Manners Archives - The Mom Initiative

Dear Woman Who Witnessed My Child’s Meltdown

I was shopping not too long ago when my son had a major meltdown. MAJOR! After receiving a few looks and hearing one unkind comment about my child’s meltdown, I decided a post was in order. Dear woman who witnessed my child’s meltdown, I know how bad that meltdown must have looked. Believe me. I know. (I was there too, remember?) While he was screaming and throwing himself around on the floor, I know it didn’t reflect well on my ability to parent. I know he was loud. I know he was bothering those who were around us. I know …

Tips for Teaching Kids Manners by Penelope Carlevato

Today, I invited my good friend and fellow author and speaker and lover of all things tea related, Penelope Carlevato, to share with us some tips on teaching our children and grandchildren manners and etiquette–not something we hear much about today. I gave my grandchildren Penelope’s book First Class Etiquette and it was quite enlightening for them. Born in England, Penelope was raised in an English home on the plains of South Dakota. Her English mother loved to have friends and family in for tea. Penelope grew up with an apron tied around her waist and continued the tradition of …

Kids, Costumes and Dressing Up for Sunday School

Are some battles reserved for Sunday mornings? Despite our best intentions and Saturday planning, it may seem the Enemy and all his minions move against us. It’s no wonder we give in on Sunday to what we would refuse on a weekday. While it’s still mid-week, let’s talk about kids, costumes, and sabotaging Sunday School. We don’t leave Sunday morning decisions in the back of the car. We bring them in and send them to Sunday School. Because of that, we can’t afford to hope for the best with costumes and kiddos at church. What healthy, costume-owning child hasn’t imagined …

Ways to Help Your Children Remember God

In my new book, releasing today, Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, I discuss the vital importance of raising up the next generation to not only know God, but insure they have a relationship with Jesus. That means parents must follow biblical guidelines in raising their children. The results will be immediate. parents must follow biblical guidelines in raising their children. The results will be immediate. Click To Tweet Ways to Implement Deuteronomy 6:6-9 in Your Home In the Generation to Generation section of Forsaken God?, I discuss Deuteronomy 6:6-9, where Moses instructed the Israelites …

Is Your Child on Something?

She looks different to you. Her eyes are glassy. Or is that a twinkle? Giggling, she can’t keep quiet. Gushing all of the great things about him, all conversations now lead to this one subject. If she were back in her light up shoes, the strobe light would be blinding as she twitters around the room. It’s like she’s on something. And she is. It’s infatuation. Although it’s not deadly or illegal, it does give this mama heart cause for concern. It’s a drug that can blind our kids, causing them to miss what is glaring to everyone but them. …

Taking Down the Hindrances to Hospitality

As a newlywed, there were many obstacles that should have in all propriety and dignity (said tongue-in-cheek) kept us from hosting people in our home. We lived in a small apartment. We had little in provisions, financially. We didn’t have fancy napkins or table settings. Maybe it is a personality thing, but I plunged in and invited people anyway. We made lasting memories, not because we had a perfect place or perfect food, but because we had welcoming hearts to friends, new and old. Then something happened about five years into marriage. Someone told me that I needed to have certain …

The ADHD Bill of Rights – A Must Read for Every Parent

Can I be honest for a minute? I have been lonely, angry, and guilt ridden. I know it’s summer, I know we are all busy, but what made issues for me more intense was realizing I had no one who understood what I was going through. Maybe they didn’t want to. Who knows? But, when you’re a mom of a child with ADHD and processing disorders, it’s a new ball game. When you’re a mom of a child with ADHD and processing disorders, it’s a new ball game. Click To Tweet The rules of cause and effect don’t apply. Discipline …

Teaching Gratitude to Ungrateful Children

Some things I vowed I’d never say to my children. Like this one. “Don’t waste those waffles, girls. Did you know there are kids starving in Africa??” “What?” My younger daughter, age four at the time, looked up at me and crinkled her nose. “In Africa. And all sort of other places around the world. Even here in our own country! Not all kids get to eat as much as you do.” “But I don’t want waffles! I wanted cereal!” My seven-year-old whined. “Too bad. Eat the waffles. Some children are lucky if they get a bowl of rice—and …

Tips for Mothers of Tweens

“I’m not little any more mom!” Her statement stung, because though my eyes see a ten-year-old my heart sees that tiny baby I brought home from the hospital. There is something different about the tween years that can make mothering particularly challenging. Raising TWEENS? Here’s 11 THINGS that will help! #tweens @themominitiativ Click To Tweet Tweens are beginning to develop true opinions about everything and are able to articulate the reasons behind these opinions. This is great because now you can have intelligent conversations. It also means your tween will question your decisions, will push against boundaries, and may have valid …

11 Shows I Wouldn’t Let My Children Watch

“I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it.” Psalm 101:3 (NIV) Have you noticed how crude, crass and blatantly corrupt television shows have become? There’s almost nothing worth watching these days… especially for kids. Back in the day, writers of television shows focused on writing scripts that promoted morals, doing the right thing, consequences to misbehavior, patriotism. Television shows that embraced truth, faith, courage, integrity, civil service, and hard work. Today, scripts are basically the polar opposite. I know this may sound hard, but to …

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