Parenting
9 Backseat Tips for Parents of Young Adults
Moms and dads have a backseat view of their children’s lives when they leave the nest. Our input is sought, sometimes. Rarely is the advice taken as a directive. This is good! We raise our kids to be independent, and ultimately dependent on Jesus. Calling home at every bend in the road of life and getting…
Read MoreThe Manners Makeover: 7 Timely Tips
Summertime is a great opportunity to focus on manners with your kids. With more time for family meals, make the most of these teachable moments. Here are seven tips to keep in mind for your family’s manners makeover! 7 Timely Tips for a Manners Makeover Give directions in the positive. For example, “Please take your…
Read MoreThe Babysitter Checklist for First-time Parents
This post is specifically for new parents. Dating is really important for your marriage. The new little bundle of joy needs you, but you can and should take a break, with your spouse to have some fun as a couple. The baby joined your union. Find a great babysitter takes time and effort but is…
Read MoreDaily Wisdom for the Mommy-to-Be
Do you have a friend, neighbor, or relative that’s expecting a baby? Do you want to encourage the new mom-to-be? Daily Wisdom for the Mommy-to-Be: Everyday Encouragement during Your Pregnancy is an awesome gift! Stacey Thureen has written a beautiful devotional to walk a soon-to-be mama through the 40 weeks of her pregnancy. Based on God’s…
Read More10 Tips to a Better Night’s Sleep…for MOM
“I am SO tired!” This is one of the main personal complaints of moms. Lack of rest makes us crabby, impatient, and often sick. Why are we so incredibly worn out? The most common reason is moms today are over scheduled, over booked, and overwhelmed. Take a careful and honest inventory of the commitments on…
Read MoreA Family’s First Pet
Children and pets are a natural combination. Through the years, our golden retrievers tagged after the boys across the yard, through the woods, and even off the end of the dock into the lake for a swim. Having access to a best buddy, especially one who never talks back, is a gift for a kid.…
Read MoreLOVE-HATE Relationships with Social Media
How do you feel after checking in on your social media pages: happy, sad, excited, intimidated? The emotions vary. But sometimes the newsfeed can actually be down-right depressing. Don’t other parents have vacations turn into disasters? My house will never look like a magazine spread. How can so many of my friends travel to so…
Read MoreChores: Little Jobs for Little People
When parents ask if their little kids should do chores, my immediate answer is an emphatic, “YES!” Helping one another is part of family life. Jobs around the house qualify for gifts of service. The benefits of helping around the house are many. Learning to care for oneself and others, living in an organized and…
Read MoreBut First, a Family Meeting
Life is BUSY. Schedules are chaotic. Connecting is difficult. Family meetings are worth the intentional planning and meeting time. Why? When everyone is gathered, plans are made and problems get solved. Here are 11 tips for successful family meetings. 11 Tips for a Fabulous Family Meeting Family business is important. All members of the family are…
Read MoreA Family’s First Mission Statement
Is your family more important than a Fortune 500 company? Most parents in classes I’ve led eagerly nod their heads and respond emphatically, “Yes, of course!” Large corporations and organization have mission statements to use as a guide for business practices and to set the tone of the company’s culture. Yet most families don’t have…
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