After 49 years of parenting experience, I have one thing to say: it is grand and rewarding! I’m pleased to offer a perspective that will help every parent in the interview with Dr. Chris Hanson. You’ll find his insights very important for the work of raising children in our challenging times. His personal journey of faith has much to inspire all of us as well. ~~Larry
Every parent wants to do a great job. Dr. Chris Hanson offers practical guidance on how this is done in this episode with the vital skill of Nurturant Parenting.
Chris is a pediatrician and theologian who is showing parents how to balance authority and engagement. That is the essence of being a Nurturant Parent who offers wise direction and loving connection. The idea is founded on evidence-based psychology and love-centered theology.
In this session Chris shares his spiritual journey which led him to embrace a love-centered perspective on God, the ultimate nurturant parent for us all. His vision of parenting is based in the truth of God as loving, responsive, and co-creative.
Chris gives practical guidance on applying these ideas for parenting preschoolers, teens, and young adults.
He has special insight into the challenge of parenting the Pandemic Generation whom he feels are still recovering from that traumatic interruption to normal life.
These ideas will help any parent see the importance of balancing warm, supportive engagement with wise direction. Listeners will also be encouraged to ask serious questions about faith and church life to promote maximum spiritual development.
Dr Hanson’s book: Open and Relational Parenting: Loving Parents Reflecting a Loving God (SacraSage Press, 2025)
It’s OK. Talking out loud to myself, that is. I’m not weird—just helping myself in this difficult world.
Professor Robert Kraft writes, “Writing in a journal is an often-recommended way to improve one’s well-being… it makes sense to consider… speaking to oneself as another valuable way to externalize our inner voice.”[1] He lists seven benefits of this practice. I like the one about gaining perspective. If I say, “Larry, what’s your funky mood about?” then I have distanced myself from the mood, giving an opportunity to regulate it. Kraft notes by talking to myself as if I was an outside observer, “we are better able to observe the self we’re talking to and to act on our observations.”
I need that self-regulation. I promise to talk to myself quietly. And I won’t eavesdrop when you are doing it.
[1] Robert Kraft, Ph.D., “Say It Loud.” Psychology Today, July/August 2025.
A national survey of multiple quality of life features ranks Texas #49. Second to last. The bottom of the barrel.
Why? Here’s the CNBC report:
“While Texas continues to lead the nation in attracting workers, those workers are finding a broad array of challenges when they get there. The Lone Star State has America’s highest rate of people without health insurance at 16.7%, according to the United Health Foundation, more than twice the national average. More than 17% of Texas adults said they had to forgo a doctor visit that they needed in the past year because of the cost. Even those who do have health insurance can have trouble finding a doctor. The state finishes dead last in primary care physicians per capita.
2026 Quality of Life score: 78 out of 290 points (Top States grade: F)
Strengths: Childcare, Air Quality
Weaknesses: Health, Crime, Inclusiveness, Worker Protections, Reproductive Rights”
My opinion? Time to face the facts and make some changes. Big ones.
This week I sent to the publisher the completed manuscript of my book, The Ark of Resilient Living: A 40 Day Voyage with Noah to Well-Being!
Now the editors will do their professional work on the copy, the cover, and the multiple editions. This process will take about three months.
Let me say a huge thanks to those who donated to the Go Fund Me Campaign to make this a reality. I also owe a debt of gratitude to a great local team of readers who helped improve the early drafts.
You can read a draft of the first chapter on my website!
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