Parenting
Managing the Family Calendar
Managing the family calendar is no easy task! Families are stretched to the max. Most are overwhelmed. How much is enough? My family is too busy! I’m exhausted and my kids are too! These are the comments often made by both moms and dads when talking about the family calendar. It’s so easy to get…
Read MoreFreedom of Speech vs. Love and Respect
Is anyone else tired of watching the news, reading social media, and listening to talk radio or podcast? It boils down to freedom of speech verses love and respect. Everyone seemed to have an opinion. Yes, we have freedom to speak and the right to assemble, but what part of our constitutional right of free…
Read MoreSix Signs of Bullying Behavior
Bullies are everywhere, especially these days. Kindness is at an all time low. Bullying behavior is not just mean, it’s contempt and cruelty. It is more than teasing, it’s repetitive and unwanted. The goal of the bully is to dehumanize and ostracize the targeted individual. Surprisingly, bullying can begin as early as age five, the age…
Read More10 Tips for Winter Playtime
Outdoor play is really good for kids. It’s good for everybody to enjoy the great outdoors. Get little ones bundled up to play outside during the winter months. The snow adventures are well worth the effort! Here are a few tips to get geared up for a day in the snow. Schedule a family meeting to…
Read MoreFaith-filled Christmas Books for Kids
There are a lot of Christmas books about Santa, elves, and even llamas. Focus on the true story of Christmas. Find faith-filled books for kids to teach them the REAL reason for celebrating. Through the years, Scott and I have given our boys hardcover Christmas books, focusing on Jesus. They each have a mini holiday…
Read MoreThe Christmas Snowflake Tradition
Snowflakes are indicative of Christmas in Minnesota. For a snow lover, a white Christmas is of the utmost importance! My family’s Christmas snowflake tradition fills my heart with love, light, and snowflakes. Traditions bind families together, creating and maintaining connections to the past, especially Christmas traditions. This time of year, we often return…
Read MoreAvoid Tech Traps and Communicate Well
Communication is key to great relationships. Kids need a lot of coaching for good communication skills. They learn by watching, listening and having discussions with others. Avoid tech traps and communicate well with your kids. Verbal communication is much more than just the words we speak. The tone and volume impart meaning as much as…
Read MoreWhy Whining Works
The simple answer to “Why do kids whine?” is whining works. When the volume and intensity increase the easiest way to make it stop is to give in. When parents and grandparents give in, the message is, “WHINING WORKS”. Five Tips to Stop Whining 1. Have a plan in place. Know what you will do…
Read MoreGet Yourself Some Girlfriends, Godly Girlfriends
Mom, do you have an inner circle of Jesus-loving, godly girlfriends? If not, I highly recommend pursuing relationships where you can be transparent, authentic, and vulnerable. Choose friends that value you as divinely created, blessed, and precious in God’s eyes. I love my inner circle fiercely. My prayer warrior girlfriends have seen me at my best…
Read MorePurposeful Prayer
Prayer is the conduit to heaven. Prayer provides strength and peace to our lives and covers our families with spiritual protection. So why don’t we pray more often? Prayer takes time. Period. We have to create space in our busy lives for prayer. S.D. Gordon sums it up well, “Great people of the earth today…
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