| | | You know that dating your spouse is good for your marriage. But in the midst of raising kids and balancing commitments, have you put dating on the back burner? It's time to save the date! Do something fun together, just the two of you. The good news is that you don't have to make elaborate plans or spend a ton of money to have a great time together. With these low-cost (or no-cost), easy-to-plan dates, you can make memories together without blowing your family budget. We'll start with Emily's story about how coffee with her husband turned into her best date ever! read more | |  | | | My family loves visiting Cox Farm every autumn to pick pumpkins, drink cider and enjoy a hayride. The highlight is riding the giant slide. Although sliding on a burlap bag is good old-fashioned fun, the slide is big enough to scare small children – like my 5-year-old son, Josiah. I knew that if my son didn't face his fears, he'd forfeit all the fun. So I bribed him with kettle corn. Riding down that slide together was an unforgettable memory and a teachable moment. I explained to Josiah that fear keeps us from experiencing life to the fullest. Then I came up with a family mantra that I've repeated countless times since: Remember the slide! One of our responsibilities as parents is to help our kids face their fears. During the teen years, our kids encounter new fears, bigger fears. read more |  |  | |