Family

We Have Lost Something Important!

Dr. Bob Barnes and Torrey Roberts
12 Sep 2023
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something

Today’s family has lost something and it’s a huge loss. Not to worry though. It can be found. The members of today’s typical family have lost their connection to each other. They have little in common other than the same address. Unfortunately, today’s family members have unplugged from each other. Something called connection To meet a natural need to be plugged in somewhere, today’s children are plugging into the outside world and working desperately to stay connected. I don’t even think they know why.  The answer is, however, it’s the only connection they have.    Pull the plug on social […]

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Far From Home in a Shipping Container

Kevin Enders
11 Sep 2023
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As I am writing I am in Upstate New York this summer, and while here, we visited the St. Lawrence River. This is a massive river and a popular route for shipping containers. As I watched these massive boats hauling hundreds of shipping containers, I was reminded of a story from 4KIDS.  Stuck in a shipping container… Just a couple of years ago, a little girl came to a 4KIDS Foster Family in Palm Beach County, and the trauma she had endured prior to arriving at their home was heartbreaking. This little girl had traveled all the way from Guatemala […]

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shipping container

Investing in Young Adults

Kevin Enders
9 Aug 2023
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young adults

I had a blast bowling with some of our young adults recently! Taking an evening to talk with them, laugh, teach, encourage, and enjoy their company was such a poignant reminder to slow down and really listen to these young adults.    About TIL 4KIDS serves young adults in the community who have aged out of foster care with nowhere to go. At 18, many of these young men and women are simply not equipped or well supported enough to really thrive on their own. 4KIDS Transitional Independent Living (TIL2:25) provides a home and a community to teach, train up, […]

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Seasons – Back to School

Dr. Bob Barnes and Torrey Roberts
3 Aug 2023
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I love that life comes in seasons, even in South Florida, where the weather doesn’t change much. There is always excitement for change, for fresh beginnings. God reminds us of this every morning with a beautiful, new sunrise. Changing seasons We live our lives in rhythms. When I look at the month of August — especially for parents — a fresh, new, shiny school year is coming. There is excitement (hopefully) over all the new things: new clothes, new supplies, new classrooms, new classes. This fresh start is such a great opportunity to work on new habits, new rhythms in […]

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Helping Your Child with Big Emotions

Dr. Bob Barnes and Torrey Roberts
12 Jul 2023
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big emotions

We have talked about the fact that in parenting the days may feel long but the years go by so quickly. We have but a few summers with our children before they are off to college, 13 or less to be exact, where we can be intentional to pour into our children. We can use these months to give them memories as a family, with intentional fun together and vacations, but we can also use these moments to train. One of these areas we can focus on is handling big emotions. We may have more time to observe these moments […]

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Connecting with Kids

Kevin Enders
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Summer offers families the chance to slow down and reconnect – something I know we look forward to all year long. My family heads to upstate New York every summer and it’s a long-standing tradition filled with precious memories that I know make an incredible impact on our ability to connect as a family.   Connecting through traditions Whether you are heading to North Carolina, the Northeast, or staying local and enjoying things like the beach, there is an opportunity to build tradition with our kids. For 4KIDS Foster and Adoptive Families this idea can often be challenging as we […]

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connecting

What’s the most memorable time you’ve spent One-on-One with your child?

The Good News
29 Jun 2023
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one-on-one

School is out for summer, creating a prime opportunity for parents to eke out some quality time with their kids. Other than a family vacation, parenting experts agree that spending One-on-One time with your children can be beneficial. This month Good News Wants to Know… What’s the most memorable time you’ve spent One-on-One with your child – or you with your parent – not on a family trip?  Theresa and I have raised three that are now married and have their own children. I’ve had special one-on-one moments with each one over the years. However, my son, Matt and I, when he was small, […]

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Expanded School Choice: More Good News for Florida Families

William C. Davell
22 Jun 2023
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The Good News provides a monthly column with important content having to do with topics from the legal community. This month features a conversation with Ed Pozzuoli, CEO of Tripp Scott, and Thomas Sternberg, an associate with Tripp Scott. For years, Florida has led in school choice, providing competition to district-run schools and giving parents more control over the quality and content of their children’s education. Now, Governor DeSantis has signed HB1, expanding choice for every K-12 child beginning July 1. Here’s some of the good news for families about expanded school choice and how to participate:   Bill Davell: […]

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school choice

Use Your Summer Wisely

Dr. Bob Barnes and Torrey Roberts
21 Jun 2023
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summer

Every time we head into a summer, and a school year, the reality of how short a time we have with our children hits me. We have 13 summers with them at home under our roof, and goodness it goes by so quickly. A wise parent once told me, “The days are long, but the years are short.” That is such a true statement! Because of this, it is imperative that we use our summers wisely.  We need to use them to create memories, for family time but also for training. One of the ways we can use our summertime […]

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Restoration

Kevin Enders
8 Jun 2023
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We all love a restoration story. We see them everywhere from the books we read to the heroes we aspire to be like, all the way down to the shows we watch on TV. My wife Michelle and I can get caught up watching shows like “Fixer Upper,” “Home Town” and “Fixer to Fabulous” as they transform a space or a home. Don’t we all love seeing those “befores” become the most spectacular “afters”? Those shows don’t just offer us entertainment; they offer us something to envision. Now we can look at houses in disrepair and imagine what they can […]

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restoration