It was a stare down between me and my 13 year old son. I was right and he knew it, but he wanted to be right so badly he was willing to stand eye to eye with me(because he is as tall as I am), giving me his “I think I am smarter than you” glare. Have you been there? I am no stranger to this. I have been there 3 times before with his older brothers. The early teen years for a boy can be brutal on parents and for the boy. So much is going on in the …
Why You Should Get Involved In Your Kids Ministry
When we, as parents, partner with our local churches we can make an even bigger impact in the spiritual lives of our kids. No, I’m not just saying that because I work in Kids Ministry but because I have stood on the front lines every Sunday for the last ten years watching families come in and out of the church and miss the connecting piece between church and home. Can I speak the truth in love for a minute? Families want us, as the church, to teach their kids about God, His love, His grace, His mercy and His …
Laughter Heals Things
Her smile. I did it to see her smile and it worked. We laughed together and ran – inside the house. And the broken parts mended a bit. Sometimes life raising kids feels heavy. It is a huge responsibility. I am so serious about the principles I want them to learn and the tasks they need to accomplish that I can forget something important. Laughter and joy are just as important to teach as a good work ethic. Let me say that again. Kids need to learn the art of enjoying life, of laughing, of the joy of the Lord …
Facing the Mother “Hood” Alone
Hello little mamas! We have a special guest today. Catrina Gray signed up to have a mentor from The Mom Initiative and the funny part is we were just beginning to become friends while I was already on the M.O.M. Team. Catrina is a single mom with a heart for God and an eye for beautiful shots of life. Because she is in college and has dyslexia, she shared her story and I wrote her article; as a single mom, she has faced many trials including whether or not her daughter would be “normal.” Motherhood is a challenge for …
Moms: When Being the “Fall Guy” is a Good Thing
One of my friends recently told me about how she had to be the “fall guy” to help her daughter, Kylie, get out of an awkward situation with some friends. I was really impressed and told her I’d be sharing this great parenting tip with the M.O.M. Initiative readers. Here’s what happened. Kylie and some friends recently got together for a sleepover at a friends house. It was late, the parents had gone to bed and one of the girls, who was new to this group of friends, suggested they sneak out and go hang out with some guys from …
Spray Paint, Vandals and Mercy, oh My!
The reigning champ of getting my two year old daughter to stay down for her nap, I was savoring the taste of sweet victory as I plunked myself down on my comfy leather couch. I inhaled a deep sigh of relief, ready to enjoy a much anticipated respite. My sigh of relief; however, was quickly interrupted by an eerie silence that seemed to suddenly settle into our home. Careful to not wake up my daughter, I quietly called out to my boys. Jordan? Jake? There was no answer. I made my way through the house, checking every room and their known …
5 B’s for Being the “Bad Guy” Moms Sometimes Need to Be
A few weeks ago I posted 5 B’s to a Better Day. Today? 5 B’s for the “Being the Bad Guy” moms need to BE! BE the ONE TO SAY “NO” to UNWHOLESOME TV I remember well when at a gathering, all the kids were going to watch a movie. However, when my husband and I found out the movie that had been turned on, we told our kids, NO. Their same aged friends stayed “tuned in.” We were the “bad guys.” Some adults thought we were silly. We’ve never been sorry for being the “bad guy” and saying NO to …
Technology & your child’s brain development
Our kids will never know what it is to live in an unwired world. We’ve moved from the technology of the light bulb to the microwave, to the CD player, to the answering machine, and now to the mobile phone. Just doing homework research opens Pandora ’s Box of distractions like YouTube and Facebook, for starters. Today, moms find it hard to imagine what kind of tech will be commonplace to our kids when they grow up. Some parents feel overwhelmed by the waves of change and try to shut out the digital invasion. When adults check out, kids miss …
Just Try to Push Me Away by Lynn Cowell
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.“ Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV) When our children were little, our discipline had a pattern. When they disobeyed, we disciplined them correct the behavior. Then when the punishment was over, we would take them in our arms, reassure them we loved them and life would get back to normal. But what happens as they get older? Sometimes even stronger or bigger than us? We stop. We still discipline. But those moments of loving kindness after the discipline …
Moms Grow Up, Too
This time of year, my husband treks to the Wisconsin northwoods—to hunt. I can measure motherhood in hunting seasons. Six years ago, on opening bow weekend, I stood at the living room window and waved to my hubby’s truck with tears welling in my eyes. While he climbed trees and relished pink sunrises, I scrubbed bottles and rocked a fussy baby. Hours crept. Conversations were one-sided. I was lonely, frazzled, and desperate for a nap. When little sister blessed our world, I juggled baby food jars and preschool crafts. My then three-year-old missed her dad almost as much as I …