Have you already heard the Christmas carols?
Thanksgiving is once again upon us, and in these trying economic times, perhaps we are returning to giving thanks for God's great gifts like family, friends, health, and faith. But along with our gratitude comes a somewhat intrusive alteration in lifestyle that can only be imposed upon us by the beginning of the holiday gift-giving season. It is time to start wondering when the supermarket will start looping Christmas carols through its P.A. system even as they are marking down leftover Halloween candy. It’s time to start hiding the retail flyers in the Sunday newspaper from children keen on discovering ever-more-extravagant ideas for their Santa lists. And, it is time to take a moment or two to make sure we all keep ourselves safe from the pressures of the season's hustle and bustle.

Self Esteem in Children—Part Two
The Protecting God's Children® program addresses about the importance of being proactively involved in the lives of children and young people. In so doing, you allow them to be formed with your values and to have a strong foundation upon which to draw when faced with difficulties. Most importantly, through open, honest, and direct communication, you encourage good behavior and can monitor who your children spend time with, who their friends are, the families of their friends, and how they occupy their time.

The Role of Caring Adults in Establishing Boundaries
"Boundaries" are the limits that define one person as separate from another or from others. A boundary promotes and preserves personal integrity. Boundaries give each person a clear sense of self and how to function in relation to one another. They are unique to each individual and are based on perceptions, personal histories, values, goals, and concerns. Our individual boundaries are formed largely in reaction to the amount and type of attention we get from our parents from other influential adults in our lives.

Self Esteem in Children
It seems that low self esteem is the number-one answer given as a root cause to most given problems that an adult may face. Bookstores are filled with guides, manuals, and how-to books focused on the subject. Now there are many books and articles centered on low self esteem in children. Recently, several parents have approached me and asked questions about improving their child's self esteem. In this article and the one that follows, I have listed some very practical information that will assist parents, teachers, and counselors in helping children to build up their self esteem and allow them to have a solid foundation for a strong character.

Forgiveness and Reconciliation
The articles I write that receive the most comments and feedback are those with the theme of forgiveness. I often receive requests to keep addressing the issue, and each time I do the "arrows fly by day, and darkness fills the night." People's reactions are sometime severe and hurtful, which often causes me to shy away from any attempts to write further. It can also become a difficult topic to address in awareness sessions.