With the vast commercialism of the holiday, Christmas can feel like the whole world is shouting at my children to want more things. As a Christ follower I know this isn't what God desires for Christmas, but that doesn't mean it's any less overwhelming. So what's a Christian to do? How are we, as parents and teachers, to teach our children and ...
Is Your Child Meeting Pragmatic Milestones?
I remember it like it was yesterday. Bubs was laying on the floor, playing with a friend's baby. He looked at me, circled his face with his finger, and said, "I don't know what this means." He knew that the baby was telling him something but didn't understand what her face was sharing. After talking about her eyes, mouth, and body language, he ...
Do You Understand Pragmatics?
Pragmatics. Depending on your education and experiences, pragmatics may or may not be a word that you are familiar with. Even with my education background, it wasn't until we were neck deep in Bubs' delays that I began to understand what pragmatics is and why it is so important. What is Pragmatics? Pragmatics is the study of language ...
How to Turn Ordinary Moments into God-Moments
Have you ever wondered how some parents can take ordinary moments and turn them into God-moments that impact children's hearts for eternity? Around Parenting to Impress and ABCJesusLovesMe we call these "Teachable Moments." And with just a few tips, I believe you will be able to have multiple God-moments with your kiddos too! Let's dive in. ...
Ultimate List of Must-Read Books for Kids
The research is unanimous - children should be read to and read to often. But (sadly) not all books are created equal. Quality books build imagination, a love for reading, curiosity, vocabulary, and pragmatics. The rest...well...don't do these things. Because I know the frustration of wading through a sea of books to find the best, I have ...
Characteristics of a God-Centered Family, Part 2 (Giveaway)
The world tells us our feelings are our truth. Emotions or circumstance define you...in that moment. But feelings and circumstances change leaving an unstable foundation of beliefs. Friends, this is one of the biggest issues facing our tweens and teens today. Two others are busyness and a cultural value of specialization. We invite you to dig ...
This Tip Will Save You Time, Money, and Stress
According to the MacroTrends website, as of August 24, 2022 Pinterest has a net worth of $13.85B. This internet business has made a fortune sharing and organizing tips and ideas. Why is it such a hit? Because moms especially are desperate to make their lives simpler and more beautiful. Since I am decoration-ally challenged, I can’t ...
Should Raising Good Kids Be Your Goal?
If I polled 100 Christian parents, I bet all would agree that they desire to raise "good" children -those who are kind to others, respectful to authority, and stay out of trouble. Isn’t this a good goal? Piggybacking on last week's blog post, blogger Barrett Johnson encourages us to rethink this target. Raising "Good" Kids "The ...
The 5 Major Blind Spots in Christian Parenting
About 10 years ago an article called, "Exposing the 7 Major Blind Spots of Homeschoolers" went viral on social media. Even Christian parents who didn't homeschool - like our family - shared it because the truths hit home. Now that I'm parenting teens, I reread the article through a different lens. But I was once again challenged to confront my ...
A School-Year Prayer
This week we close the door on summer. At the crack of dawn Monday morning, my children will enter their appropriate middle and high schools to learn, grow, and be a light in this dark world. I would like to pretend that this is easy to do, but honestly, like a mother hen, I would much rather keep my kiddos in the safety of my ...