ArcaMax

Q: I am getting SO sick and tired of all the negative news in the world. It just never stops. I'm trying to find ways to shift my thinking to positive things. Do you have any suggestions?

Jim: I think we likely all feel what research confirms: Exposure to bad news can have a cumulative negative effect on us. Studies show that stories featuring tragedy or violence elevate a person's anxiety, stress and sadness. Factor in the sheer amount of information we're exposed to through various forms of media, and we're basically drowning in negativity.

The remedy is NOT to just stick our heads in the sand and ignore what's going on in the world. Since we can't stop the bad news, perhaps we can be good news right where we live.

I'd suggest trying to be a bright light in the middle of the darkness around you. In other words, invest a few minutes of your time to bring something positive to people right there in your own neighborhood. Look for a way you can help someone else, and then just step up to do it.

This will be an encouragement for you and others. Investing in your community brings you a sense of purpose and well-being that comes from helping people. But it will also make your neighborhood a more positive place to live. The opportunities to lend a hand are all around you -- from coaching Little League to shoveling a neighbor's driveway after a snowstorm. Home-baked bread and cookies are always winners. Even something as simple as a smile and a wave can lift someone else's spirits ... and maybe even start to build a bridge. You just have to look for ways to be "good news" to others right in your neighborhood (especially those who might think differently than you do).

Q: I have a simple question: How do I get my kids to listen to me?

Dr. Danny Huerta, Vice President, Parenting & Youth: Almost every parent asks this question regularly. It might even seem like your kids need a hearing test; you think they heard you, but there's not much evidence. Things you've asked them to do go undone, their clothes pile up everywhere, and they're still yelling, arguing or sneaking their phone when you've told them not to.

What impacts a child's ability to listen? Sometimes they may not be developmentally ready to process complex commands or questions. Typically, though, when kids don't listen, they're usually:

-- Wanting something -- or their own way -- badly

-- Distracted

-- Resentful

-- Tired

-- Thinking of other priorities and interests

-- Unclear of what is being asked or expected

So how can you get your kids to listen?

1. Make sure you have their attention and that they understand what you're talking about. Sometimes we forget to use simple explanations. We can also tend to give directions while walking away, or while a child is in the middle of doing something else. We need to make sure that what we're trying to communicate is actually being received.

2. Be consistent with boundaries, limits, consequences and communication. If you say, "We're leaving in five minutes" but you yourself consistently aren't ready for half an hour, your kids learn to ignore the five-minute warning. If you say "no" to something your son has asked or tell him to stop doing something -- but there's never a consequence for disobedience -- he will learn that your boundary fence is really just a decoration.

3. Model respect, grace and forgiveness. Respect begins with listening. Do your children feel valued, heard and understood?

4. Intentionally celebrate along the way. Find ways to celebrate the loving self-discipline of listening in your home.

For more tips, see FocusOnTheFamily.com/parenting.

========

Jim Daly is a husband and father, an author, and president of Focus on the Family and host of the Focus on the Family radio program. Catch up with him at jimdalyblog.focusonthefamily.com or at Facebook.com/JimDalyFocus.

Copyright 2025 Focus On The Family. (This feature may not by reproduced or distributed electronically, in print or otherwise without written permission of Focus on the Family.)

COPYRIGHT 2025 Andrews McMeel Syndication. This feature may not be reproduced or distributed electronically, in print or otherwise without the written permission of Andrews McMeel Syndication.