by Shannon Popkin | Dec 19, 2014 | Compassion, Family, Gifts, Holidays, Hospitality, Kids' Perspective
Each year, our friends, the Gebhards, put up a ‘Jesus Stocking’ at their house in December. All month, they collect money, and then use the funds to buy a gift for someone in need. All month, they thumb through the Samaritan’s purse catalog, hoping to be able purchase...
by Shannon Popkin | Nov 24, 2014 | Communication, Family, Holidays, Kids' Perspective, Parenting
During one particular sports season, my son Cole complained that his coach screamed more at him than anyone else on the team. And from what I was hearing on the sidelines, I decided he might be right! I constantly heard my son’s name being screamed across the...
by Shannon Popkin | Sep 19, 2014 | Kids' Perspective
repost from 2012 “Do you want to go to the football game on Friday?” I asked my third-grade son. “It’s the Homecoming game.” “Homecoming? Oh, yeah… Is that when they announce the football players’ girlfriends?”...
by Shannon Popkin | Sep 3, 2014 | Gifts, God, Kids' Perspective, Parenting, Serving
Many years ago, we tried an experiment with our older two kids. Our poor kids have endured a lot of experiments, but this was one we thought they would enjoy: We gave them their own spending money for the month.Twenty dollars each! For two elementary school kids who...
by Shannon Popkin | Jun 4, 2014 | Kids' Perspective
When Lindsay was about two, she said, “Mamaw, I want to see your sad face.”Mamaw (my mom) gave her a quick frown. But she said, “Nooo, Mamaw! I want to see your sad face, like when I have to go away.”So Mamaw gave her a deeply sorrowful look,...
by Shannon Popkin | May 2, 2014 | Hardship, Kids' Perspective, Parenting
I love……to see my kids red-faced, sweaty, and smiling, rather than pale and grumpy…it when they are fixated on the goalie box, rather than the box that the couch faces…to see them fighting together with a team rather than fighting each other...