Focus on the Family Commentary

Dating relationships can fail for many reasons. Jim Daly explains why one of the most often overlooked ones is the present-day influence of past wounds. (Original air date: May 10, 2012)

Are you doing what's right for your marriage, for your children, and for your career, but feel like nothing good is happening? Jim Daly explains why sometimes you have to keep doing what's right even when what's right doesn't seem to be working.

There's a breakdown in our nation's communication. Some speak the language of science. Others speak the language of virtue and morality. Jim Daly explains how those differences influence everything you think and everything you do. (Original air date: Nov. 16, 2017)

Childhood is a time when boys and girls are supposed to dream big. That offers parents a golden opportunity. Jim Daly explains how to engage your children through their dreams, instead of yours.

Becoming a stepparent can be rewarding. But it can also be challenging. Jim Daly shares how to build a relationship with your step-kids when they resist drawing closer to you. (Original air date: Aug. 27, 2014)

Is marriage supposed to make you happy? The answer may surprise you. Jim Daly shares how to make yourself and your marriage happier.

Do you find it difficult to connect with your child on a meaningful level? It's easier than you might think. Jim Daly will give you a great place to start. (Original airdate: Dec. 23, 2013)

Modern society discourages waiting. We love to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible and don't like to wait for good things to come to us. Jim Daly explains why joy is often found in the waiting.

If you've been married for long, then you know husbands and wives usually see the world quite differently. The key to a happy relationship is learning to give equal weight to both perspectives. Jim Daly shares how. (Original airdate: Sept. 8, 2014)

Morality usually gets a bad rap in the culture. Jim Daly explains why it plays a crucial role in our nation's well-being by anchoring our society in values that transcend it.

Negative political ads dominate the airwaves. Children are often exposed to these attack ads as well. Jim Daly shares how to introduce your children to the political process in a way that makes them stronger, wiser, and more grateful for their country.

Every couple gets angry with each other from time to time. But some marriages sink under the weight of unresolved anger that hides below the surface. Jim Daly shares how to heal that problem. (Original airdate: Oct. 21, 2014)

Will angry protesters ever work as hard at contributing something positive to the world as they do at tearing things down? Jim Daly explains why anybody can destroy something, but it takes a person of character to go out and build something.

Texting and driving is a problem among all age groups, but it's especially common among teenagers. Is there anything parents can do to help curb this trend? Jim Daly shares helpful answers. (Original airdate: Feb. 7, 2014)

What kind of world do you want to live in? Jim Daly explains how to create the world you want by participating in it.

Data shows that one in seven adults between the ages of 18 and 25 are at high risk for some kind of addiction – drugs, alcohol, gambling, even shopping or video games. Jim Daly shares how to spot a problem in yourself and others.

If you're having trouble in your marriage, you may be thinking: "It's my spouse who needs to change." But what if changes you make can influence your marriage in a good direction? Jim Daly shares how. (Original air date: Oct. 6, 2014)

After a political revolution in Romania in the 1990s, 170,000 infants, toddlers, and teenagers were housed in government-run institutions known as "child gulags." Find out what happened to those children and what the data teaches us about the importance of family.

Liberty is the greatest privilege we enjoy as Americans. Our entire way of life depends on our independence. Jim Daly shares why our freedom depends on us. (Original air date: Oct. 24, 2016)

When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses? Has it been a while? If you're too busy, Jim Daly explains why sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all.

What would you like your obituary to say about you? You write your own obituary everyday by how you live and treat others. Jim Daly explains how.

They say, "No man is an island." It's true. Jim Daly shares why your choices matter – not just for yourself, but for those closest to you. (Original air date: June 8, 2018)

How do you know you're living with the right priorities? Jim Daly explains that while money and material possessions are necessary to sustain life, they don't make life worth living. Find out what does.

Are your kids asking for a pet? Jim Daly suggests that you consider answering "yes." Hear the emotional and physical benefits that pets bring to families. (Original air date: June 22, 2018)

Every generation's view of the world is shaped by the culture. Jim Daly explains how parents can teach their kids to rise above suspicion and fear and make a positive contribution to the world.

Life is all about learning from our mistakes. Creating a better tomorrow is about living as we should today. Jim Daly explains why the way forward for our nation is to understand the past because history is always the best teacher.

Humor can bond families together ... or it can tear them apart. Jim Daly helps parents use laughter as a way to make their home a safe and inviting place to be. (Original air date: Nov. 6, 2017)

Many wives have no support outside of the home when times are tough inside the home. Jim Daly explains how a woman's 'WIFEstyle' can create a happier, healthier marriage.

It's been said that God never wastes our pain. You'll believe that’s true when you hear Jim Daly share the story about a boy named Louis who changed the world after a tragedy of his own. (Original air date: Nov. 13, 2017)

Sometimes parents swoop in and squelch their kids' dreams too quickly. Jim Daly shares why one of the best things you can do for your children is dream with them.

A parent's influence can reverberate for generations. Jim Daly shares one simple thing parents can do to positively impact their family for decades to come. (Original air date: July 31, 2020)

The bigger the challenge the more success depends on unity. Jim Daly shares why the American people are never stronger than when they rise up and lock arms to confront a common challenge.

Every child deserves at least one person in their life who is crazy about them. Jim Daly shares why one of the easiest ways to equip a child for a happy, successful life is to offer them a blessing.

What does it take for the worst vacation to become the best ever? Jim Daly shares an experience with his son that demonstrates the secret is all about perspective. (Original air date: March 2, 2018)

Building intimacy in marriage doesn't have to be a major undertaking or cost a lot of money. But it does require some commitment. Jim Daly explains why 10 minutes is all it takes to completely transform your marriage.

Do you ever feel like Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day? Jim Daly shares how to escape Groundhog Day by remembering that each day is a blank canvas that you get to fill.

If you really want to know someone, you have to know their heart. How do you discover that? Jim Daly shares how to get beneath the surface with a method called "the breakfast experiment." (Original air date: June 19, 2019)

One of the most common mistakes a married couple can make is to assume the worst about each other. Jim Daly helps couples improve their relationships by filling them up with truth, grace, and love.

Sometimes hard work pays off in ways you'd never expect. Jim Daly shares a story about Justin, a young man whose willingness to work hard inspired complete strangers to reward him for it. (Original air date: Nov. 7, 2017)

Daughters need a father with integrity, a man who keeps his word and follows through on his promises. Jim Daly encourages dads who have lost touch with their daughters that it's never too late to reach out.

Simple misunderstandings between a husband and a wife can easily escalate into full-blown conflict. Jim Daly shares how couples can build a strong marriage by attacking their conflict, not each other.

Today is National Constitution Day. Jim Daly explains why the best way to celebrate is to protect the ideals of the Constitution as rigorously as we protect the document itself.

Many online daters have discovered that too many choices can be as big a problem as not enough. Jim Daly shares helpful tips for dating that won't leave you feeling overwhelmed. (Original air date: March 17, 2017)

Being a parent has never been easy. Jim Daly shares why each generation of parents must hope for a better world, then go out do something about it.

A good family name is built through strong values and integrity. Jim Daly shares how your character can enable your children and grandchildren to be successful in life. (Original air date: Aug. 8, 2016)

We don't always live up to our ideals as a nation. When we fail, the answer isn't to abandon those ideals, but to reinforce them. Jim Daly explains rich, meaningful symbols that ground our culture in the values we need to prosper.

Perfect families don't exist. Fortunately, the goal isn't perfection. It's a family that's healthy and strong. Jim Daly encourages moms and dads to teach kids how to handle problems with patience and respect. (Original air date: Oct. 6, 2017)

Parents, do you know how to deepen your relationship with your children while teaching them how to make good decisions at the same time? Jim Daly explains how to enter your kids' world and communicate in their language.

Marriage can be tough. But that's not the reason so many of them fail. Jim Daly explains why a relationship as intimate and profound as marriage can't be built on convenience. It takes a covenant.

If you're off work in recognition of Labor Day, you're probably happy about this Monday. But what will your attitude be when next Monday rolls around? Jim Daly shares how learning to love Mondays can improve your quality of life. (Original air date: Sept. 4, 2017)