship?

07-27
04:10

Children’s doubts about God

If you are a Christian parent who is praying for your kids, asking God to show Himself to them and to become very real to them, I don’t think you’re alone. That is the prayer on the lips of most believers for their children. Every Christian parent wants to feel secure in the knowledge that their child is pursuing God and believes wholeheartedly in His sovereignty. The worry and anxiety present themselves when your child questions his or her faith and God’s existence. What does one do in a situation like that?

07-26
04:17

Venting about marriage on social media

When issues arise in your marriage, who do you turn to? A lot of couples have trouble communicating their dissatisfaction in marriage with one another. It can be difficult to have those tough conversations face to face with your spouse, and that is why people often find that letting off some steam with friends is a better way of dealing with the problem. For some, those friends are only available on Facebook, so the venting takes place there. However, the reality is that social media is a massive portal to the world and your marital gripes could end up going viral, for use of a better term.

07-25
04:22

Social media signs of negative impact on marriage

Social Media is being named as one of the most common causes of marital disputes and divorce in more recent years. With this information, we would be wise to take stock of the time spent and connections being made over these social platforms in order to protect our marriages.

07-24
04:33

Rekindling a marriage as empty nesters

So many couples fall into the trap of focussing all their energy on their children, so much so, that when they “fly the nest” mom and dad are left with not much of a marriage.

07-23
04:18

Evangelizing millennials

We often talk about the millennial generation and how life has been a completely different experience for those born into this digital age. It affects parenting, career choices, attitudes towards socializing and so much more. But how have Millenials been affected in their view of the Church and God? Many churches are asking these questions and seeking answers on how to most effectively reach this generation.

07-20
04:36

Adolescent thinks his parents don’t respect him

If you’re a teen who’s feeling trapped by your parents’ “controlling behavior”, then stay tuned. You may not like some of their ideas, and their methods of guiding you into the right path may seem ineffective and unreasonable to you, but it's highly likely that they have your best interests at heart.

07-19
04:32

Feminine preferences and male sexual identity

Identity labels are rarely helpful, especially where personality and sexuality are concerned. The term "gay" is just an artificial mental construct: a word that means what other people say it means – nothing more, nothing less. We’ll discuss male sexual identity and help a young man to understand true masculinity, stay tuned.

07-18
04:52

Co-parenting with an uncooperative ex-spouse

When a mother and father parent with the same agenda and discipline style, a happier and safer environment is created for the children as they understand their boundaries. When parents are divided in their parenting style it can cause a lot of problems with kids being confused and lacking the safety of consistency. In a situation where there has been a divorce, the parenting strategy still needs to remain intact as far as possible.

07-17
04:20

Suspicions of babysitter abuse

Parents, imagine the gut-wrenching feeling you would have at the thought of a babysitter abusing your child. Leaving our children in the care of another requires a sense of trust in that person, so when that trust becomes questionable there’s the reason for major concern.

07-16
04:38

Maintaining relationships with children after divorce

It’s not easy for a divorced parent to stay well connected with his or her children when the court has ruled custody in favor of your ex, and you only see the children for a day or two every other week.

07-13
04:20

Friend requests from old flames on social media

Is it wise and healthy for your marriage when you accept ‘friend’ requests from old flames on social media? Some might say, there’s absolutely no harm in staying in touch, while others may have stories to tell of those online friendships causing havoc in their marriages.

07-12
04:25

Wife no longer attracted to overweight husband

Husbands and wives should be looking out for their spouse's sexual needs and satisfying them as far as possible. But what does one do when the person you married is no longer attractive to you because they’ve ‘let themselves go’?

07-11
04:21

Explaining porn addiction to kids

Do you think you’d be able to admit to your kids that you’re in the process of getting help for porn addiction? Most parents will be saying an emphatic “No” to that question. But what if we told you that being open and honest with your children in matters such as this could have a profoundly positive influence on their lives.

07-10
04:25

Child says he wants to die

Has your child ever had an outburst and said something that shocked you to the core? A lot of the time the words have the little foundation and can be written off to emotions running high, but when should we be concerned that something greater is at play?

07-09
04:00

Anorexia and "Pro-Ana websites

We’ll be talking about the online world of anorexia support groups and the potential dangers of these Pro-Ana websites, you won’t want to miss this.

07-06
04:44

Adolescent Daughter Involved With an Older Man

How does one warn a teenage daughter of the potential pitfalls of spending time with an older guy, even if she claims that they are purely friends? Most teen girls don’t want to hear this kind of advice, so one has to be very careful with the approach. We’ll be discussing a situation in which a mom needs to voice her concerns and still maintain the relationship.

07-05
04:06

Using Tithe Money to Help Aging Parents

Dealing with our finances according to Christian principles implies a number of things. One is that Christians are expected to tithe, see 2 Chronicles 31:4&5. Christians are told to take care of the orphan and the widow. They are also commanded to honor their mother and father and to care for those within their household, read 1 Timothy 5:8. We’ll discuss what the Bible has to say about using our resources to care for aging parents.

07-04
04:25

Responding to a Gay Christian in the Family

How would you respond to an announcement from one of your children that they identify as a “gay Christian’? We’ll be responding to a mother whose son made just such a declaration on the next Family Matters.

07-03
04:21

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