Before we get started, I’m excited to announce the winner of yesterday’s giveaway of MAGNETIC by Lynn Cowell. DRUM ROLL PLEASE……… And the winner is – Micah Day! Congratulations Micah! You’ll be receiving an email with info about how to receive you book! SUPER EXCITED for you! —————————————————————– My momma used to say, “Hind sight is 20/20.” But I never really understood what that meant until I was old enough to look back and discover that time is like a really good teacher that showed up to give you all the answers after you already graduated. Looking in the …
Never-Failing Accountability
When my son became a tweenager over eight short years ago, a whole new world of temptation opened to him as he discovered (thanks to another peer) certain inappropriate behaviors online that would entice him in a way he’d never experienced before. Because he was our firstborn, a whole new world of fears opened to us too. We were thankful for many parents who had gone before us to give us wisdom and suggestions, as well as a gobload of information on the world wide web. As we talked and prayed him through it, we put boundaries in place with …
5 Reasons Why You Should Read to Your Children?
Do you read to your children? When my children were young, I loved curling up against the headboard with my boys in my arms and a book in my hand as I read a story to them before I tucked them in. I LOVED story time – and so did they… even when they were older. But to be honest, with dishes to do, baths to take, teeth to brush, homework to finish and laundry to fold, I often struggled to settle down long enough to read to my children. Maybe you feel the same way too. Always something to …
Why You Should Let Them Cry
My teenage son walked down the stairs with a frown on his face. College classes have gotten the best of him. My pep talk with him yesterday apparently wasn’t as good as I thought it was. My future as a motivational speaker went down in flames. When I brought my first child home from the hospital cries were immediately met with a soothing rub and my full attention until the whimpers quieted. From baby tears to teenage sulking, I want to make my child happy. I’ve exhausted myself trying to make this happen. I’ve finally realized I can’t make …
How to Conquer Your Child’s Fear of the Dark
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, WE WANT TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNER OF DR. GARY CHAPMAN’S AND ARLENE PELLICANE’S NEW BOOK, GROWING UP SOCIAL! DRUM ROLL PLEASE…. AND THE WINNER IS – Arianne de la Torre! Arianne de la Torre, you’ll be receiving an email from The M.O.M. Initiative today! CONGRATULATIONS! ———————————————————— S Supposedly a family of bears lives in my daughter’s closet. People-eating bears, I’m told. And when the bears take the night off, a monster steps in. Sometimes an alligator. Funny, but none of these critters show up when the sun is shining. (Silly Mom, bears are nocturnal. So are alligators. Sometimes I …
Schooling
Homeschooler I don’t wear it like a badge of honor, but it is my label. A job I accepted last year with fear and trepidation. And this year I take it up again a little wiser and still concerned that I educate my children well. I am a mom who longs to raise kids who love to learn. I want them to be life-long learners. I want them to love good books and communicate well in both written and spoken word. I secretly hope they love science and learn to look at math as a challenge, not an obstacle. I …
10 Typical Parenting Questions
I have some great good news to share with you my Mom Initiative friends and fellow mamas. But… before I do, do you ask yourself these questions? 1. How can I increase my child’s self-worth? 2. How do I build family unity? 3. How can I encourage my kids to be friends? 4. What do I do when my child lies or steals? 5. How can I effectively deal with tantrums and whining? 6. How can I control my own temper? 7. What can I do to be a good advocate for my special needs or gifted child in …
are you addicted to your child’s approval?
For years, I was a nice, Christian girl. I didn’t make waves. Gave in rather than cause a fuss. I decided early on the peace was worthy of any cost. I considered this a virtue. Or at the very least, not a problem. Good Christian girls don’t make waves. Making other people happy was the right thing to do. I thought I was noble. And then I had children. Two beautiful, amazing, extremely strong-willed, quite vocal, opinionated children. My “noble” people-pleasing tendencies had hit a crossroads. The only way that I could avoid conflict and make my kids “happy” was …
For Those Days When Mothering Is Hard
I LOVE being a mom but sometimes mothering is hard! Being a mom is AMAZING… but mothering isn’t always about butterfly kisses, tickles and giggles! Can any mommas relate? We don’t always know what to do or what to say or how to act and react to every situation we’re faced with as moms. In The Making of a Mom, I wrote about those days when mothering is hard… those times when we feel overwhelmed as a mom. The times when we struggle with how much attention is too much and how much attention is not enough… How do we …
Two Important Announcements from TMI for You!
# 1 – Important Announcement Every day of the year we come to you as mentor mommas with hearts to meet you where you are in the middle of your mom journey…to help answer the questions you send in and to be a hub where mentors and mentees can connect! Just last week, THE MAKING OF A MOM came out and it is the book this ministry has been waiting for. THE MAKING OF A MOM was written to be real help for real moms and to also serve as a unique, all-in-one resource for mentors and ministry leaders. The launch …