Does your tween girl need more books to read? Because we have an exciting list of books that stand out above the rest that mom and daughter will enjoy! My mom decreed that the birthday kid didn’t have to do school or chores on their special day. That meant glorious hours to read and read…
How can we cultivate sibling friendships in our children as they begin learning about conflicting desires? “You—–!! ” Jeff screamed at his brother. Taking her son aside, Jeff’s mom, said, “Son you know those words aren’t allowed, You will have to go to your room.“ “But Will made me say it,” wailed the furious child….
Now if you happen to be a good mom who’s running around trying to do everything for your kids, can I just say that it might be a mistake? I wandered into the kitchen last night because I wasn’t quite ready to sleep. So I started to make myself a cup of tea when I…
Is it possible to grow closer in your marriage by praying for your children, together? Years ago John and I began a tradition of praying together for our children that helped us move into the fall with vision, unity, and clarity in how to parent our five kids. We designated a block of time alone (an…
It was already decided. I knew I was going to host Christmas in our home for my whole family this year. I knew my mom needed a break and I wasn’t sure if my other two siblings were up to the event this year, for a variety of reasons. I wasn’t totally thrilled at the…
Whenever we visit my grandparents’ ranch, my grandma invites me into her storage room to show me what’s on her secret gift shelf. The mission: to see if my children already have the books she was planning to give them for their next birthday or at Christmas. My grandma and I share such similar taste…
Do you feel like your kids are determined to make you crazy? Probably not their intent! Early on in motherhood I developed a simply strategy – when life gets crazy, reach for the flour tortillas. This most basic of foods was, and still is, grace to my mothering menu. Everyone likes them, no one complains….
Reading fiction can be a wonderful way to escape reality and enter a different world for a time. Maybe even an easier, simpler world. Fiction can be powerful and life-changing. Stories can inspire or encourage us, or cause us to look at things a little differently than before. And that’s why I’m so thankful for…
I wish I were the mom who loves to read aloud for hours on end. But I’m not. My voice gets tired. I get tired! (And have you ever noticed that as soon as you get into a good Morning Time read-aloud routine again everyone gets sick and you lose your voice or develop a…
I feel bad that after 13 years of marriage, I’m still discovering things I didn’t know about my husband. I know that his favorite colors are blue and black, and that his two favorite meals are beef stroganoff and chicken divon, and that writing is one of his (many) passions that he hopes to one…
When my first child was just 3 years old, I began having her help me empty the dishwasher. All of the plastic plates and cups were in a low cupboard where she could reach them and easily put items away. She emptied the dishwasher like this until she was old enough to reach the upper…
With a full house of six kids, getting ready for school each morning often presented more challenges for me than I was ready to handle before the sun came up. I’m not a morning person, so I struggled just to be alert and patient with hundreds of questions and complaints filling the air. Even moms with…
When I heard the front door open and his briefcase plop down on the floor . . . I knew I should put the spaghetti sauce aside and go give him a big “welcome home” hug. I could already hear the kids shouting, “Daddy’s home, Daddy’s home.” But I just didn’t feel like it. I…
You’re wondering why I even bother? Sometimes I wonder myself. It takes so much time, effort, and endless repeating. Frustration. So I was talking with our oldest son not too long ago. He’s grown-up, gone, and away at college. And here’s what he told me over the phone . . . “Thank you (ha! Did you…
“I want a friend who is just like me, Mommy,” she said through tears to me, years ago. I feel alone. She dismissed those siblings of hers who like different songs, and sing to different beats and the spend their time ordering when she wants disorder or deconstructing when she wants to construct. She didn’t want…
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