"Am I spending enough quality time with my child?" It's the kind of question that creeps in while folding laundry, driving, or scrolling late at night. I remember asking an older, wiser mom this exact question: How much time should I be spending with my children each day? Being a high school math teacher, she smiled and shared a ...
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When Occupational Therapy isn’t an Option
If you’re raising a child with Sensory Processing Disorder and don’t have access to occupational therapy (OT), I see you. It’s overwhelming, and the daily challenges can leave you feeling helpless and alone. But mama, you are not without tools or hope. While OT is a wonderful resource, I want to share practical, home-based strategies that made a ...
How to Finish Summer with Purpose
Where has the summer gone? If you're anything like me, you're still in denial that we’re halfway through 2025. But even in the midst of a quickly passing season, I want to offer three reminders to help you finish summer with purpose and peace. 1. It's Not Too Late to Make a Simple Summer Plan When the kids were little, I loved using summer ...
Be Courageous, Mom: Encouragement from Joshua 1:9
When I was a little girl, my brother, sister, and I would play Nintendo in our parents' basement. We loved the classics—Super Mario Brothers, Duck Hunt, and Tetris. But one game that really stuck with me was a Bible game called Joshua. The player helped Joshua conquer Jericho. And while I don’t remember all the details of the game, I do remember ...
When “Normal” Doesn’t Fit Your Child
When I imagined becoming a mom, I pictured sleepy baby snuggles, first words, and sweet milestones. I didn’t picture the first month of my child’s life being spent at a children’s hospital after open-heart surgery. I didn’t expect therapy appointments to fill our calendar, or for terms like “neurophysiologist,” “psychiatrist,” and “conduct ...
What to Do When Sensory Emotions Explode
Sharing a past post in the prayers that it will be helpful to many. It was the perfect scenario—or so I thought. We had just left church, and Grams was sitting in the backseat cuddling with Bubs (age seven). We picked up pizza and chatted about the fun day we had thus far with family. Once home, everyone gathered at the dinner table—except ...
How to Train a Child to Sleep In
After reading 7 Gentle Tips to Help with Early Risers, Shelley asked: “How do you actually train a child to stay in their room until you come get them? My 3-year-old comes into our bed every morning between 4 and 5 a.m. and goes back to sleep. I know he needs more sleep, but I also need my morning quiet time. Help!” If this sounds familiar, ...
How to Train Your Child to Sleep In, Part 2
This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity. Heidi Franz Host 00:00 In the last Parenting to Impress podcast, we talked about building a solid bedtime routine that would work. We showed you how to introduce the routine and gave five tips that make a huge difference. If you haven't taken the time to download the free bedtime visual ...
7 Gentle Tips to Help with Early Risers
My life changed the day I decided to wake up before my young children to spend time with God in prayer and reading His Word. But getting there wasn't easy. I had every excuse in the book:"My kids wake up so early. I could never get up before them.""As soon as I wake, my kids get up.""I am exhausted. I need every possible moment to sleep." I ...
Why the Bible Still Amazes Me {Giveaway}
A few years ago, I found myself in a little in-between season—one Bible study had ended and the next wouldn’t begin for another two weeks. While rummaging through my nightstand looking for a pen (why is it always so hard to find one when you need it?), I spotted four small, pocket-sized books I had tucked away for "someday." The one on top ...