Growing up on a farm, work was a significant part of my life. Whether it was loading livestock into the trailer, preserving vegetables from the garden, or cutting thistles when the grass was waist-high, there was always something to be done. It took everyone working together to stay on top of it. However, I believe that working together has many ...
Day to Day
How to Create and Use a Prayer Journal to Deepen Your Faith
If I were asked what has had the biggest impact on my spiritual life, I would say, without hesitation, my prayer journal. However, it's important to know that my experience with prayer journals hasn't always been great. Each time I purchased or received a prayer journal, excitement overflowed as I imagined that this journal would suddenly ...
Elevate Your Parenting with Effective Communication
Did you hear the exciting news? The Parenting to Impress Podcast has been named #38 in the Top Two-Mom Podcasts! It's an incredible honor, especially considering there are thousands of mom podcasts out there. Yet you choose to sit down with Melanie and me! Thank you for being part of this journey with us. For listening, sharing, ...
Letting Go with Love: The Journey of Biblical Parenting
Updated and reposted 2020. Parenting in the Franz house is emotionally arduous right now. Bubs, at 16, is embracing new responsibilities such as driving to school and starting a part-time job. It's as if he's spreading his wings to prepare for flight right before my eyes. I find myself wondering: When did the little boy who was the ...
Summer Goals for Every Age {Free Printable}
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 ...
Announcing the ABCJesusLovesMe 100 Hours Outside Play Challenge!
Are you ready to say goodbye to couch potato days and hello to vibrant outdoor adventures filled with play, learning, and essential Vitamin D? Join the ABCJesusLovesMe 100 Hours Outside Play Challenge and watch your child thrive, and your life get easier! The Challenge Our goal is simple: Spend 100 hours outside with your child or students ...
Tips to Help Kids Tackle Test Anxiety {Free Printable}
Tests are an understood part of our children's lives. Whether it's those elementary spelling quizzes, the high-stakes AP or ACT/SAT exams in high school, or even the GRE for grad school hopefuls, it feels like there's always another test around the corner. And let's face it, tests create varying levels of anxiety in our children. And for ...
What’s So Important about Play Stick-to-itiveness?
Resharing from 2013 an update to one of the most popular posts on Parenting to Impress.Last week I shared a simple plan to teach your child to play independently. But in writing the post, I realized that there is an additional aspect to fostering independent play: what I call "stick-to-itiveness." Stick-to-iveness is a real word. Like...in the ...
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
I emailed my aunt telling her all of our activities over the weekend. She graciously replied, asking, "What about the Sabbath?" At the time, I was a mom to four very young children who required diaper changes, food, clean laundry, and attention so they didn't get into trouble. I had to use every moment available in the week to stay afloat. But ...