Toddler tantrums are things of myth. All your 1, 2, and 3 year olds may have tantrums and meltdown from time to time, here's how to respond. The first time my oldest ever threw a tantrum was when we had company over. For Thanksgiving dinner. It was short-lived and all was well by the time the ...
Communicating gratitude without saying “thanks”
One of my biggest parenting goals is to raise children of good strong character. Kids who are willing to stand up for what's right, for those who are low, and who don't shy away from life's challenges. One important aspect of having godly character is being thankful and full of praise. Manners ...
Joy comes from the inside (but not the inside of a package)
What is joy? Joy is defined as a deep feeling or condition of happiness or contentment. Another definition says joy is something causing a feeling of happiness. In other words, joy isn't the happiness, joy is what causes happiness. Joy is not ...
Why Routines Are Not Just For “Type A Moms”
Inside: Many say routines only work for Type A moms, but that isn't the case. Routines are great even for the laid back mom. I often hear people say that only structured Type-A moms have good routines at home. It's usually not said in judgment, but stated as a fact. As though mothers ...
Christmas Shopping Tips When You’re Far from Loved Ones
If you've moved away from loved ones or are a military family, you know Christmas shopping is a challenge. We all want to buy presents, but the post office bill can really rack up! Here are some Christmas shopping tips to help: If you have family and friends scattered near and far then ...
Surprising ways being a mom changes you
We all know that having babies makes our lives different. Less time to ourselves and more hours spent taking care of a baby's practical needs. Our bodies shift up or down, and our stomach muscles even separate. But what's been most interesting to me is not the changes I expected, but the ones I ...
Moving with Small Children: 8 Effective Strategies to Ease the Transition
Excited to have Lauren here talking about strategies to help keep stability for your baby during a big move. Or many big moves! Our family recently moved to Japan via a military move. In preparing for our big move overseas to Japan, I did a fair amount of research beforehand on moving with small ...
How to raise a wise child
Wisdom is at the heart of being able to live life that enables you to serve God, others, and remain as healthy and functional as possible in this broken world. Proverbs 1:1-6 says... "The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, kind of Israel: for gaining wisdom and instruction; for ...
What I learned when my stroller had a flat in D.C.
I got out of the car with my 3 week old at the airport at 5am. I put him in the stroller, waved goodbye to my mother, and started inside to the ticket counter. As I turned the stroller I noticed the wheel was flat. And it sort of… fell off. No time to waste, no other way to carry the baby, and ...
Parenting shifts in the past century
My 90-year-old grandmother had her first daughter over 60 years ago. She tells a story of when my aunt was an infant and was frequently fussy and irritable, and calm only when held. My grandmother, whom we lovingly refer to as mema, took her to the doctor. After a thorough examination the doctor ...