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Like Christmas, the story of Easter is one to be told. Easter is the story of our hope in the death and resurrection of Jesus. From the cross to the grave, Jesus stands in our place, bears our sin, endures our punishment, and steps into life.  And, he does all of this because he loves us.

When our kids were little, we looked for books that helped us share the story of Easter in a way they could understand. Each year we would take these books off the bookshelf and read them throughout the Easter season. Three of our favorites include; The Legend of the Easter Egg, Amon's Adventure (part of the Jotham's Journey series that we love), and The Parable of the Lily.

Reading to kids is an important part of their development. Being able to share with them the story of Easter allows us to share our faith and talk about Jesus, God, and the amazing gift of hope that they give. Below we have collected a few of our favorite Easter storybooks for kids. We have provide a cover image, a summary of each book, and links for purchase.

If you find yourself interested in one or more of the titles below, you can order them directly for this page. Simply click on the cover image or button link with the description. These affiliate links connect you with Amazon for safe and secure ordering. As Amazon Associates, we receive a small percentage of your purchase. And don't worry, the price you pay is the price Amazon shares. There are no additional costs of hidden fees.

So take a few minutes to read about a few of our favorite Easter books for kids.

With Easter only a month away, don't wait, take the time to share the story of Easter and Jesus' gift with your kiddos. Our kids might be all grown up, but we'll be sharing Easter with our grandkids. Yes, a new generation will hear about Jesus and his gift of hope!

Are you familiar with any of the books we have recommended? What are your favorite titles? Take a minute and share in the comments about your favorite Easter book(s) for kids!

Happy Easter!

​- jay & amy

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Easter is just around the corner, and like Christmas, it's a pretty special time for the Higham family. So we're getting ready by gathering together some of our favorite family resources, activities, snacks, vlogs, and fun.

And we're kicking things off with three Easter activities that are fun for the whole family. Take a few minutes to discover Resurrections Eggs, Holy Week and Easter Ideas from Focus on the Family, and the "You've been Egged" neighborhood activity.

Then be sure to check in for more Easter ideas, resources, and fun for you and your family! It's going to be a great Easter!

We have more Easter fun coming in the next couple of blog posts, so be sure to check back for some fresh content and material!

Happy Easter!

- jay & amy

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Do your kids have a smartphone?

In March of 2013, the Pew Internet & American Life Project, said that "78 percent of young people, ages 12 to 17, now have cellphones. Nearly half of those are smartphones, a share that's increasing steadily..." as reported by the Huff Post, Tech page, in the March 12 post titled, "Teenagers Increasingly Use Smartphones To Access The Web: Report" 

That was then.

According to PEW Research article posted on January 5th, 2024, "nearly all U.S. teens say they use the internet every day (96%). And the share of teens who report being online “almost constantly” has roughly doubled since 2014-2015 (24% vs. 46%)." (Teens and Internet, Device Access Fact Sheet, Pew Research Center.) 

The capabilities of the smartphone are almost endless as manufacturers continue to discover new advancements in technology. With every release of a new phone, another huge step forward is taken. Like wise, mobile apps exist for just about everything. And if it doesn't exist now, it will tomorrow.

The smartphone is a great tool, when used wisely. But left to the natural devices of the teenage mind, the smartphone can be just a dangerous as an unmonitored computer. With powerful browsing capabilities and the internet access at their figure tips, you can search and view just about anything and everything on the web.

As parents, we should know what is on our child's phone. From the contacts in their address book, to the apps they've downloaded, to the sites they visit, we should be aware of everything and everywhere the phone goes. And just as we would check the browsing history on a desktop, we should be checking the browsing history on our kids smartphone.

As we work with students, parents, and families, we are often asked about cell phones and digital usage. Out of a concerned for how their kids use cell phones and devices, they're looking for suggestions. I shared with her these 4 thoughts.

5. Check Their History Regularly. With your settings and perimeters in place, make a point to check your kids phone regularly. Using the settings within the phone you can view recent browsing history and searches, as well as searches on social media platforms.  You should also scroll through their social media feeds to see the content that the algorithms are gathering and showing. And don't forget their email, including Junk Mail and the Trash.

Also be aware of the photos in their photo albums. New phones/devices now include deleted and hidden folders that require password or fingerprint/facial recognition. It sounds intrusive, but it is easier than ever before to access content that is not safe for kids.

We would love to say that these practices were enough to keep our kids safe. For as easy as it is to find questionable content, it's just as easy for others to send it to your kids. We've learned that perimeters, guidelines, and restrictions only go so far. To help your kids navigate the digital world, you must work on having open communication and persistence. Talk openly and honestly with your kids. Stay current with software updates and privacy settings. Talk and learn from other parents.

​It's okay to be a proactive parent. Knowing what your kids are doing when they are on their mobile devices is important. Policing where they've been and where the go, is good. There's nothing wrong with checking up and knowing what their doing online. Because, whether you realize it or not, someone else probably is. But that is a topic for another time.

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What do you think? We'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Share what you do and how you handle the issue of smartphones and internet usage with your kids. Got a couple of good ideas, share them in the comments for others to read and use. And as always, thanks for reading!

​- jay & amy

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​If your teens are anything like our teens, or the millions across the nation, they're probably attached to their cell phones and/or whatever electronic device they have. In many ways cell phones and iPods and tablets are super helpful and can be great tools if used properly. But when not used properly, your child's device can potentially open the door to all sorts or questionable and dangerous possibilities.

Now we don't want to jump on the bandwagon of trashing technology and and condemning app developers for what they're creating. Instead, we want to offer parents a little help and insight that could help you be a little more aware of what your kids are able to do with their devices.

First, full disclosure. We decided to give our kids their cell phones between the ages of 12 and 13. We chose this time because this was when our kids participated in school and club sports or activities. They would either stay after school, or we would drop them off somewhere for practice. The phone was a way of communicating with us about pick up times or schedule changes. Each kid started with a used or refurbished device. Once they were working, and could afford paying for they own device, they were able to upgrade to a newer phone.

Let me offer a few suggestions that we have implemented in our home.

1. Only You should have access to your app purchasing accounts.
If you are familiar with any app purchasing, you know you need an account that is linked to a credit card in order to purchase and download any app. In our house, there was one account for our app store and our kindle store, and Jay controlled it. Our kids did not have the password and could not purchase apps without parent approval. This simple step can eliminate many of the downloadable dangers run off the bat. In order for you child to download a desired app, they must come and ask you to do it. This leaves you in control of what's being downloaded.

3. Be Okay Saying, "NO".
Not all apps are good for your kids. In fact, many apps have age requirements or restrictions. These app settings are there to help protect kids. However, it's not hard to get around or bypass some of these settings. Be okay saying, NO, to apps that have suggested age restrictions, or apps that you are not comfortable with. We did not allow our kids to use certain social media apps because of age restrictions and of content concerns.

We've also found it helpful to explain why we might say, NO, to a particular app. Remember, as parents, one of our jobs is to help our kids learn how to make wise and healthy decisions. Just saying, NO, doesn't teach our kids. It's just, No. But when we teach and disciple our kids by explaining our reasons for saying, NO, we plant seeds of discernment, trust, integrity, and accountability. Over time, and with consistent use, these seeds will grow our kids into fruitful young men and women.

With all of this, you must also be able to talk with your kids about technology, the internet, social media, apps, streaming services, and the good and bad of all of it. Being able to have open communication with your kids, especially your pre-teens and teens, is super important. If you missed our post on cultivating communication with your kids, you can click the link below. It might be a helpful read.

Thanks for reading

- jay & amy

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So here's the dilemma, you want to have a classic family game night, but like us the age range between your kids is makes game night a bit tricky. At one point our kiddos ranged between age 6 to age 17. We love family game night, but what game (or games) work for all ages?

Monoply? Love the game, but for a lot time our youngest had to be on someone's "team" in order to play. Candyland? Another great game, but the older guys aren't into it anymore. Scrabble? Yes, another classic game, but our younger ones still have a hard time spelling competitive words. Life? One of our favorites, but again, a bit too old for the youngest.

So what does a family play?

We love family game night. There's nothing like gathering the whole crew around a table for an hour of game-time fun. The laughter and memories that are shared are precious. Even now, we look forward to playing games with our kids/young adults.

It's not always easy coming up with a game that the entire family can play. Age ranges, interests, attention, there are a number of things to consider when thinking and suggesting a game. We get it. But over the years, we've been able gather a collection of games that work for every age of your family.

This list includes games for the entire family, and games by age and genre. Card games, board games, outdoor games, classic games; a collection of some of our favorite games. And it's growing. 

If you're looking for games for your next family game night, please be sure to visit our new Family Game Night storefront. Thanks to our partnership with Amazon, we are able to gather and share our favorite games with our readers. Our hope is to continue to grow this collection, adding more and more games that are family friendly and really fun to play. As we add games, we'll share a little review for each game, along with any tips or suggestions regarding the game.

Click on the link below to visit our Family Game Night storefront, where you can shop with Amazon. And remember, if you make a purchase using a link from our site, we receive a small percentage of the sale, at no additional cost to you. This helps us keep LifeintheHighamHouse.com up and running, so thank you for trusting us.

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Over the years, 27+ years of marriage plus a year of dating and a year of engagement, we have said, I Love You, thousands upon thousands of times. At the start of the day. At the end of the day. After something really good happened. In the midst of something bad happening. Saying, I love you, is one of the most comforting and reassuring ways to remind your spouse of how you feel. But for all the times we have said those three words to each other, we are learning, that it’s just not enough. We need to say, I love you, MORE!

​It’s true, we say these words, a lot. But sometimes we need to hear these words more. The problems come when we find ourselves becoming too complacent or comfortable and we forget to say, I love you.

So with Valentine’s Day coming, this is a perfect time to remind ourselves to say, I love you. We have a few thoughts for why you should say, I love you, more.

​It Feels Good.
It’s Comforting and Reassuring. 
It Unites You.
It Fuels Your Soul.
It Fills Your Love Tank.
It Sparks the Romantic Fire.
It Strengthens Through Tough Times.
It Makes the Good Times Better.
It Makes the Really Good Times Great.
It Forgives.
It Shows Grace.
It Helps You Look Forward to the What’s Next.

For most of us, we could do better at saying, I love you, more often. We know we don’t say it enough, and should definitely say it more.

​As we kick off this new week, let’s do better together, and try saying, I love you, to your spouse a little more. Here are a few ideas to try.

Say I love you when you first wake up.
Say I love you as you leave the house for the day.
Leave an, I love you, note someplace your spouse will find it.
Send a text message half way through the day that say’s, I love you.
Say, I love you, as soon as you get home after work.
Say, I love you, as you go to bed.

It might sound simple, or like a no brainer, but think about it, how often do you say, I love you? Try it this week. Say, I love you as suggested above, and see if it changes anything about your relationship. We think it will.

Happy Valentine’s Day!