-
Push-ups
Our first child is a passionate, strong willed beauty. She exuded confidence in all areas, even areas that she actually knew NOTHING about. She told me in kindergarten that she did not need to go to college, because she already knew how to be a teacher. In first grade, she was learning subtraction. I attempted to help her (I was a high school math teacher) and she told me that I can’t help her, because her math is too hard for me! She not only excelled at knowing stuff, this girl excelled at pushing boundaries. If she was told that something was off limits, that is all she could think…
-
Teach Jesus
Yesterday, I was asked what the single most important parenting tip that Good Lookin’ and I would give someone… No doubt, it is… Teach your children about who Jesus is! If your children KNOW who Jesus is, they will know the truth and can use that knowledge to understand the world around them. We have Trained our Children in Truth. So that they can hear a new idea, measure that against the truth they know, and make a solid decision under that information. Jesus is the Father of truth, and Satan is the Father of lies, so we better figure out what is truth so that we are not fooled…
-
Tattling
As a child, my brothers and I were not allowed to tattle. This played out in several ways. Once, my older brother had an accident on a playgroud. He hit his forhead and crashed to the ground. He was holding his head and blood was pooling around him. I was unrelated to the accident, but I crouched next to him and asked, “Should I tell Mom?” YES!! 64 stitches later! Yikes. Another example was between my younger brother and I. He had been a bit feisty and I had repeatedly asked him to stop doing that specific thing. He would not stop. I looked at him and calmly said, “Do…
-
April Fool’s Day
I love April Fool’s Day! Maybe it’s because I love surprises. Or, maybe it’s just that I love to hear about my children’s reactions. To me, April Fool’s Day is the perfect opportunity to surprise and delight my children! I definitely do not do pranks that are mean, damaging or yucky. The older my children have gotten, the trickier this has become to truly surprise them… but so far, I have managed! Here are some of the little surprises that I have tucked into their first day of April. When they were little, I would put a few drops of food coloring at the bottom of their cereal bowl, put…
-
Birthday
Today, I am a year older and hopefully, a bit wiser. We have spent the past week on vacation, getting some much needed sunshine and time with our oldest. It was a restful, sunshine-and-laughter-filled week. I had big plans to work on my blog, type up more of the Bible studies, get ahead on a few things in my daily life. But, instead, I sat by the pool reading fiction books in the sun. What a relaxing time! I knew this about myself before I left, but thought I would do it differently this time… ha! So, a little insight into who I am. I have two speeds: Stop and…
-
Fractions!
Have you ever tried to think like a child?! Or, have you ever tried to think what a child would do in a specific situation? Good luck! Their little minds are working overtime to come up with a “good idea”, but they have a long way to go to think like an adult! Their “good ideas” make us adults shake our heads and wonder, “What made them think that was a good idea?!” I have several examples of this. One child: Our first year living in Montana came with several strange challenges. My 2 oldest were in elementary school, 2nd and 3rd graders, but because of the system to place…
-
Life’s Not Fair
As small children (and still occasionally), my kids would whine “That’s not fair!” I might have responded to that statement more times than I have tied shoes in my life! “That’s not fair!” is a natural response that our selfish nature clings to. We want life to be fair. We want the same number of cookies as our sibling. We want the same grade in math as our friend that we studied with. We want to stay up late like our big sister. We want to lose weight as fast as a teenager. But do we really want life to be fair?! I almost feel guilty for enjoying this statement…
-
Kids are Like Dogs
One single remark by a friend, changed my husband’s view of children forever. He was terrified to have kids for fear of the little monsters that we would then have to try to wrangle. We had only met small tyrants in the early years of our marriage and he wanted nothing to do with the creation of any more of them! We were on a road trip and stopped by to see a friend as we were passing through her town. Her children were delightful and obedient. My husband could not resist asking why?! Her simple response, “Kids are like dogs, you just have to train them”! That struck a…
-
Seating Chart
Marriage can be lost in a sea of children, to-do lists and never-ending needs of others. Children cannot be ignored (and make it nearly impossible, even if it will only be for a short time), I understand. But, I would argue that your spouse should not be ignored either. The decline of marriage is a slow methodical slide that we climb onto, we move slowly downward at first and then gain speed toward the exit. This all begins so innocently, with actions that move us further away from our spouse, first physically and then emotionally. This is not scientifically backed and would not hold up in a court of law. …
-
Date your spouse!
Do you remember how much you loved your spouse before you got married?!! You could hardly wait for your next date. You studied him; learned what he loves to do, tried to enjoy his hobbies, planned special meals, created thoughtful gifts, wanted to know his friends, called to check in, or texted just to say “Hi!”. You could order his favorite coffee without asking. You knew his favorite color. You listened to him share his future hopes and dreams. Ahh! He was your heart sparkle! Those should not become only lovely memories. Do those things now! I would like to challenge you to date again. Make it a priority like when you first met.…