Reflections

I must confess it is really hard for me to come up with any pearls of wisdom for families during this first week. There is so much good material out there about observing Lent in family life that people should check out. My own Cathedral, Holy Trinity in Chicago, is posting daily reflections and articles on observing Great Lent. Please … Read More

D.H. Lawrence’s “The Rocking Horse Winner” is the story of a family whose mother is bent on becoming socially prominent. Her ambitions drive her to need more and more money, and the pressure of this is reflected in the family. Lawrence writes that the house itself seems constantly to whisper, “There must be more money. There must be more money.” … Read More

I was about to write a note this week about fasting and school meals during Lent. I thought this would be a good topic given the issues parents might encounter in dealing with children who fast for Lent and how that impacts such things as what they eat at school. I realize I could be making assumptions about what parents … Read More

As many of you know by now, this year is the 50th Anniversary of the Orthodox Church in America receiving its Autocephaly from the Russian Orthodox Church. The word autocephalous literally means “self-headed.” The Orthodox Church in America is no longer overseen by another autocephalous church overseas. We elect and ordain our own Primate and bishops, and we have our … Read More

What can families do to promote good attitudes towards good grades? First and most important is for families to foster a Christ-centered spiritual life in the home. This would mean a commitment to live by the Beatitudes of Christ as taught on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew Chapters 5 to 7. This is more important than academic knowledge. … Read More

I remember as a child my dad telling me that what mattered to him on my report card was getting a good grade in citizenship. That was more important to him than all my other grades. I don’t know if that is true in other families, but it does raise the question: How important is it to get good grades … Read More

I conclude this series of notes on leaving home by speaking to kids who go to College or pursue other endeavors. This is an important issue to address. Most people know how important it is to encourage college students to stay connected to church and to be part of an OCF group on campus. However, I would like to focus … Read More

One of the things that struck me last week when I talked about using the car, or taking trips away from home, is that what I suggested seemed so simple and easy. But what happens if older kids don’t abide by what is expected of them? What if they get arrested for driving under the influence or get in a … Read More

Use of the family car marks another area in life involving separation of older children from their parents. The issue of the car can involve many scenarios: Using it for an evening out with friends, or to drive to work. Taking a trip away from home for an overnight or longer. This may involve out of state travel. Older children … Read More

Another important away-from-home event for parents to address with their kids is when they go to their first overnight camp. This can often last for a whole week. Again, it seems as if most parents handle this well; but I offer my comments for those who might be seeking some assistance. I think the first thing a parent can do … Read More