When one family committed to two tech-free days a week, their 8-year-old son was thrilled that his father had time to teach him how to play baseball. And his mother had time to bake cookies with him. The boy gushed, “Our family is normal again. And I got my Daddy back!” On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson talks with Dr. Kathy Koch (pronounced Cook), author of Screens and Teens: Connecting with Our Kids in a Wireless World on the ever-evolving relationship between teenagers and screen time. Parents, if you want your teen to develop character and self-discipline, demonstrate that the smartphone is a tool, not a toy.
February 26, 2022
For many teens, their smartphones have become their best friend and safety blanket. According to research, 56% of teens associate the absence of their cell phone with at least one of these three emotions: loneliness, feeling upset, or anxious. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. Kathy Koch (pronounced Cook), author of Screens and Teens: Connecting with Our Kids in a Wireless World, urges parents to set reasonable limits for their children and to remember that it’s not their phone; it’s their parents’ phone. Insist on regular phone blackouts. Encourage your teen to engage with you, have a meaningful conversation inside the home, play board games, do a jigsaw puzzle, read a physical book, or shoot hoops with a sibling.
February 19, 2022
When Kansas State All-American offensive lineman Dalton Risner was asked by a prospective NFL team what his priorities would be as a professional football player, he responded, "Jesus Christ, family, and football," in that order. On today’s edition of Family Talk, the star athlete, who has found a home with the Denver Broncos, says that he puts his faith over fear. He even has some of his favorite Bible verses tattooed on his arms, including Psalm 37:5, which says, "Commit your way to the Lord." Risner’s desire is to use the NFL platform to spread God’s Word through love and kindness.
February 12, 2022
At six feet, five inches tall and weighing 300-plus pounds, there’s a reason why Denver Broncos offensive lineman Dalton Risner is called "Moose." On today’s edition of Family Talk, listeners will get a sneak peek into the self-discipline that enabled this 26-year-old Christian to make it in the NFL. His life verse is First Peter 4:10, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace." The author of an inspirational children’s book entitled Rise Up, Dalton credits Jesus, along with his college coach, and his tough-as-nails dad for his success.
February 5, 2022
How does a marriage shift from being child-focused to partner-focused, and how does communication change when the children leave home? In what ways can you keep fun and friendship in your relationship? On today’s classic edition of Family Talk, Dr. Dobson and guests, Dave and Claudia Arp, continue their discussion about the challenges couples face after their kids have flown the coop.
January 29, 2022
When the last child leaves home, a new phase of marriage begins. But many couples struggle to adjust to this different and often sad time in their lives together. In a classic broadcast today on Family Talk, Dr. Dobson interviews Dave and Claudia Arp, and discusses eight challenges couples face in the "empty-nesters" stage.
January 22, 2022
Jason Romano always had a passion for sports, an interest he shared with his father and grandfather. He turned that passion into a dream career at ESPN, producing SportsCenter and Monday Night Football. But sadly, Jason couldn’t always share his "love of the game" with his father, whose alcoholism was a constant source of anguish and shame for the entire family. On today’s edition of Family Talk, the author of Live to Forgive says the four steps toward forgiveness are to feel the pain, evaluate the trauma, transform the wound, and forgive the abuser. In Matthew chapter 18, Jesus commands us to forgive. If we don’t, we hurt ourselves more than our offender.
January 15, 2022
When Pastor Jentezen Franklin’s eldest daughter eloped, he felt in his flesh that, “the wrath of man would produce the righteousness of God. But it never does!” On today’s edition of Family Talk, the author of <em>Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt</em> urges us to love like Christ. Whether your adult child has rejected your values or you’ve been betrayed by a friend, it is never lowering your standards to love them. Like the Prodigal Son’s father exemplified, love will never fail.
January 8, 2022
Jentezen Franklin, a “preacher's kid,” went down the wrong path in high school like so many youngsters do. After hearing a sermon from a Trinidad missionary, he started his walk with the Lord. On today’s edition of Family Talk, Dr. Dobson and Franklin, a pastor in Gainesville, Georgia, discuss the power that God’s love has to transform hearts, heal brokenness in the face of crisis, and bring restoration.
January 1, 2022