Category Archives: Raising Kids

Posts about raising kids from a “modern” dad’s perspective.

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3 Ways Dads Can Have More Meaningful Conversations with Our kids

When it comes to my fatherhood report card I think I’m getting a passing grade. I may be better than some, but I still have a ton of room for improvement. There is that constant battle of my good intentions against what I’m actually doing. My concern: Is what I’m doing actually helping my kids, or really just messing them up?

3 Ways Dads Can Have More Meaningful Conversations with Our kids - As dads we hope to have meaningful influence with our kids | JackieBledsoe.com

You may have the same concerns as well. You have great intentions, but your intentions don’t always play out the way you hope or expect. It leaves you with a little uncertainty, a little seed of doubt about whether your kids will be better off because of you or completely jacked up.

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It Still Takes a Village…That Village Just Looks Different Today

Who or what makes up your kids' village?

It’s finally Spring weather here in Indiana! If you are familiar with the weather in the midwest, especially Indiana, you can understand my excitement. We are not too surprised when winter weather is the norm even after March 21st when it’s supposed to be spring. So, when we get several days of spring-like weather we are excited.

It Still Takes a Village - JackieBledsoe.com

For our family, it’s time to pull out the bikes and take some family bike rides. It’s our thing during the spring and summer. We ride around our neighborhood, pack up bikes and go to the park or even downtown Indy. I remember riding bikes during the spring and summer as kids, but it wasn’t the family bike ride like we do today. It was different then.

Stephana and I were on Moody Radio for the third time on the Equipped with Chris Brooks show! We discussed our life before marriage, the confusion and struggle that came from it all plus my book, The 7 Rings of Marriage.

Date: October 13, 2016
Time: 02:00-03:00 p.m.
Appearance: Our Equipped with Chris Brooks Interview on Moody Radio
Outlet: Equipped with Chris Brooks on Moody Radio
Format: Radio
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Men, Are You Protecting Your Families from the Enemy?

This is a guest post from Anna Joy Lowell. Anna is the blogger behind Path Through the Narrow Gate, a blog dedicated to helping Christian families discover that family Bible study is not only doable, but also enjoyable. She is also the author of the Wisdom Talks Family Bible Study series. You can connect with Anna on Facebook. If you want to guest post on my blog, check out my guest post guidelines and submit your post.

Are you protecting your families from the enemy - JackieBledsoe.com

My husband has this thing for guns.

It’s a bit incomprehensible to my female mind, but there it is.

Not only does my husband enjoy deer and ruffed grouse hunting, he also wants to be prepared to protect his family in the event of an armed robbery. So, he has stockpiled weapons and ammunition.

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The BEST Fireworks Displays on Independence Day

Have fun, be safe, and have a happy Fourth of July!

Today on July 4th in the United States we celebrate Independence Day. One thing that comes to the mind of almost every American when you think of the Fourth of July is…FIREWORKS! Just about every kid has watched some sort of fireworks display whether it be a private display in the backyard, or a public display at the local park (like I did), over the river, or from the rooftops of the big buildings downtown. It is an American tradition and a family tradition!

The Best Fireworks Display on Independence Day - JackieBledsoe.com
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The Key to Raising Kids with Faith

How do you instill faith in your kids in today's culture?

Last month my wife Stephana and I took a trip to Chicago for a conference we were invited to attend as part of the blogger and social media team. The conference was put on by one of our favorite organizations, Awana, which is a nonprofit ministry that serves kids all over the world.

The Key to Raising Kids with Faith - JackieBledsoe.com

Our kids have been in the Awana Clubs for the past six years and my wife and I have been serving in their Awana Clubs for the past three years. We love it so much and it’s had such an impact on our kids and family that we’ve literally scheduled our calendars around our Wednesday night Awana Club meetings.

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Do You Enjoy Spending Time With Your Family?

My insights from spending all day filming a TV commercial with my family

About a month ago we received a call from our daughter’s talent agency asking if our family would audition for a TV commercial. We were super excited and of course, we said yes! However, there were no guarantees we’d be selected.

Do You Really Enjoy Spending Time With Your Family? - Visit Indy Commercial - JackieBledsoe.com

So, a few weeks later we were called back as finalists. And then we received the call we’d been waiting for. Our family was chosen to “star” in the Visit Indy commercial as part of Indiana’s Bicentennial celebration. The commercial began airing this week on major TV stations in Indiana.

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A Parenting Mindset That Leads To Kids Who Want To Be Around You When They Are Adults

Responsibility builds relationships

This is a guest post from my friend Eric Dingler. Eric plays hard, laughs often, and lives with his wife, two kids, and friends in Virginia Beach. Eric is a pastor, leader, and entrepreneur. He is the founding pastor of CoastalCity.Church and helps others shepherd their brands to make their communities a better place to live. In his heart, Eric is about a better tomorrow for everyone. You can connect with Eric on Twitter and his blog www.EricDingler.com. If you want to guest post on my blog, check out my guest post guidelines and submit your post.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights….” You most likely have heard these words before. They are found in the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America.

A Parenting Mindset That Leads to Kids Who Want to be Around You When They are Adults - JackieBledsoe.com
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Getting Dirty with the Family

7 Benefits to Getting Kids in the Garden

This is a guest post from Pasquale R. Mingarelli. Pasquale spent 11 years on the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ (now called Cru) and currently works as a Christian speaker, adjunct college instructor, and nature photographer. He posts a photo and Bible verse each day on his blog site visualverse.thecreationspeaks.com, where he also writes about encountering God in the outdoors. You can connect with Pasquale on Twitter. If you want to guest post on my blog, check out my guest post guidelines and submit your post.

Getting Dirty with the Family - JackieBledsoe.com

The other day I found myself down and back at it again—back down on the ground getting dirty digging in the soil. I couldn’t wait to get back in the garden with the coming of spring. My five-year-old son was right there with me shoveling to break up the soil. When it came time to put the lettuce and spinach seeds in the ground, my six-year-old daughter joined us.