Whether you are sending your child off to kindergarten or to college, the adjustment is a hard one. It is a reminder that they are growing up and that they…
Tweens & Teens
Teen Daughter Shopping Survival Rules
I sort of dread shopping with my two teenage daughters. We inevitably end up fighting those fashion battles that are so familiar to every mom of a teenage daughter. Me:…
Where’s a Hole I Can Crawl In and Die When I Need One?
Okay. Every working mom knows what it feels like to juggle the extra pressure of looking and sounding “together” professionally while frantically juggling 12 kid-and-family things in the background. I do,…
When the Vacation Is Over…
The vacation is over. We’re headed home. You probably have a range of emotions swirling around you depending upon who is in your car. Some kids can’t wait to get…
Getting the Chores Done
I have a confession. I stink at chores. Getting them done and assigning them to my kids. Once upon a time, I was Glenda Good Housekeeper, but these days I’m…
A Mom’s Reflection on 8th Grade Graduation
How can it possibly be that time already??? I’m going to stop being a social researcher for a minute and just be an amazed mom. Jeff and I are entering…
Mom, What’s for Dinner?
Can you keep a secret? I’m not all that overjoyed when my kids bust through the doors and bellow, “Mom what’s for dinner?” Riveted by my latest fiction or engrossed in…
10 Questions to Ask Your Child Today
Sometimes all that is required for a fun and memorable time is good conversation. Getting to know the unique little individuals God has gifted me with is one of my favorite things…
Mom: My Number One Fan
It’s something I can count on—like the sun rising in the morning or my 2-year-old crawling in bed with me during the night—I just know it will happen. Within minutes…
3 Life Lessons I Learned From Teachers
As the school year comes to a close, I wonder if my children have learned anything of lasting value in the last nine months. Sometimes I lament the proportion of…