I've come to realize in my relatively short but full and busy time as a mom that my choices have the greatest effect on my children's choices. It is a natural law, this we "reap what we sow" thing, but I think it has great ramifications in parenting as well. Children respond to consistency and they ...
Weaning: practically, physically and emotionally
A friend wrote me recently saying she was about to start her daughter weaning from breastfeeding since she's having a new baby soon. She wanted to know my thoughts on weaning generally and also emotionally. It hit home because for me weaning felt like...well... what it was. Admitting that my babies ...
The danger of “religion”
Religion (when devoid of a personal relationship with the living God) is based on rules, do's, don'ts, consequences, stigmas, and appearances. Religion says you are not a person but a cog in a great machine so do your part and be quiet. Religion says there is no mercy, no help, no pity but simply a ...
What I learned in my [3rd] second trimester
I'm just passing the mark into my third trimester. It is the final stretch but still, 40 weeks minus 26 weeks equals 14 weeks. That is a lotta weeks left. I am always amazed at how different and clear each trimester transitions into the next. If I hadn't known how far along I was I would have been ...
An Ounce of Prevention
While I'm writing over at the Graceful Mom (inspiration and encouragement for the working mom) today, I'm pleased to have Maureen from Childwise Chat drop by today to talk about a little something I've been thinking about ever since I read it on her blog. AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION You know ...
Using praise to communicate values
I'm still on this journey and quest to raise little children into adults who rescue others. By rescue, I mean... well... anything. Changing a flat tire is a rescue. Cooking dinner for a busy mom is a rescue. Offering a hug or an encouraging word can rescue someone just in the brink of time. It's ...
Do children really know what’s best for them?
I think there is one concept that - if adopted as fact by us mommies - will make parenting a lot easier. And that is this. Children don't really know what's best for them. Someone somewhere started a rumor that, even from babies, we know what's best for us. This rumor was based on the fact that, ...
Protecting your Children with Prayer
As you are probably beginning to gather, I'm pretty big on protection. I've written on the Difference between Protection and Over-Protection, Mama Bear Instinct, and How Mothers Save Lives. I did a fun personality test once at church to determine the type of woman I was. Out of Leader, Teacher, ...
Exercise and the Busy Mom
I love exercising. I love working out and getting sweaty and physically tired and feeling like I helped jumpstart all of my body's systems. Through most of my adult life I've been a member of a gym and regularly swam, walked, and done aerobics and exercise videos. That is, until I had ...
What I learned as a work-from-home (and stay-at-home) mom
I stay at home, as a mom. And I work from home, in an administration role for a financial services company. I sometimes eat lunch in my pajamas. I sometimes make calls to clients in the backyard while gardening. It is a rare opportunity to be able to provide for your family while spending all day ...