Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18 NLT Moms of teenagers, buckle up, all the bumps and bruises you went through in the baby, child, and adolescent stage start to prepare you for the adventure of parenting today’s teenager. I’m not trying to scare you at all, just speaking the truth in love from one mom to another. So, let’s put on our safety harness and walk through some of this together, shall we? As the mom of two teenage boys it …
Communication: the power of a text
I’ve never written a message to my kids on a cave wall. They wouldn’t look there, because communication changes. When my kids were little, one of their favorite ways to practice spelling was painting in shaving cream. Now kids click and drag on iPads and use apps to reinforce language development. Shaving cream is still a great way to practice, but if we want to be heard, “flexible” and “learner” have to be our middle names when it comes to communication. The digital age has thrust moms and grandmas onto a fast track for adaptation in communicating with our …
Teen Sues Parents
IT’S A PARENT’S NIGHTMARE A child with a terminal illness. A child die in a car accident. A child get on drugs. A child be kidnapped. How would you complete the sentence, “It would be a nightmare for my child to______________________” Although there are several ways we might complete the above sentence, none of us would end it with “sue me.” YET IT HAPPENED. A high school senior filed suit against her mother and father for financial support and college tuition. The teen’s justification? “(They) should be required to provide for my support and education until I can stand on …
When Siblings Become Friends
From the day she was born, I promised. “Your sister is tiny now, but she’ll grow fast. Soon, not too long from now, she’ll be able to play with you. She’ll run and jump and share your puzzles and dolls. You’ll see.” “Really?” My firstborn, then just a couple weeks past her third birthday, gazed in tender awe at her new baby sister, the long-awaited stranger. “Yes, sweetheart. Someday, she’ll be your best friend.” Someday. It seemed so far off in those early months when we juggled two different stages under one roof. This one needed macaroni and potty training …
On why teenagers are glorious…
Our pastor, who is a dad to three grown kids, has always described the teenage years as glorious. Even when his kids were all teens at one time, he used that description. Glorious. It’s not the typical word you hear when people talk about teenagers. Every time he said it, I clung to the word, hoping it would hold true for my kids when they got to their teenage years… hoping they wouldn’t make some of the same mistakes I made, or do some of the things I did. As I’ve entered the years of being a mom to two …
Video: M.O.M. Mentor Moment ~ When Your Kids Interrupt You
When is the last time your children interrupted you? Does it drive you crazy? Frustrate you? Do you wonder if there is a way to prevent them from interrupting you? THIS M.O.M. Mentor Moment can help you not only enjoy an uninterrupted conversation, but will also help cultivate character traits like respect and patience while also establishing how much you treasure your children! 🙂 If you can’t view the video in your feeder, please click here. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU DO TO HELP TEACH YORU CHILDREN NOT TO INTERRUPT OTHERS? DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH YOUR KIDS INTERRUPTING? Stephanie …
EXCITING NEWS from The M.O.M. Initiative for YOU!
It was in a gas station parking lot when the vision for The M.O.M. Initiative and The Making of a Mom was conceived. As I sat and watched a very pregnant teen girl walk by and light up a cigarette, I reflected on my teen pregnancy and how motherhood was like a messy experiment for me and how my kids ended up being the guinea pigs. And how I thought I was ready but didn’t have a clue. I couldn’t help but wonder if she understood the significance of her newfound roll. Did she understand that everything she now did would affect …
Get Along Jar: Creative Discipline to Combat Sibling Bickering.
We hear it all. day. long. Bickering and sibling rivalry. In my home, the common offenses include, Mom, she’s looking at me. or Mom he’s in my room! or She’s using my tablet! and my favorite He’s breathing on me!!! You can view the video my Nebraska.TV News segment here or read further! Whether you’re a working mom, stay at home mom, a home school mom or run a daycare. This jar will take a load off your shoulders! 🙂 If you’re tired of hearing these comments and playing referee on top of coming up with consequences on the fly–then …
Prayer Journals for the Whole Family
As we neared the end of our usual bed time routine of tucking kids in, reading stories, tucking kids back in, getting drinks, and finally tucking kids back into bed again–it was time to pray. As I asked my youngest what she wanted to pray for, Tori Grace responded in her 5 year-old wisdom, “It doesn’t matter mama, you can pray for me.” Shocked, I said a simple prayer and tucked her in (fingers crossed she would stay in bed) before letting my imagination get away from me. No sane mom could have let this unexpected grenade comment go. Pictures …
Sleep: It is Worth the Fight
Sleep. It is difficult to do without it. And as moms we often get our first real taste of sleep deprivation as our tiny infant wakes frequently through the night. There are many schools of thought on sleep for infants and young children. Most stem from even deeper seated parenting philosophies. And I don’t want to debate the finer points of sleep training, attachment parenting, or baby wise parenting etc. The bottom line is all kids need sleep. Below is a graphic from the National Sleep Foundation. Sleep is connected to our mood, our overall health (adults who habitually …