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An adult male patient came to me seeking help. He didn't need help with his physical health but his mental and spiritual health. Despite a reportedly happy marriage, he was addicted to porn and knew he had a problem. And like most people in today's age, he thought I could prescribe a pill to fix it.  Sadly, there is no medication that could treat this sin. Thankfully, God promises to not just treat but cure this and all other addictions at the end of time.  He also gives us truth and guidance on this topic in His Word. Not only do adult males and females struggle with this addiction, but now we are seeing more and more young children falling into this trap as porn is so easily accessible on the internet . Knowing how easy they can access it and how destructive it can be in their lives, how can we help our children understand and avoid falling into my patient’s situation?

Have you asked your high school student, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Whether your child’s future dream career involves a college education or trade school, high school guidance counselors can help your student develop a plan to reach their future goals.  Here at Heritage Oak School each high school student individually meets with our Guidance Counselor, Christi Barnes, and develops a personalized plan for their post high school future. Through a series of questions, Mrs. Barnes leads our students towards their career path.

College preparation can be an overwhelming process and there are so many things to consider. One of them is the college entrance exams - which one is better, how do you prepare for them, and what score is good? A new entrance exam was introduced in 2015 that now gives students another option from the SAT and ACT. The Classic Learning Test (CLT) combines reading comprehension, grammar and mathematics into a 2 hour exclusively online package. 

Many of us parents have experienced, are experiencing, or have the pleasure of looking forward to the pendulum swing of the teen-ager mood. What brings this on? What can possibly explain your teenage son or daughter, being somewhat overly confident one moment, and less than an hour later in the “depths of despair” to quote Anne Shirley?[1] You might say puberty, and you are right; but, do any of us parents truly understand what is going on when it comes to this phase in a young person’s life? And how do we navigate these mood swings and still be a good parent?

 As I sat there at a friend’s college graduation, I thought about these graduates’ uncertain futures.  What is a bachelor’s degree worth these days? Is a bachelor’s degree enough to support a family in the middle class?  Does everyone need a bachelor’s degree to be successful in the workforce? What was the only option to earn a decent living is now not the best choice for everyone. There are many factors to consider to make the best decision for yourself or a joint decision with your child.

Why do we see more and more playgrounds empty, without kids swarming on the jungle gym, swinging as high as they can, playing tag or racing down the slides? In some areas, like major cities, playgrounds have become ghost towns. If you were to guess where all the kids have gone, where do you think they are instead of playing on the playground? If you guessed in their house on electronics, you are probably correct. 

A pressing concern of parents considering a private Christian grammar and high school is whether attending this type of school will hurt their children’s chances of elite private college admission to schools such as Yale, Harvard, Berkeley or a military Service Academy.   In fact, though not true, the myth that attending public school with all of its extracurricular activities and AP classes increases the chances of elite university admission continues to be propagated. Let’s dispel this common myth. Yale’s entering class of 2021 included 37% who attended a non public school with 7% of those who attended a religious school.  Despite only educating 10% of US high school students, private schools accounted for almost 40% of Yale students!  Let’s break down why private Christian schools may raise students’ education prospects.    

What does it mean to be a Christian and an Anthropologist? To be a Christian means to believe in God, and His son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins. To be an Anthropologist is not as simple as it once was. When I first began my studies in 1994, Anthropology was straightforward, and described as studying the life ways and cultures of past human life and civilizations through the lens of science, which requires no bias and no judgement.

One of the most pressing concerns for parents these days is how to appropriately advise their children about texting, tweeting and posting online. How should Christians parents approach this very important topic? Time passes, seasons change, but the Internet is forever.  Comments we make today are available for decades after we make them.  While some may make a cute Facebook memory in ten years, scalding gossip hurts in a way previously not possible.  Even beyond this, negative or inappropriate posts could hurt a student’s ability for college or employment later.