Relationships are messy. They're messy because they involve people, which makes life quite complicated because we were made to live in relationship with each other. That's what the Lord said in Genesis 2. He said that it was not good for the man to be alone. That's when he made Eve. He made people for [...]
Author: Ryan North
Ryan North is the Co-Founder of One Big Happy Home and creator of The Empowered Parent Podcast. He is a recognized expert on childhood trauma, a TBRI Practitioner, and develops training materials for parents, schools, churches, and child-placing agencies. Ryan is a sought-after speaker known for his engaging and practical approach to communicating complex issues clearly and relatable to a wide range of audiences.
Why is my Child Acting This Way?
I love this video because Dr. Purvis addresses a question that all adoptive parents ask. We all want to know if our child's behavior is because they are adopted or because they are kids.
Keep the Faith
Doubt is a terrible thing. I don't like feeling unsure of myself. I don't do well with it, I don't do well with it at all. It turns out that I like things being out of control even less. I have never thought of myself as someone with control issues. OK, I'll admit to some [...]
Who is my Neighbor?
There is so much in scripture that comforts me. Romans 8:28 is an example of a such a verse. There have been times when I have had to lean on the knowledge that God is working for my good no matter what my current circumstances might be. All parents have had to cling to those [...]
How do you Define Success?
Success is a strange thing because it means something different to almost everyone. Some people define success by the size of their bank account, the size of their house or the make of a car. Italian auto manufacturers have literally made billions focusing on this definition of success. Some people define success by their personal [...]
WOW! That’s a lot of Kids
One of the things about having a family as large as ours is that everywhere we go people will comment about our six kids. Usually it's something innocent like, "You must have your hands full" or "WOW! That's a lot of kids." And sometimes we have those less than nice interactions like "What's wrong with [...]
Things I Learned on Vacation
We just returned home from a week long vacation that included some much needed rest and recuperation on the beach. Vacations, like all things in life, can be learning experiences. Here are three things I learned while we were away. Fear might not be rational but it is real I know this is true because [...]
Kids Are Great Teachers
We decided to take a family trip to the Fort Worth Farmer's Market a few weeks ago. We enjoy doing those kinds of things together and the kids like picking out fresh, local produce for us to eat. It's about a 45 minute drive from our house, mostly highway but the last few miles have [...]
Family (Re)defined
I come from a pretty tight knit family. I have many childhood memories of family vacations together. I remember weekends with grandparents and attending sporting events with my uncles. I can't remember a single birthday growing up without my cousins. To say that I have many good, family childhood memories would be an understatement. One [...]
Tell Me a Story
One of my favorite things we do as a family is eat dinner together every night. And by together I mean everyone (including babies) sitting around the table sharing food and each other's company. There was a time when we would sit on the couch and the kids would "picnic" on the floor while watching [...]