Family Matters

Family Matters is a 5 minute programme offering practical advice from Focus on the Family. Receive a daily dose of encouragement and advice for the family with keys to stronger marriages, effective parenting, deeper relationships and a more satisfying lifestyle.
Daily English South Africa Society & Culture · Religion & Spirituality
1,149 Episodes
1 – 20

Husband and father involved in same sex extramarital affair

The daunting task of breaking the news to your kids about your spouse’s affair is not one any parent wants to face. When the affair your spouse has engaged in is with someone of the same sex, your conversation with the kids gets even more difficult.
30 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Child doesn’t want single mom to date

There is definitely no easy way to go about dating again as a single mom after a divorce. If your child has been separated from a parent and is now being introduced to your new potential partners, this can be extremely scary for them and you can be sure to…
27 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Children’s doubts about God

If you are a Christian parent who is praying for your kids, asking God to show Himself to them and to become very real to them, I don’t think you’re alone. That is the prayer on the lips of most believers for their children. Every Christian parent wants to feel…
26 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Venting about marriage on social media

When issues arise in your marriage, who do you turn to? A lot of couples have trouble communicating their dissatisfaction in marriage with one another. It can be difficult to have those tough conversations face to face with your spouse, and that is why people often find that letting off…
25 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Social media signs of negative impact on marriage

Social Media is being named as one of the most common causes of marital disputes and divorce in more recent years. With this information, we would be wise to take stock of the time spent and connections being made over these social platforms in order to protect our marriages.
24 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Rekindling a marriage as empty nesters

So many couples fall into the trap of focussing all their energy on their children, so much so, that when they “fly the nest” mom and dad are left with not much of a marriage.
23 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Evangelizing millennials

We often talk about the millennial generation and how life has been a completely different experience for those born into this digital age. It affects parenting, career choices, attitudes towards socializing and so much more. But how have Millenials been affected in their view of the Church and God? Many…
20 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Adolescent thinks his parents don’t respect him

If you’re a teen who’s feeling trapped by your parents’ “controlling behavior”, then stay tuned. You may not like some of their ideas, and their methods of guiding you into the right path may seem ineffective and unreasonable to you, but it's highly likely that they have your best interests…
19 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Feminine preferences and male sexual identity

Identity labels are rarely helpful, especially where personality and sexuality are concerned. The term "gay" is just an artificial mental construct: a word that means what other people say it means – nothing more, nothing less. We’ll discuss male sexual identity and help a young man to understand true masculinity,…
18 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Co-parenting with an uncooperative ex-spouse

When a mother and father parent with the same agenda and discipline style, a happier and safer environment is created for the children as they understand their boundaries. When parents are divided in their parenting style it can cause a lot of problems with kids being confused and lacking the…
17 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Suspicions of babysitter abuse

Parents, imagine the gut-wrenching feeling you would have at the thought of a babysitter abusing your child. Leaving our children in the care of another requires a sense of trust in that person, so when that trust becomes questionable there’s the reason for major concern.
16 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Maintaining relationships with children after divorce

It’s not easy for a divorced parent to stay well connected with his or her children when the court has ruled custody in favor of your ex, and you only see the children for a day or two every other week.
13 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Friend requests from old flames on social media

Is it wise and healthy for your marriage when you accept ‘friend’ requests from old flames on social media? Some might say, there’s absolutely no harm in staying in touch, while others may have stories to tell of those online friendships causing havoc in their marriages.
12 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Wife no longer attracted to overweight husband

Husbands and wives should be looking out for their spouse's sexual needs and satisfying them as far as possible. But what does one do when the person you married is no longer attractive to you because they’ve ‘let themselves go’?
11 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Explaining porn addiction to kids

Do you think you’d be able to admit to your kids that you’re in the process of getting help for porn addiction? Most parents will be saying an emphatic “No” to that question. But what if we told you that being open and honest with your children in matters such…
10 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Child says he wants to die

Has your child ever had an outburst and said something that shocked you to the core? A lot of the time the words have the little foundation and can be written off to emotions running high, but when should we be concerned that something greater is at play?
9 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Anorexia and "Pro-Ana websites

We’ll be talking about the online world of anorexia support groups and the potential dangers of these Pro-Ana websites, you won’t want to miss this.
6 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Adolescent Daughter Involved With an Older Man

How does one warn a teenage daughter of the potential pitfalls of spending time with an older guy, even if she claims that they are purely friends? Most teen girls don’t want to hear this kind of advice, so one has to be very careful with the approach. We’ll be…
5 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Using Tithe Money to Help Aging Parents

Dealing with our finances according to Christian principles implies a number of things. One is that Christians are expected to tithe, see 2 Chronicles 31:4&5. Christians are told to take care of the orphan and the widow. They are also commanded to honor their mother and father and to care…
4 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min

Responding to a Gay Christian in the Family

How would you respond to an announcement from one of your children that they identify as a “gay Christian’? We’ll be responding to a mother whose son made just such a declaration on the next Family Matters.
3 Jul 2023 6PM 4 min
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