What has surprised you as a parent? In my 18 years of parenting, a few blind spots have caught me off guard, particularly in the areas of technology, sexual purity, discipline, and raising successful kids. Why do I call them blind spots? Because these are issues that I couldn't see clearly as I traveled the roads of parenting. I needed the ...
Impressing on Children
How to Teach Your Child to Receive a Gift
My kiddos loved to open presents when they were young. I cringed as each bow came off. Sounds crazy that I wouldn’t enjoy watching my young children open gifts. But in reality, I feared birthdays and Christmases wondering what shocking statements my children would make upon unwrapping a gift. This was especially true of Bubs and Little Man ...
How to Stay Happy and Holy in the Christmas Crazy
As parents and teachers of little kids, the Christmas season can feel particularly overwhelming. We want to foster a holiday season that keeps Jesus the focus, but we also want to have fun and create lasting traditions. Can we find a balance somewhere in there? Heidi and I recorded a Parenting to Impress Podcast episode dedicated to helping you ...
Happy Birthday Jesus Party {Giveaway}
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 ...
How to Build a Heart of Thanksgiving in Your Child {Giveaway}
Tis the season for the topic of gratitude! You'll hear it from the pulpit, the radio and even your favorite podcasters. As Christians we know being grateful is more than just a certain month set aside to be thankful. But do we really know how to live that way? Let's consider what it means to live gratefully and pick up some tips for how build a ...
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 3
Wow! This Parenting to Impress Podcast series with youth pastor, Scott Jones, and the corresponding blogposts have just been so encouraging to me! I hope you've been able to join the conversation and have been prompted to think about the attributes of a God-focused family. My husband and I have been processing through these ideas, prayerfully ...
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 ...