Parenting Archives - Page 4 of 20

Making This Summer Count

18 summers, give or take a few. That’s how many summers most of us will have with our children before they leave our homes. I read once about a mom who put 18 rocks in a jar. At the end of each summer, she removed a rock. As each year passed, the jar looked more and more empty, reminding her of how fast time was passing. The truth is, it’s tempting to wish the days away…especially the long, difficult days. It’s tempting to anticipate the next stage so much that we miss the beauty of the stage we’re in. Last night, …

How to Talk to Your Child about Divorce

It’s an unfortunate truth in society today: half of all children will go through the break-up of their family, and their parent’s divorce. Though it’s obviously not God’s ideal, it does happen, and needs to be approached with grace from those on the outside, as well as those on the inside. One of the biggest mistakes parents make while going through a divorce is leaving their child out of the conversation. They have suffered a loss as well, are grieving as well, and need someone to work through it with them. So, how do you talk to your child about …

The “Roux” Method of Spiritual Mentoring

Born and raised in the “tasty” state of Louisiana, I’ve been making gumbo, etouffee, and jambalaya for my family for years. Our three “mostly grown” kids have learned to love Cajun cooking. A couple of years ago, when our college-aged son Mark discovered he missed out on the Crawfish Etouffee I made for his dad’s birthday, he asked if I would teach him how to make it over Christmas break. On Christmas Eve afternoon, we met in the kitchen and I pulled out my well-worn copy of Paul Prudhomme’s “Louisiana Kitchen” cookbook. I turned to Mark and said dramatically, “First, …

Helping Your Child Grow Through Trials

James 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Mark Twain once said, “Good judgment is the result of experience . . . and experience is often the result of bad judgment.” Isn’t it true that a lot of what we have learned has come from mistakes we have made and difficulties we have endured? I can look back at times in my life and see the growth I’ve personally …

Hold On Loosely, Don’t Give Up Hope

Moms of teenagers and adult children, oh how I would love to pull up a chair beside you, pour a cup of coffee and commiserate over this new season of parenting you’re in. It’s not an easy transition by any means but I’m hoping that as we sit and visit that you and I both will learn a little bit about how to hold on loosely in this season when you feel like giving up hope. Chances are if you are a child of the 80’s, you’ll remember a song from the band 38 special called, “Hold On Loosely.” In …

Are You Willing to Take the “UNPLUGGED SUNDAY” Family Challenge?

This is a repost of from last year, but it’s a challenge we try to share every Sunday. And since today is Sunday, I was just wondering… Are you willing to unplug from 8 to 8 on Sundays? Recently, my hubby and I headed to Chili’s after church. As I stood in the restaurant waiting to be seated, I noticed a young family sitting in the waiting area. The mom and dad were busy text messaging or checking their latest Facebook status while the daughter, who was sandwiched between them, slouched down with a very exasperated look on her face. …

When You Feel Like a Bad Mom by Sharon Jaynes (and a Giveaway!)

I wanted to climb into the mailbox where I had just dropped in my manuscript and get it out! But I wouldn’t fit. My son was in middle school when I decided to write the book, Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids. (The words middle school should give you a heads up that this is not going to be good.) Steven had always been such an easy child to raise. He was compliant, obedient, pleasant, polite, and playful. He’d accepted Christ as Savior, was a good student, and just a joy to be around. Yep. I had done a …

Letting Go is Hard to Do

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. (Psalm 62:8 ESV) From the moment of giving birth, the hard process of letting go begins. Having a hard time letting go? Here’s help! #moms #motherhood Click To Tweet I remember when my son was first born not wanting to let him out of my sight. I would drag the car seat into the bathroom when I needed to take a shower, and constantly risk soaking the throw rug by peering around the curtain to make sure he was …

Help Your Children Find Their Inner Geek

Let’s face it. There’s something about each of our lives that only we can get excited about. You know what I mean. You wait with baited breath to tell someone the most wonderful thing that has happened to you in weeks and . . . they meet your excitement with a blank stare and eyes darting for another topic. Maybe you’re a rare key collector, a plane engine buff, or someone who loves to discover how other people’s favorite color relates to their personality. Maybe you’re the world’s best Salsa dancer. Or pogo stick bouncer. Or plant whisperer. When …

What No Mom Wants to Talk About

Don’t TV stations do a great job of pulling you to a must see show? I had seen the ads for Tyra and knew it was one I didn’t want to miss. In her very frank way, the talk show host was dragging all “private” issues out in the open as she interviewed a panel of teen girls. The topic: sexting. The surprise guests: their mothers. Wow were they surprised as these moms heard their thirteen, fourteen and fifteen-year-old girls talk freely of the explicit language and NUDE pictures they regularly exchange with their friends. The shock on the mothers’ faces proved they had …

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