Did you know that family traditions keep your kids pure? The Gresh family Christmas traditions … you’d think they’d be made of eggnog and pumpkin spice. Maybe Christmas hymns and…
Tweens & Teens
Don’t Give Them Everything They Want
I grew up the eldest of four kids. We had enough, but there was not a lot of excess. My parents were very careful with their finances. Christmas was wonderful…
Knowing My Child’s “Holes”
It was last week when I put the pieces together regarding my daughter. I’d been praying for my kids one morning out of While They Are Sleeping: 12 Character Traits…
Please, Don’t Let Them Ask Me That!
“Mom, what’s pornography?” The question was posed frankly by my 10-year-old while my kids and I were about the business of dinner clean-up—rinsing dishes, popping plastic containers of leftovers closed….
Motherhood Without Regret
I wasn’t expecting a wave of emotion to overtake me as I read Kelcie’s post on MomLife Today. But here I find myself looking through blurry eyes, filled with tears…
6 Ways to Pursue Your Children’s Friends
When my children were young, I had an older mom-friend who I loved to watch as she parented her older teens and college-aged children. She really enjoyed them, and the…
Is It Ever Okay to Tell Him He’s Not Good at Something?
“I hate spelling. I’m a bad speller.” That’s what eeked out from my son’s down-turned, sun-bleached head this week as he and I labored through the words on his spelling…
From Mommy to Mom: Navigating the Choppy Waters From Childhood to Adolescence
Once upon a time, I was a mommy. My daughter wanted me to read her just one more story, to hug her constantly, to carry her on my hip, and…
Life, Love, and Learning About Margins
I realized yesterday that I’m caught smack in the middle of every working mom’s biggest dilemma: How can you be there for your kids during an immensely important time for them…
Teaching Tomorrow’s Truths Today. Six Tips for Talking to Your Kids About Sex
My 12-year-old morphed into a driving expert this year. She doles out helpful advice and suggestions to me and other drivers on the road. Often, she informs me that I’m…