Why we need organized religion

A great article describing why we can't just do religion on our own.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2020/03/the-lord-leads-his-church-through-prophets-and-apostles?lang=eng

Don't be the "natural" parent

Ten Ideas for Mastering Strong Emotions at Home

By David Schramm, PhD

Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies, Utah State University

1. Beware the natural parent.

Our bodies were designed to experience all kinds of emotions, including anger, confusion, frustration, and exasperation. A “natural” parent gives in to these impulses and lashes out. This natural parent—much like the natural man—is an enemy to his or her children and spouse, “unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural [impulses] and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love” (Mosiah 3:19).

In short, when we replace our unbridled, natural emotions with compassion and Christlike love, we become more like the Savior and thus better equipped to help our children manage their own emotions...

Feelings must be validated before behavior can be improved....

7. See things from your child’s perspective.

When we honestly try to see things from our children’s perspective, we will be reminded that we were children once—we made messes and were disrespectful. We can remind ourselves that all humans, including children, do things for reasons that make sense to them. And when we slip and say or do things we regret, we can be quick to apologize to others, including to our spouse and children.

Parenting Tips From Teens

Dear Mom and Dad: 40 Parenting Tips from Teens

By Chad Conrad

Seminaries and Institutes

Photographs from Getty Images

Over the past 20 years as a seminary teacher, I’ve asked hundreds of my students, “What advice would you give your parents on parenting?” Their responses fascinated and inspired me—so much so that I started asking their parents the same question, only in reverse: “What advice would you give your teenaged children?”

The most frequent responses over the years are listed on the following pages.

For suggestions on how to use these lists with your teens, see the “What Now?” activity on page 39.

Communication and Building Trust

1. Trust us. If we lose your trust, make us earn it back.
2. Don’t always say, “Because I said so.” Explain your decisions to us if you can.
3. Don’t yell at us or overreact. And don’t let us yell at you.
4. Be willing to negotiate with us sometimes.
5. If we admit our mess-ups to you first, don’t be mad at us. Recognize our desires to change.
6. Admit when you’re wrong.
7. Talk with us and listen sincerely to our ideas.
8. Be sure your expectations for us are clear. Sometimes we mess up because we genuinely don’t understand what you want from us.
9. Instead of grounding us all the time, let us suffer more natural consequences.
10. Give us second chances.
11. More praise, less criticism.
12. Be our friends sometimes and just listen to us.
13. Really try to understand our side of the story before you judge us or punish us.
14. Apologize when you mess up.
15. Have high standards and expectations, but don’t force us to become something you want us to be.

Learning and Living the Gospel

16. Practice what you preach, or we’ll be less likely to follow you.
17. Go to the temple more—it puts you in a better mood.
18. Teach us the gospel; then let us make our own choices.
19. Have family prayer and scripture study.
20. Take us to church with you (but if we don’t want to go, find out why).
21. Talk to us about morality and intimacy—more than once. If you don’t, we’ll get answers elsewhere.
22. Have faith in us.

Family Unity

23. Treat all the children in the family fairly. If you treat one child differently from another, be certain we understand why.
24. Be happy.
25. Support our ball games and performances and activities.
26. Limit our screen time.
27. Don’t embarrass us around friends.
28. Respect our privacy.
29. Have family meals together.
30. Don’t try to be cool. Just be yourself. That’s what we need and who we love.
31. Have fun family nights and family activities. Play with us.
32. Tell us goofy stories about your life so we know you were a kid once.

Life Skills, School, and Work

33. Don’t work too much.
34. Teach us how to work (but don’t overdo it).
35. Teach us life skills like doing our own laundry and cooking dinner. Teach us to serve.
36. Help us with homework and encourage good grades (but don’t overdo it).
37. Teach us to be self-reliant and how to manage money.
38. Pay us sometimes for babysitting or extra chores.

Health and Lifestyle

39. Encourage us to be physically active.
40. Help us get more sleep and eat better.

Give Undivided Attention

How to Manage Digital Devices and Get Your Family Back

By Geoff Steurer

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

1. Be like the Savior: give undivided attention.

The Savior showed us what it looks like to truly be with others without distraction. Throughout His ministry, He always focused on the individual: the woman with an issue of blood, the blind, the leper—Christ gave his full attention to them all. When He showed the Nephites His wounds, He didn’t rush the process. Rather, the people went “forth one by one until they had all gone forth” (3 Nephi 11:15; emphasis added).

As we model this practice, we teach our children how to truly be in one place at a time instead of splitting their attention between devices and those around them. When you’re talking with someone, especially a child or spouse, give them your full attention by putting your phone away.

Sadly, it’s become the norm to turn away from those we love to answer a text and attend to someone else’s need. This can have a negative effect on our relationships and may send an unintentional message that the person in front of us is less important.

Make a commitment to those in front of you that they have priority over interruptions from your smartphone or device. Look them in the eye. Listen as the Savior would. Focus.