Before I even had kids, I started reading all the parenting books I could get my hands on. I wanted to become an expert so I could be the perfect mom. What surprised me as I walked along this parenting journey was that some of the books that have shaped how I view my role as […]
Parenting
My Mama Superpower
I have a superpower. It isn’t x-ray vision, or even eyes in the back of my head. Given enough adrenaline and toddler mayhem, I could probably leap just about anything in a single bound. But that isn’t it, either. I’m discovering that I have the power to create a forcefield. And, mama, so do you. […]
Create a Custom Chore System
I remember once complaining to my mother, “It seems like I’m the only one who really cares about how the house looks!” She looked me right in the eyes and said, “That’s right. It isn’t as important to anyone else as it is to you.” Wow. Light bulb moment! It didn’t change anything. But it […]
A Mediator Worthy of Trust
I like the metaphor of the Mama Marriage Counselor, because so much of what we do as mothers of siblings is like marriage counseling, rather than playing judge. Your role as mediator is an important one and how you approach it can have a huge impact on your children’s ability to understand their own hearts […]
3 Kinds of “I’m Sorry”
I’m sure you’ve watched the scenario unfold in your home (as I have in mine). The brother takes the sister’s toy or says something rude. And you, the wise overseer of sibling relationships, say, “You need to say you’re sorry!” Out comes a hideous, grumbling “I’m sorry” muttered under the breath or flung out like […]
Win Your Brother
Remember that day I wrote about? That day when the kids were arguing and I wanted to just smack them around with a few Bible verses? Yea, that day. Matthew 18 was a mama-lesson then. But since then, it’s also been a great place to bring the kids for some heart-instruction in handling conflicts. It’s not […]
One Right Answer – Part 2
This is post is part of a series. You can find the Intro here and Part 1 here. I’ve been thinking about and exploring why it is that I feel so driven to find the One Right Answer to things – especially parenting things. Fear You were really looking forward to being a mom. You […]
One Right Answer – Part 1
The One Parenting Trick Last week I posted this graphic. And wrote this blog post. And I promised that I would follow up. It’s not really my intent to make anyone feel foolish or lousey. Rather, it’s my intent to explore something I’ve been asking myself and wondering about myself: “Why am I so driven […]
The “Love Passage” for Siblings
We often talk about love and wanting our children to love each other. But what does “love” actually look like? Are we talking about some warm fuzzy feelings? Or is love an intentional choice, an attitude, a purposeful reaction? Let’s examine a familiar passage about love and lay it out as it might look applied to […]
Outdo One Another in Showing Honor
We often hear about “sibling rivalry” or “sibling squabbles” and want to know how to manage those episodes. And, let’s face it, those moments arise and those issues have to be addressed. But the heat of the moment isn’t the best time to start talking about how we should relate to each other. That would […]