There are moments in parenting when we are simply tired. Tired of repeating ourselves. Tired of correcting the same behavior. Tired of wondering if anything we are doing is actually working. I remember talking with another mom about our spirited Little Man and feeling completely worn out. During that conversation, she shared a piece of wisdom ...
Parenting
Parenting with Love
Updated from July 2010 Some mornings in my quiet time, a verse seems to jump off the page and sit with me all day. I just finished reading through 1 Corinthians, and this verse in Chapter 16 stopped me in my tracks. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NKJV)Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.Let all that you do be done with love. On ...
Helping Kids Handle Fear
Read an updated blog post from May 24, 2010. Last night, while I was laying in bed reading a book, Bubs walked into my room with a worried look on his face. You could tell something was bothering him deeply. He climbed up beside me and said, “I can’t get [the movie] out of my mind.” This was a movie we had chosen not to let him watch ...
10 Tips to Help a Child Through Meltdowns
If you are parenting a child who has meltdowns, I see you. They can be exhausting, frustrating, embarrassing, and heartbreaking all at the same time. Whether it happens in the grocery store, at church, at bedtime, or in the middle of the living room floor, meltdowns or fits have a way of making us feel helpless. And a failure. I know because we ...
8 Effective Discipline Strategies for Children
First, let me say this: if you have ever carried a screaming child out of a grocery store while abandoning your shopping cart, you are not alone. Most parents have experienced that moment—the stares, the frustration, the wondering if anything you are doing is working. Discipline is hard work. And if your child struggles with big emotions, ...
What Kids Wish Parents Understood
Parenting is beautiful, exhausting, sanctifying, and sometimes overwhelming—all before 9:00 am. Years ago, I came across A Child’s 10 Commandments to Parents by Dr. Kevin Leman. The words have stayed with me because they gently reminded me to see the world through a child’s eyes. As parents and teachers, we can get so focused on correcting ...
How to Teach a Child Not to Interrupt
There was a season in our home when every conversation with my husband or a friend seemed to happen in fragments. We would start talking, and within seconds someone needed a drink, had an urgent story to tell, or absolutely had to ask a question that could not wait another minute. Can you relate? Over time, I learned something important: ...
Easy Visual Chore Schedule for Teaching Kids Responsibility
When my kids were young, I tried multiple chore charts and posters, but nothing seemed to stick. I found that my kids (especially those with ADHD) needed something more hands-on—something visible, movable, and easy to carry from room to room to help focus and remind them of their daily responsibilities and routines. Just in time for summer, I ...
Raising Courageous Kids
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about that tricky balance we have to strike as moms. Here's just one area. You want to teach your child how to navigate the world—things like ordering their own food, asking for help, or advocating for themselves—but you’re also constantly weighing that against keeping them safe. Then there’s the future to ...
Celebrating a Child’s Salvation Birthday
The day a child says “yes” to Jesus is worth celebrating. I mean...if heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10), we should celebrate too. Then just like we celebrate birthdays each year, create the tradition of helping the child remember their spiritual birthday and what God has done in their life. But then comes the question… how ...