Family Talk Blog

A couple of weeks ago, I was having lunch at my favorite Chinese restaurant. At a nearby table, an enthusiastic Dad was helping his 3-year-old trace the alphabet on colored paper. His son was excited and clearly enjoying all of the attention and praise he received from his father. “Great job, Joey” his father exclaimed as the little boy drew an “e” with his small hands.

I remembered how delightful it was to share in my young children’s desire to learn and understand the world around them. They are sponges for knowledge. While sometimes their innocent wonderings, repeated over and... Read More

The other night I was tired, hungry, and feeling overwhelmed when I got home from work. It was a long day. My wife, who had a cold for several days, asked me to do something. I barked back at her.

I felt terrible.

Jill and Jim, with a new baby, both of whom work full-time, are often grumpy when their infant has a bad night. On those days, getting into a disagreement is as frequent as rainy days in a Northwest winter. But, when they’re sleep deprived—a minor conflict can turn into a vicious yelling match. After it’s over, they both feel awful.

How often do we lose our... Read More

Joe is concerned about his 68-year-old father, Henry, who is becoming more forgetful. Henry doesn’t remember the stories that Joe tells him. But what concerns Joe the most is his father’s moodiness, irritability, and anger. He seems to be more emotional lately, and frequently says things to Joe that are hurtful. His Dad doesn’t think before he speaks! He appears very different to Joe.

Henry has a few health problems—diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. But otherwise, he’s reasonably healthy. Joe’s worried. What’s going on with his Dad?

Aging does not affect... Read More

It’s horrifying to see the faces of children whose lives are over, just because they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Their families, friends, and schoolmates will be forever traumatized by this horror. It’s becoming such a common occurrence in this American landscape—Sandy Hook, Las Vegas, and now, Florida. Locally, we’ve experienced our own terror, in Marysville and Mukilteo. We’re no strangers to this geography. In 2017, there were 346 mass murders, where four or more individuals were killed.

It’s too easy to blame this on individuals with psychiatric disabilities. It’s... Read More