In the early days when my girls were in preschool and kindergarten, endless car rides loomed in front of us. Day after day, we repeated the same routine on the…
intentional parenting
Courage: the Backbone of Character
If we were to write a classified ad for a parent, one of the parts of the job description would be character building. It is a non-negotiable for any conscientious…
Instead of Yelling, Try Helping
Recently, I was frustrated with a few of my children who were dawdling with their room cleaning. As I walked into their still-messy room to reprimand them for being so…
Having “The Talk” With Your Daughter
There may be nothing a parent dreads more than having “the talk” with her child. You know the one – the talk where we explain the so-called birds and bees,…
Leftovers, Again?
When I was a kid I used to get so disappointed when my mom told me we were having leftovers for dinner. I don’t know why, but for some reason…
Summer’s Coming: “Yikes” or “Yay”?
My friend Sarah is in a panic. Pre-school isn’t even out yet and she’s already anxious about how she’s going to get through each day during the summer with three…
What’s in a MOM: How do we do the mommy balancing act?
“The juggler in the circus,” “A stay-at-home mom in the business of raising successful children,” “COM (Chief Operations Manager),” and my favorite, “Your Majesty.” The above resulted when I asked…
Listen to Your Kids So They Will Talk to You
“Mama, look!” “Mama, watch this!” “Mama, why is the sky blue?” “Mama”… followed by a five minute narrative about favorite cartoon characters, movies, or toys. “Mama, why does that lady…
Implement 4 Boundaries To Prioritize Your Family
“What can I get for you this morning?” the young man asked. I walked up to the counter and ordered my usual Americano with cream – extra hot. We exchanged…
Winning the Cultural War in Our Homes
I recently heard a minister on the radio say that as Christians, we should live our lives like we’re on a war ship, not a cruise ship! The analogy resonated…