I had to let him go. I didn’t want to, but I had to. I had more I wanted to teach him. Time to spend with him. But it was time. Jordan, my first born child was moving out to set up his own home at his own condo. A high rise. 9th floor, overlooking parts of the Orlando city sky scape. He’s so excited, he’s about to burst. I’m so sad, I’m about to burst. It’s kind of what happens when you raise your child to manhood. He doesn’t need his momma anymore. Well, except for home cooked meals …
5 Ways to Teach Your Children to Behave Themselves in Public
It’s almost inevitable. Kids behaving badly in public and moms wanting to hide under a rock. It happens to the best of moms! So what’s a mom to do when her child begins to behave badly in public? How can a mom teach her children to behave themselves? 1. Begin setting very clear expectations at a young age. Even when your children are only about two, you can convey your expectations to them and when you have defined the ‘code of conduct’ for your household, your children will begin internalizing those expectations and make them their own. Remember, clear expectations …
10 Ways to Make Your Child’s Lunchbox a Healthy One
You’ve heard it said before, “You are what you eat.” So are our children. Recently, statistics have unveiled a startling truth about our children’s eating habits. It seems as though the number one food that children eat is chicken nuggets. Some chicken nuggets aren’t so bad, but I think because we think they are eating chicken, we forget that most of them are deep friend in hydrogenated oil. In The Making of a Mom, I wrote about how loving our children well includes making sure they eat well. But healthy doesn’t always come easily in a world full of drive thru’s …
Psalms and Cell Phones?
Today I am so happy to share with you my precious partner in ministry, Bonnie Wallace. She is so gracious to work alongside me, in whatever way I need. She does it with a smile; expecting nothing in return. Listen to the wise words from this beautiful mother of 5. Lynn Cowell …be filled by the Spirit: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music from your heart to the Lord, Ephesians 5:18-19 I am a mama of five and I have four older teens living in my home. I’ve been training my children …
The Dark Place of Addiction ~ for Moms Whose Children Struggle with Addiction
The M.O.M. Initiative is going where some moms live so that we can offer hope and encouragement to those who are there now… for those who have children who are struggling with the dark place of addiction. Before you begin to read I want you to know that I believe there is always hope in every situation. I only write from what I have seen and experienced through my children and others who are on this journey. As addicts progress on the path of addiction, the partial light that once illuminated from the shadows gradually fades away. The darkness begins …
Detour – Teenage Motherhood – How to Survive (sneak peek of Better Together Session)
This wasn’t the part of the plan. You and your daughter were planning for high school graduation, but now you’re trying to get used to the idea that she is going to be a mother. You’re both trying to sync schedules around baby. How exactly will she do this mom thing and how do you help her? It happened to me. One day I was cheerleading for the football team and the next–I was fighting with my mom, feeling oh-so tired and scared as I held a positive pregnancy test in my hands. What did my future look …
Hire a professional potty trainer?
Some parenting tasks should really be left to the professionals, right? After all, kids don’t come with a manual. It’s no wonder, then, that people have made a business out of the business of raising kids. In fact, for $925 you can hire a Potty Trainer to teach your child how to “do their business” and take the mess … off your hands! In June New York City’s first professional potty-training service launched, and the phone has been ringing ever since. One honest mom-customer admitted to being “frustrated” and “not having a lot of patience” as her motivation for calling …
5 Questions to Help You Connect with Your Teen
After living with teenagers for nearly 18 years, you would think I’ve figured out exactly how to connect on a heart-to-heart level, right? Of course, you may be wondering how does one live with teens for that many years? Well, my husband is a boarding school teacher, so I’ve literally spent my whole adult life with tweens and teens from around the world and across the United States. We eat together. Worship together. Enjoy life together. I get to see what they are really like when their parents aren’t watching and especially as they try desperately to gain the approval …
Friends Helping Friends
Forever Friends is a favorite topic for my speaking audiences. I have skits in that talk to show what it means to have trusted and treasured friends and to be that kind of friend to others. Are you the kind of friend you long to have? Click To Tweet I am currently in a scheduling crunch with my writing and speaking ministry, but I had a blog post due today. “Help!” was the subject line in an email to my good friend Kathy Howard. Kathy is a TMI guest contributor so I asked her if she could help me with …
Empowering Kids to Make Wise Decisions
As my kids grow bigger, I’m learning to let them make their own choices. Even when I disagree. Like last Saturday, for example, at the grocery store. “Mom, can we get a watermelon? Please? Please? I love watermelon!” My seven-year-old spied a crate of enormous melons in the center of the produce aisle. She clasped her hands in front of her chest and pleaded. “Sure, we can get a watermelon,” I nodded. “If you promise me you’re going to eat it.” “I will, I will! Can I pick one?” “Uhhhh . . . okay.” Now, you need to understand—I’m really …