As a mom of three kids under the age of four (we have twins and a newborn) I will be the first to admit that I don’t have all the answers when it comes to parenting little ones. I love getting advice from friends with kids just a few years older than mine or even reading stories from my fellow M.O.M’s here at The Mom Initiative. Today, I’d like to ask YOU, our readers some of the questions I hear most often from younger moms: 1. How do you get your child to eat something besides chicken nuggets or a …
What did I do before Facebook?
As a Women’s Ministry Director for nearly a decade, I’ve watched big trends in the lives of women over the last ten years. Communication and technology are in over-drive when it comes to the pace of change. It has been so fast that we’ve have barely had time to stop and learn, much less reflect on how it’s impacting our lives. Social media and our technology habits have changed women personally, as wives and as moms. Family life is different now. It often takes a crisis, power outage, vacation, illness, honest friend, or the Holy Spirit to slow us down …
Girlfriends, Curfews and Grades…Oh My! Parenting Today’s Teenager!
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 …
Movie review for moms: Son of God
Audiences are drawn to compelling stories about real people. Reality shows? Producer Mark Burnett’s name is attached to TV programs like Survivor, The Voice, and Shark Tank. Now he’s telling the greatest story ever told, the story of the person who changed his own life and that of his wife, Roma Downey. The creative couple behind the mini-series The Bible, now this married pair shares a reality story like none other. This real story could actually change the hearts and lives of the people who watch it. On February 28th Jesus, Son of God opened in theaters. A compilation and …
Put a Little Love in Your Voice
My mom has a saying—“put a little love in your voice.” It’s her advice to my sisters and me when she hears us crabbing at our kids. If only she could be in my house at 7:30 every morning to remind me. “Are you done with your breakfast?” I rushed past the kitchen table and grabbed my daughter’s lunch bag off the counter. “It’s time to brush your teeth! Hurry or we’ll be late for school.” Imagine those words poured sweet as syrup from a momma’s lips. The inner dialog sings, “Sweetie pie, did you get your fill of pancakes? …
Loving the family table
WEEK OF LOVE at The M.O.M. Initiative ~ BUY 1/GET 1 or BUY 1/GIVE 1 Tickets to BETTER TOGETHER TODAY’s GIVEAWAYS! Mama Needs a Time Out by Heather Riggleman Christian Mama’s Guide to Baby’s First Year by Erin MacPherson ENTER TO WIN by COMMENTING, SHARING this POST through Twitter or Facebook, and get EXTRA BROWNIE POINTS for sharing a BLOG ON YOUR SITE about the CONFERENCE (bloggers are added to our BLOG PARTNER LIST when you email us and let us know when and where to find the post!) *WINNERS will be announced in SUNDAY’s LIST OF WINNER of our …
If You Give a Mom a Minute
I steal from my children. The loot is nothing tangible—I don’t swipe quarters from their piggy banks or cookies off their lunch plates. What I steal is more valuable. Time. Bit by bit, I snatch precious time from my kids—in increments of just a minute. “Mom, can I please have a cup of juice with my breakfast?” Sure, sweetheart, just give me a minute. “Come see my picture, Momma! I colored it for you!” Wonderful! I’ll be there in a minute. “Mom, I need your help. I can’t pull the cap off my glue stick.” Okay, just a minute. “Will …
Momma’s Sick Day Management
On any typical given day a mom can perform her magic of juggling a gazillion tasks all at once. But when the flu season slams her with fever, aches and chills how does she survive? Here are some helpful tried and true ways to help you and your little ones survive when Grandma lives far away and mom is too weak to function. All these wonderful ideas come from seasoned moms who suggest you: Hunker down with your kiddos in a safe, small space in the house. Bring your little ones in the bedroom with you and lock …
Working hard at Working from Home
Every mom works hard, but especially with recent economic challenges, many moms have added part-time jobs or working from home jobs to their already full plate. While it seems ideal, at first, to work from home, the flexibility soon runs up against the walls of expectations, boundaries, and understanding. Take it from a girl who has spent years working from home: Working from home is hard work! I’ve learned 5 tips that have helped our family balance my “pay check work” with our home life. If you’re trying to juggle a job or considering it in the new year, I …