I love summertime. Just thinking about the slower pace, evenings spent outside, camping trips, gardening, and ab-building laughter with friends puts a smile on my face. Looking back through my past blog posts, I’m reminded of how much has changed—three of our four children now have summer jobs! But some things remain the same. We still use these ...
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How to Teach Your Child to Play Independently
Resharing from 2013 an update to one of the most popular posts on Parenting to Impress. Among moms, there's a prevalent belief that the more time you spend playing with your kids, the better mom you are. Don’t believe me? Just check social media. There you'll find picts of moms doing fun activities with their kiddos, followed by a flood ...
Discovering Sabbath Rest: Trusting God in the Whirlwind of Parenthood {Transcript #51}
Heidi Franz Host 00:00 I sent an email to my aunt telling her all the things we had done over the weekend. She replied back, "What about the Sabbath?" My response was "Well, we're not under the law anymore." And I realized throughout these last few years that, no, we aren't under the law, but God created the Sabbath for a purpose. But I could ...
Seeking God Amidst Diapers and Dishes: Is it Possible?
View Transcript Many Christians hold the belief that making God a priority is essential to the faith. However, what if you find yourself with no time in your day to accomplish this? I so appreciate Emily's question:What if there's no room in your schedule to dedicate a few moments to God? I can't find any gaps in my day. I'm fortunate if I ...
Redefining Parenthood: Focusing on Purpose, Not Just Character
I love asking parents, "What do you desire for your child?" I frequently hear words like happiness, generosity, and courage. Thinking about these responses, I find this quote from my pastor so interesting. "One of the things that hinders us from living courageously is a lack of purpose and calling." I would wager that happiness and ...
The Power of One-Liners & Broken Records
If asked what the most beneficial tool in my parenting toolbox is, I would say - without any hesitation, "One-Liners." Also called broken records, these pre-scripted, parenting quotes have been instrumental in training my children. And parents and teachers continue to echo my sentiments as they have also seen these short phrases transform their ...
How to Work Yourself Out of a Job
I am going to come right out and say it. Raising and releasing spiritual leaders is what God calls parents to do. While there are millions of blogs, books, and podcasts on the raising portion, very little is shared on releasing. Maybe because it is the most gut-wrenching part of our jobs. From Dependent to Independent If you follow me ...
Teaching Money Management to Kids, Part 2
"Impress [financial wisdom] on your children. Talk about [money management] when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie [monetary self-control] as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write [financial stewardship] on the doorframes of your houses and on your ...
5 Tips to Raising Successful Kids
A few weeks ago Bubs and I attended a college Scholarship Competition. The college invites potential students who have a specific GPA and ACT score to interview for the top scholarships. During this time, we also had the opportunity to visit classes and meet professors. The Engineering Department Chair shared something I can't stop thinking ...
When Technology is Out of Control in Your Home
Because technology is such a large part of our lives, it is easy to become overwhelmed and unsure how to manage it in our homes. We shared the scary statistics in last week's blog post and podcast, but we can't run away from electronics. Where is the balance between allowing technology use and not? I don't have all of the answers, but based upon ...