See the BOID!

May 8, 2013 By

“My sister was carrying my daughter, Kim, down the hall of a hospital. Little Kim was looking back and saying, “See the boid!” (bird – she couldn’t yet say her Rs). Gail turned to see what bird could possibly be in the hospital, and there stood three nuns. Kim thought they were penguins.”* PenguinMy friend, Sandra Chapman, shared this story in the “Laugh Out Loud” section of  The Plan A MOM in a Plan B World.  

 

IT’S GOOD TO LAUGH, DON’T YOU THINK?

I remember the day when my children, Taylor and Lauren, were little and the milk spilled for the upteenth time.  I finally decided to laugh. Not cry. Not scream. Not get mad. Instead, realize that accidents were going to happen when you’re raising little ones.

If God is In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?

But sometimes a mom can feel like a BASKET CASE!

What drives you almost INSANE?

Are there some things we CAN DO to have a MORE SANE home and family life? Yes! As a matter of fact, I listed 75 pointers in The Plan A MOM in a Plan B World.

Which might help you?

75  7 POINTERS for a SANE FAMILY** You don’t have time to read all 75 right now. :)  

1. Be in the moment with the one you’re with.

If you’ve set aside 15 minutes to play with the kids, then make it play time. Put your phone in your purse and don’t text, call, or answer it.

2. Laugh together.

Telling old stories keeps them alive in your mind and your child’s mind. “Do you remember when you were three and you asked me how God got dinosaurs to heaven?”

3. Pray immediately, not later.

If Carson is worried he won’t make the soccer team, instead of saying, “We’ll pray you do,” pray that moment. “Carson, I know you want to make the team, and you’re so good! Let’s pray that if it is God’s will, that you will. Heavenly Father, thank You for making Carson with feet and legs that can run and with a good strong body that can play soccer. We pray that if it is Your will for Him to make the team that He will. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Now, Carson, go out and do your best. We’ll trust God with what happens. I love you.”

4. Listen to Christian music.

Studies prove that music has a powerful effect on us. When you or your kids are down or they’re trying your nerves, play Christian music. It’s good for your soul and your kids.

5. Say, “Good morning!” and greet each family member with a smile in the mornings.

It sets the tone and mood for the day. Trust me on this.

6. Read at least one verse from your Bible every morning.

“I gotta have it!” we say about our coffee. “Caffeine gets me through the day,” we explain. Sure, it may physically get you through the day. But what about emotionally? A great addiction is a verse a day. It WILL impact you and affect whether or not you are sane and raise sane kids.

7. Last but not least. Say, “I love you,” in the morning when you hug little ones and often throughout the day.

Say, “I love you” to that tween and teen and let them hear you say it to others. God is LOVE. If we want our children to grow in God and be loving adults, we must pray for God to fill us with His love. We must speak loving words. We must articulate our love.

I guess I really gave you 8 POINTERS. The last is really the first. Before you get out of bed, if you want to be sane and more than sane and raise sane kids, PRAY for God to FILL YOU WITH HIS SPIRIT.  You can’t do the mommy thing well nor God’s way without CHRIST INFUSING YOUR MIND, EMOTIONS, & SPIRIT.

HAPPY SANE MOTHER’S DAY!

 ”The fruit of the SPIRIT is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, GENTLENESS, FAITHFULNESS, SELF-CONTROL,”                        Galatians 5:22-23.

Love, Debbie

The Plan A MOM in a Plan B World

The Plan A MOM in a Plan B World: How to Raise Faithful Kids in a Flawed World

**75 POINTERS for a SANE FAMILY, pages 215-217.

DEBBIE TAYLOR WILLIAMS, Spreading the Word and Love of God.

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The Plan A MOM in a Plan B World: How to Raise Faithful Kids in a Flawed World, Available on KINDLE.

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Filed Under: Childhood, Debbie Taylor Williams, Kid's Stuff, M.O.M. Devos, MOM Stuff, MOMs at Heart, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , Leave a Comment

The Joy of Baking/Cooking with Kids

April 27, 2013 By

I held her hand as her fingers clutched the stainless steel measuring cup filled with flour. The mixer whirred loudly as the cake batter the four of us were making began to take shape.

“Just be careful…” my voice trailed off as the beater bumped the measuring cup sending flour flying.

Flour Mess

Kids love to create and bake in the kitchen and as a mom I want them to learn how to cook and bake. However as a woman who has to clean the kitchen I don’t always want their “help.”

So what are some easy ways to enjoy baking and cooking with your kids?

  • Start small. Consider teaching your kids how to make mug cakes or brownies. One simple recipe for mug brownies is this: Mug Brown Recipe
  • Consider trying to make a fun lunch with the kids. Here is a homemade version of Easy Mac and Cheese. It is delicious and pretty easy and none of that artificial stuff that isn’t so great for little bodies. FYI I loved the taste of this too.
  • Here are some great recipes that kids can help cook and that use real food. If you click on the recipe for Giant Oatmeal Cookies, you will find some more wonderful tips about baking with your kids.
  • Do you have some older kids who are ready to do some cooking on their own? Check out these recipes kids can make on their own…

Now I’m hungry. What tips or recipes do you like to make with your kids? Share them in the comments.

by Angela Mackey

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Strategies for Shopping with Youngsters

April 25, 2013 By

The little one rounded the corner, alone, crying, carrying her pink, velcroed, tennis shoes. She was maybe three years of age, at the most.

“Are you looking for your, Mommy?” I asked. I looked around,  expecting to see a frantic mama in search of her child. No one matched that description.

Then out popped a young mom from behind the shelves of shoes. I suppose she was fearful of me, a stranger, talking to her child.

“Oh, look! There’s your mom. See she won’t leave you. She’s right here.” 

The woman gave me an icy stare and said, “I was hiding to teach her a lesson.” Oh boy…My stomach tightened. This had ugly potential.

She picked up her child and plopped the little gal on the bench. She grabbed the mini-psychedelic -shoes and held them in her daughter’s face.

“If you don’t put on your shoes, I’m calling the monsters.” 

The Pippi Longstocking pigtails bobbed up and down with each hiccup sob. This poor little one was being terrorized right before my eyes. The mom thought she was doing it right.

I said nothing. I had no idea how to say what I wanted to say. This mom needed help. I could help her. I’m ashamed to say I sat by and did nothing. I’m praying she will read this post.

So here are a couple of tips, when shopping with a young child:
shopping cart

1. Have the youngster in a stroller, contained. Keep her there.

2. If the child is not in the buggy and wanders off , runs away, or doesn’t come when you call, DO NOT hide or threaten to leave. Go after that kid. Tell the child, “I will never leave you. I will always protect you.” Then pick up the screaming and kicking stinker (positioning the legs away from you, of course) and put him or her back in the cart.

3. In the case above, the mother wanted the child to put on her shoes. She could have said this, “You have a choice, you can put the shoes on yourself or I will help you.”  Most preschool or toddler children want to do things, “By self.” 

Shopping with the littles can be tough. Especially if you have more than one child. When my  kids were young I would load up one cart with all four and pull a second one.

Prevention is also helpful:

1. State, “When we go shopping you must stay in the stroller or hold my hand for safety. “

2. Avoid shopping during the bewitching hours of mealtime or nap time. A hungry tired child is not a good little shopper.

3. Engage you child in the “event”. Help me find….. Do you see……? 

Most of all…stay calm. Stay in control. And keep the errand short.

By,

Lori Wildenberg

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Is More Always Better With Extra-Curricular Activities?

February 19, 2013 By

In high school, I was recognized as “Most Involved” in our Who’s Who of the senior class.  I was proud of this title because I was indeed, the most involved.  I was a varsity cheerleader, captain of the soccer team, SGA senior class secretary, honor student, Interact Club member, and an active member of a dozen more clubs.  I never came home right after school; I always had a practice or a meeting.  I was a busy girl then and now, as a working mother of twin girls, I am just as busy carting my children to their extra-curricular activities. 

Right now, my twin girls love gymnastics.  We go to class once a week and they always leave wanting more.  I watch them jump and balance and already imagine them being part of the 2027 US Olympic Team.  Or, making their high school cheerleading squad.

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Next week, they will start micro-soccer.  Since my husband and I both played tournament ball in this sport, we are beyond excited to introduce soccer to our girls.  We’ve bought pink and black cleats, shin guards and socks and spent a Saturday afternoon kicking the ball around outside.  We know their team will be more like herding cows than playing positions but we can’t wait to cheer on our little athletes.

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It is so easy to get wrapped up in extra-curricular activities.  Besides gymnastics and soccer, we are also interested in violin lessons and dance.  While I want my children to be well-rounded and have many skill sets, I also want to be mindful of our time.

As moms, we often view ourselves as our children’s chauffeurs.  Every night of the week is filled with either a practice, lesson, or activity.  I know the older my children get, the more there will be available for them to do.  But, as I try to guard our time as a family I have to ask, “Is more always better?”

Is it healthy to be busy with activities every single day?  Looking back to my youth, I appreciate what sports and clubs taught me.  I learned leadership, discipline, teamwork, and gained confidence.  The skills I learned through my involvement helped me become accepted into a university and I now apply that training towards my career.  But, did I really need to be a member of so many clubs?  Should I have said yes to less?

When it comes to picking out extra-curricular activities for our children, we need to keep in mind these five things:

  1. Is this activity a natural gifting from the Lord to my child?  My girls are about to be three but I can already see their athletic abilities and love for art and music.  We will guide them toward activities centered around these abilities while they are young and then we will make choices together as they grow older based on their natural gifts instead of what everyone else is signing up for.
  2. What is the motivation for choosing your child’s extracurricular activities? Do I want my child to do this activity because I love it or does my child need to do this activity because he/she will love it?  As I mentioned earlier, my girls are participating in gymnastics and soccer – both sports that I played when I was younger.  I think it is okay to start your children in an activity that you are familiar with but you just have to keep in mind that if he/she doesn’t love it, you need to let go of that dream for your child and start another.
  3. How will this activity benefit my child in the long run? Plenty of extra-curriculars look good on college applications but choosing a few activities that your child excels in goes a lot further than many mediocre activities.
  4. What is my plan if my child wants to quit?  Developing a habit of quitting at an early age sets our children up to take the easy way out later down the road.  They are less likely to stick to something because they know their parents will let them walk away.  As child-rearers, we need to have game plans for if our child wants to stop an activity.  Will you let he/she stop in the middle or wait until the end of the season?  Is the reason for quitting acceptable?
  5. Does my child find joy while doing this activity?  If your child is miserable or is putting too much pressure on themselves to perform, it might be time for a break.  Children have too many expectations on them to be the best.  As parents, we need to affirm our children and remind them that God wants us to live joyful lives, not stressed out lives.

As mothers, we have the unique opportunity to shape our family dynamic and mold our children the way God uniquely designed them.  God gave us all gifts, but he didn’t intend for us to say yes to everything.  We should model our family’s schedule in a way that reflects rest, responsible actions, and reasoning.  Being busy all the time just leads to burn out quicker.  Take it from a girl who is trying to go from “Most Involved” to “Most Likely to Ask God First.”

 

 

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Rethinking Valentine’s Day

February 13, 2013 By

I have an issue with Valentine’s Day.

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As I grew up my parents gave my siblings and I candy and told us they loved us.

At school I got candy and those little cards that get thrown away almost as soon as you get home. I gave them too.

As I got older, I secretly wished a certain boy would send me a card that shared secret feelings. I hoped and wished, always to be disappointed. Even if I received a card from a certain boy that said something like “Be Mine” I could never be sure if he really wanted me or if he gave that same card to everyone.

Then middle school came around and high school. Every Valentine’s day I knew I didn’t have anyone “special,” but I wanted someone. So I quietly tried to squash the hope that rose in me each year, a hope that was repeatedly disappointed.

Valentine’s Day. Now as a married woman, I celebrate and enjoy Valentine’s Day. I have my true Valentine. The one who asked me for forever and offered his forever to me.

Still I look at my kids and groan. Valentine’s Day celebrated at school.  Inevitably someone ends up with hurt feelings. Little hearts filled with hope that another little heart will give them approval. I see it on Facebook statuses, like this one:

Copy this to your status and see what you get INBOXED!(:
GOLD : Be my valentine this year?
RED: I used to like you..
ORANGE: You will be mine
GREEN: I wanna date you!
BLUE: I love you
PURPLE: I wanna chill
PINK: I like you
YELLOW: Your sweet
WHITE: You’re funny
BROWN: You’re amazing
SILVER: You’re cute(:

Approval, love, acceptance…We all want it. We want to know others love us, like us, think we are good-looking. Yet we have all the acceptance we need in God. He loves us despite knowing all about us (Psalm 139) – not just the part we play or want others to see.

God knows you and loves you. God sent His Son to die for YOU!

So how do I teach my kids to “guard your heart” (Proverbs 4:23) when culture dictates we are place our hearts on the altar of Valentine’s Day to be filled by anyone? I am not perfect, but this is what I try to teach my kids.

  • I want them to know everyday, but especially the day the world celebrates love, that God loves them and that mommy and daddy love them. I want their hearts filled with God’s love and the love of their parents so they don’t need to offer their hearts to others until it is time. As Song of Solomon suggests (at least three times), “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”
  • My goal is to use this day to teach my kids real love. The 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love that can only be lived out through the Holy Spirit working it out in us. I pray my husband and I live it out in front of our kids. I pray we pour Godly love into them. I seek to make this day about His kind of love, not our sinful messed up kind.
  • I also want to teach my children not to expect a dozen roses or some huge token of affection. It isn’t about how much it is about genuine love whether it be a dozen roses or a dozen poems.

In case you are wondering, yes my sweet husband will be giving me a token of his affection on Thursday as I will for him.

 

What do you think about Valentine’s Day? What are you teaching your kids, friends, family about love?

 This post is edited and reposted. For the original post click here.

by Angela Mackey

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This Really Got Me Link-up at Rethinking My Thinking

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Fun Indoor February Activities for Kids and Moms

February 1, 2013 By

It is February and for most of us it is still cold outside. What do we do to keep our kids from going crazy? Here are some fun February activities to keep your kids from suffering boredom.

 

Did you know February is Canned Food Month?

Host a canned food drive for your neighborhood, church, school, or just your family. Have your kids help you bring the cans to a food pantry.

 

February is Snack Food Month

            Are you still trying to keep your New Years resolution to eat healthier? Check out this yummy and healthy snack that is easy to make. Have your kids help you whip these up.

 

February is National Dental Health Month

Consider taking your kids to the dentist. Teach them about their teeth. Read to them The Tooth Book or check out these books about dental health.

 

February 1 National Dark Chocolate Day

Celebrate this day by making a chocolate fondue with your kids or just picking up your favorite dark chocolate bar at the grocery store.

 

February 2 Groundhog Day

You don’t have to believe the superstition to enjoy celebrating a day a rodent decides our forecast. Throw a Groundhog Day party. Ask your kids what they predict will happen to Phil the official groundhog. Will he see his shadow or not? Whoever wins gets to choose the menu or games you will play.

 

February 3 is the Super Bowl

Are you a little leery of letting your younger kids watch it live after that “wardrobe malfunction” during the halftime show? Consider setting the DVR and starting it thirty minutes or so late. Consider making paper footballs and creating your own football game to play during commercials or halftime.

 

February 4 National Homemade Soup Day and Thank a Mail-carrier Day

Trust me a homemade soup is so worth it and not as difficult as it sounds. Check out these easy recipes. Have your kids make a thank-you card and put together a bag of treats for your mail-carrier. Then leave the note and goodie bag in your mailbox.

 

February 5 World Nutella Day

            If you have yet to try the wonderful goodness of Nutella, February 5th is the perfect day. If you have tried Nutella may I suggest attempting some Nutella bites by my friend at Stop and Smell the Chocolates.

 

February 10 National “Have a Brownie” Day

My husband loves brownies and my kids love to help me make them. Or if you are in a pinch buy some brownies and decorate them with icing. Just have fun with your family.

 

February 13 Lent Begins

Does your family observe Lent? Perhaps you might want to learn more about the whys of Lent. Here are some resources for what you and your kids could do for the Lenten season.

 

February 14 Valentines Day

            Celebrate your spouse and your kids. Also consider having your kids make cards for those in nursing homes or homeless shelters. Maybe even contact your local children’s shelter and put together Valentines treats for the kids there.

 

February 18 President’s Day

Consider asking your children to write a thank you card to our president for his hard work. Regardless if we agree with his policies or not, we should teach our children to respect those in leadership. Maybe plan a trip to the library to check out a book about the presidents of our nation.

 

February 24 National Tortilla Chip Day

            Who doesn’t love the crispy goodness of a tortilla chip? Ok I am sure someone is allergic or someone just doesn’t like them, but in my house we LOVE tortilla chips. What better day to make some dips to go along with the crispy fried corn perfection called tortilla chips? Buy or make some salsa. Here are some fabulous dip recipes.

 

February 27 National Chocolate Cake Day

            Don’t have time to make a cake or even buy one? Consider making a quick, but simple and tasty mug cake. Here are a few recipes I have tried. By the way, it is always a good thing to add chocolate chips or rolos to the recipe. Magic Chocolate Mug Cake, 5-minute Chocolate Cake, 3 Minute Chocolate “Cup” Cake – I never have orange zest so I add vanilla instead.

 

I hope these ideas get your wheels turning and help you make some memories with your precious kids. Remember nothing turns out the way we expect so have fun and laugh at the mess.

by Angela Mackey

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Filed Under: Angela Mackey, Holidays, Home & Holidays, Kid's Stuff, Parenting, Recipes, Valentine's Day 5 Comments

The Imagination Station ~ 2 New Books ~ 2 Giveaways

November 13, 2012 By

As a ministry to moms and mentors, The M.O.M. Initiative loves to share about new books, resources and ministries that minister to families! Today, we are blessed to share two great new books with you that we know you’ll love!

I miss the days when I sat beside my boys with a book in hand and a story that captivated their attention. I LOVED Adventures in Odyssey then and I LOVE Adventures in Odyssey now.

Today, I’d like to share with you a bit about two new books by Adventures in Odyssey’s Imagination Station and INVITE YOU TO ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF YOUR OWN. TODAY, WE’RE GIVING AWAY ONE OF EACH!

 

Escape to the Hiding Place

In this adventure, Patrick and Beth find themselves in Holland in the middle of World War II. Reminiscent of “The Hiding Place”, their quest is to secretly smuggle a Jewish baby to her mother by way of Corrie Ten Boom. Their journey is riddle with detours, danger, distractions and intrigue.

Along the way, Patrick and Beth met people whose faith was strong even though their lives were hard; they encountered a Christian doctor who was forced to serve as a doctor for the German troops; they encouraged strangers, especially three little children who hadn’t been able to get out and play for three years. Finally they found what they had been looking for…The Hiding Place.

Escape to the Hiding will encourage children to help those who can’t help themselves, to courageously face opposition and to do what is right in a world where even adults are doing what is wrong. You will definitely want to read this with your children.

 

Battle for Cannibal Island

After some heavy-duty shaking of Imagination Station and a blink of an eye, Patrick and Beth wind up as stowaways on the wooden planks of a ship headed straight for the Fiji Islands. Patrick and Beth are relieved to find out the captain is a Christian, but what Patrick hopes will be a vacation turns into a nightmare for everyone.

Patrick and a sailor named Nettleton are thrown overboard during a storm and find themselves in shark infested water when Nettleton rescues Patrick from the jaws of what could have been his death. But finding shelter on an island full of cannibals was not any safer. Yet, that’s where they met a missionary named James Calvert and learned what sacrificial and unconditional love looked like for those who were willing to give everything to reach the unreached with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Separated during the storm, Patrick winds up with the cannibal king and Beth is blessed to follow missionary, James Calvert. Both face danger along the way and learn lessons about life, love, courage and commitment that will linger in their hearts for a lifetime.

Battle for Cannibal Island will spark courage, teach unconditional love and help children understand how to love the unloveable. It’s also a great conversation starter for parents who want to discuss what unconditional love, bravery and loyalty look like in real life.

We know how precious it is to curl up and read a book with your kids! Treasured time! So, grab a book, sweet mom, and make some memories while you encourage character! There’s really nothing quite like it!

We’re giving away two books today… ONE OF EACH! So, now’s your chance to enter to win a copy of one of our featured books today.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Because Money Matters and Our Kids Need to Know

October 18, 2012 By

The whine rose above the din of all the shoppers around us. My cheeks flushed red and I bent low to the little person who made such a sound.

“No, we cannot buy a toy today. We do not have money for that,” I said barely above a whisper.

She crinkled her forehead in concern and spoke in confident loud tones, “You mean we don’t have any money mommy?”

Talking to kids about money and finances is a difficult thing. I know I want my children to understand the value of a dollar and hard work. I know I don’t want my kids to wander from home without understanding credit or credit cards, but I don’t really know how to teach or even what to teach. So I asked Shane Barkley, a financial planner and author of the book Dad Cents: Teach Your Children Biblical Principles of Money, some questions about teaching our children about money.

1. Why is it important to teach our kids about money?

“Money is a part of every aspect of our lives and is not just cash as is the typical mindset of today. Money or mammon in the Old Testament was any and every possession not just cash, coins, gold or silver. Try to think of a single incident in our daily life where we do not use some type of possession to interact with others. When we wake up we get out of a bed, we have clothing on our bodies (hopefully), we get food to eat, we shower, we get in a vehicle or pay to ride public transportation to the destination where we make the money to pay for everything we have!

 

“Very, very few families have this type of mindset. If every interaction or action we make utilizes some possession, does this include every action I take for God? Absolutely! I realized the reason for the Bible having over 2300 references to money is because we cannot escape the effect it has on our lives. In order to fulfill some of our greatest commissions, go and make disciples of all nations, taking care of the orphans/widows, raising our children in the admonition of the Lord, we naturally use money and/or possessions. So, could our view of money impact our effectiveness for God? Absolutely!!!”

 

2. What are the fundamental things kids need to know about money to be successful money managers?

“The first principle is ownership and may be easily learned after age 2. The money may be in their hands, but who is the ultimate owner? God. Since God is the owner, the second principle is learning what God commands about money. The third principle is money does not grow on trees. Kids need to understand where money comes from [i.e. mommy or daddy work at a job and get paid for what they do]. The fourth principle is how to use money. Although our kids do not need a lesson in how to spend money, they need to learn the lesson of making wise choices.”

 

3. How can wives encourage their husbands to teach their children about money?

“There are several ways moms can facilitate dad’s involvement. One of the keys is to find a resource written to dads. Men are not as appreciative of parenting books like moms. Men read books written to men, for men. As irrational as it may seem, parenting books make men feel like they are doing things wrong. The second is to involve them in every step of the process. If they feel like they are being “run over” they will move out of the way and disappear from the process.”

 

I highly recommend Dad Cents as a tool for both moms and dads. It covers issues including allowance, teaching generosity, and the basics of budgeting. As you read this book you will learn some things you didn’t know about money as well. You will be challenged and equipped to teach your kids and your husband will gain the confidence to do the same.

And guess what moms? Shane has agreed to give away two of his books today. Here is how you enter:

  1. Leave a comment about tools or ways you have taught your kids about money or why you need Dad Cents.
  2. Subscribe to The M.O.M. Initiative by entering your e-mail address in the right-hand column and clicking subscribe.

We will let you know tomorrow who our winners are.

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Celebrating Besties & Day 8 Giveaways!

August 15, 2012 By

Today’s Great Giveaways!

Unshakeable Faith By: Kathy Howard

Jesus called this ordinary man for an extraordinary purpose. Simon the fisherman would become Peter the Rock. This outspoken Galilean would lead Christ’s church, stand strong in the face of persecution, and even refuse to waver when faced with death.
Unshakable Faith is an eight-session Bible study that explores the life and teachings of the Apostle Peter. Participants will be eye witnesses to Peter’s spiritual growth as God strengthens and matures his fragile faith. They will discover eight key “faith traits” God developed in Peter as he followed Christ and learned from Him.

The Man You Always Wanted Is the One You Already Have By: Paula Friedrichsen

Transform your marriage with the realization that the man you always wanted is the one you already have. Striking biblical insights, combined with Paula Friedrichsen’s candid revelations about the inappropriate relationship that nearly destroyed her marriage, will help you see that no man compares to the one you have.

Blue Like Pay Dough By: Tricia Glover

In the squash and squeeze of a mommy’s day, could God be shaping something beautiful? In this spiritual memoir, Goyer invites women to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary! Learn to see God’s hand lovingly at work in every aspect of your life—from laundry-folding to the umpteenth reading of Goodnight Moon.

 

 HOW TO ENTER: SUBSCRIBE TO WEBSITE, COMMENT ON BLOG, SHARE FB POSTS, TWEET, RETWEET & COMMENT ON BLOG (NEW SUBSCRIBERS WILL RECEIVE OUR NEW BOOK, “FACING OUR FEARS – 31 STORIES FROM M.O.M.”)

Celebrating Besties

 

best friends

My daughter, Chloe, was born a very girly girl. Blonde hair, blue eyes, porcelain skin. I have never had to teach her how to be feminine—the love for all things pink and sparkly is innate. As a preschooler, Chloe donned a different princess costume every day, complete with tiara, slippers, and cape. When she outgrew them, she transitioned into play cosmetics and developed a lip gloss obsession (I think she has about 30!). She spends her spare time viewing YouTube hair and makeup tutorials or fashioning duct tape accessories. Her nails are always colorful and her ears adorned with bling. And she is only eight.

Yesterday was Chloe’s best friend’s birthday, and the two little fashionistas spent the day celebrating their friendship in a particularly girly girl way—with a birthday/spa day/tea party! My daughter planned the day for an entire week, counting down the days and adding must-do’s to her checklist. When she went to bed the night before, she said she couldn’t wait to hurry up and wake up again!

The first thing Chloe did when she got up Tuesday morning was frost and sprinkle the cupcakes. She then hung the birthday banner and set up other decorations, arranged the gifts, and readied the spa. Then she had to wait. And wait. And wait. “I just can’t wait for Hannah to see this!” I heard her say. “What do you think Hannah’s going to say?” she asked me more than once. “Can we spray glitter in our hair? Can we spray it on over the fingernail polish too? Do we have stuff to make bath foamers? Should we have cupcakes before we do the spa? I want Hannah to feel special. Can we make lip gloss?”

Those two girls spent the entire day doting on each other, blessing each other with their love, their generosity, their devotion, and oh yeah, their sparkle! They certainly did not “withhold kindness from a friend [or] forsake the fear of the Almighty” (Job 6:14), but rather, they proved that “a friend loves at all times” (Proverbs 17:17). They have truly found what the Lord has established in a best friend relationship.

Jesus calls us His friends too: “Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15). Daily He showers us with His blessings, His love, His generosity (known as grace and mercy), His devotion. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13, NKJV). Because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, we sparkle white as snow—not with makeup and bling, but with the hope of salvation found only in Christ Jesus.

My daughter prepared a special place and a special day for her best friend. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior—as our best friend—a peace that transcends all understanding guards our hearts in the knowledge that He will never leave us, will always dote on us, and has prepared a special place for us by his side for all eternity.

Jodi Whisenhunt’s MAGICAL MOUSE SCHOOLHOUSE: Learn While You Play at Walt Disney World Resort is now available in print and can be purchased at CreateSpace and Amazon. (Kindle version also available!) Come, think outside the textbook and stretch the walls of your home classroom with Walt Disney entertainment!

 

We’re linked up with WomenLivingWell today:

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Filed Under: Behavior, Blog, Character Counts, Friendships, Jodi Whisenhunt, Kid's Stuff, Manners, MOM Stuff, Parenting, Relationships Tagged With: , , , , , , , 8 Comments

A Mother’s Heart…50+ Things to Do with Bored Kids

June 27, 2012 By

Running out of things to do with the kids yet? Take a look at what I found.

In my search for fun ideas, I found a bazillion things to do. Narrowing them down to fit here was difficult. My biggest resource was Pinterest. If you’re on Pinterest, do a search. If you’re not on Pinterest, you’re missing some great things shared there.

Some of these make great science projects. I won’t jabber on so I can leave space for all the links and suggestions. So, here we go:

* Instructions for things to make

1) Make your own lava lamps.
http://slsmithphotography.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/06/lava-lamps-summer-fun.html
2) Make a city using masking tape
* Let the kids go wild with a roll of masking tape. They can tape over the carpet, the furniture, wherever, to make roads for a city. They can add Matchbox cars, Legos buildings, blocks, etc.
3) Draw out a city on vinyl
* Use a large piece of cardboard or you can get a scrap piece of vinyl at a flooring store for very little money. Turn the vinyl on the wrong side. Whether you use the cardboard or vinyl, give the kids markers to map out a city or do this part yourself. Plot it out first. Add stickers for road signs. Use Matchbox, Legos, etc., as above.
4) Fizzy “drawing” fun.
http://kadydiddesigns.blogspot.com/2012/04/fizzy-fun.html
5) Make a giant ice cube.
http://www.crumbbums.com/?p=2476

6) Buy one of those large plastic jars filled with all sorts of craft makings
* Add some glue or whatever else they need and let the kids loose.
7) Make butterflies
* My granddaughters love this one. Depending on the age of the child, either you or the child can draw a pair of butterfly wings on paper. Printer paper (or similar type) seems to work best.
* Let the kids color use crayons, markers, or colored pencils, or add stickers. Cut them out. Use pattern-edged craft scissors if you have them. Tape them to a bendable straw of their choice of color. Tape front and back. As they wave it up and down, the wings will flap.
8) Word-making game
* Cut circles out of cardboard. Mark each circle with letters of the alphabet. Make extra vowels. Set a timer for one minute and see how many words the kids can make.
9) Plastic eggs
* Make popsicles in plastic eggs.
http://kailochic.blogspot.com/2012/03/easter-egg-popsicles.html
* Other uses: use markers for each egg half for 1) shapes to match, 2) matching upper and lower case letters, 3) a math problem on one half, the answer on the other half, 4) writing different words on each half then connect the halves, like sea+side, baby+bottle.
http://www.lessonplandiva.com/2011/11/freebie-and-lots-of-pinterest-ideas.html
10) Make fairies in a jar.
http://organisedchaoswahm.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/fairies-in-a-jar/

11) Make raised salt paintings.
http://oneperfectdayblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/kids-art-raised-salt-painting/
12) Make fruity play dough. Recipes for using Jello or Kool-aid.
http://www.create-kids-crafts.com/playdough-recipes.html
13) Clean picture making with torn paper.
http://www.makeandtakes.com/creating-torn-paper-landscapes
14) Make exploding plastic bags.
http://homeschooljournal-bergblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/summer-fun-43-fizzy-explosion-bags.html
15) Make a river in the backyardhttp://www.camoandbows.com/2011/08/river-runs-through-it-in-our-front-yard.html

16) Make your own fruit roll-ups.
http://thecopycatcook.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/fruit-rollups/
17) Make a homemade butterfly feeder.
http://www.ehow.co.uk/way_5484767_homemade-butterfly-feeder.html
18) How to make jelled water marbles. This is a great science project.
http://www.chemspider.com/blog/a-well-done-scientific-hoax-called-water-marbles.html
19) Make a soap cloud.
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/04/kitchen-craft-soap-clouds-and-homemade-kiddie-tub-soaps/
20) 100 ways to avoid TV.
http://naturalparentsnetwork.com/100-ways-to-avoid-tv/

21) Make rainbows with pre-schoolers.
http://kid.tipjunkie.com/making-rainbows-for-preschoolers
22) Make quicksand goo.
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/quicksand-goo
23) Make a squishy giant water bag to jump on in the backyard.
http://themommiesmademedoit.blogspot.com/2012/03/giant-squishy-sensory-bag.html?spref=fb
24) Buy PVC pipes and put them together in fun shapes. Then, turn on the hose!
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/h2-ohhh-787451/2/
25) Make humongous bubbles.
http://innerchildfun.com/2010/12/top-10-posts-of-2010-5.html

* Links with multiple suggestions

1) http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/fun-ways-to-save-this-summer/
2) http://whipup.net/2011/06/14/80-things-your-kids-love-to-do/
3) http://cuegly.blogspot.com/2011/09/75-kid-activities.html
4) http://www.divvyupdiva.com/search/label/102%20Summer%20Activities
5) http://www.the36thavenue.com/2012/03/20-fun-kid-activities.html

6) http://www.homeschool.com/articles/101ThingsToDoThisSummer/default.asp
7) http://www.digitalreflections.typepad.com/digital_reflections/2009/06/100-free-things-to-do-with-your-kids-this-summer.html
8) http://www.mrfreestuff.com/120-free-things-to-do-with-kids-this-summer/
9) http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/crafts-by-age/toddler-crafts-866244/?CMP=NLC-NL_FFUN_Crafts_072111_toddler-crafts
10) http://cuegly.blogspot.com/2011/09/75-kid-activities.html

* Old stand-bys

1) Tons of ideas for making fun cupcakes; do a search on the internet or on Pinterest; fun photos
2) Play miniature golf
3) Have a picnic
4) Collect plastic bottles. Fill with a couple of inches of water to make them stable. Set them up for bowling in a flat area.
5) Play in the hose in the backyard. Hang the hose or sprinkler from a tree for more fun.

6) Bake cupcakes. Make it a math lesson with measurements. Since cupcakes are all the rage, let the kids go wild in decorating them.
7) Legos, always a favorite
8) Don’t forget the chalk for the driveway!
9) Set up a theater in a doorway. Have kids make up a play and you’re the audience. Or do a puppet show. Make sock puppets to go with it.
10) One of the best things is a tent inside the house. Use sheets or blankets. Put a blanket or sleeping bag to sit on. Add pillows, a tea set, have a picnic, books, etc. If you allow, drape the sheets over the kitchen or dining room table.

11) There’s always the old craft of pasta pictures. Kids can use crayons or markers to color dried pasta and then glue them to construction paper.
12) Does anyone in the family (or friend) have a birthday? Make a card out of whatever you have around the house. Use old buttons, string, bits of ribbon, stickers, color pieces of cardboard and cut out heart shapes to glue on. If you’re a scrapbooker or a cardmaker, then you’ll have plenty of goodies for them to use. Discuss with the kids ways to help someone. Is there someone in the neighborhood who is sick or a shut-in? Make cookies, a card, or do something else nice for them. Or go to a nursing home and give out the cards the kids have made.
13) Get a large (18 inch or so) styrofoam airplane. Great fun. But be careful; they will break. Get more than one. If you can find a small one, they can play with it in the house. Or make an airplane out of paper.
14) Get a pair of binoculars, small enough for a child to hold. Go outside and discover God’s tiny creations: watch the birds, see ants up close, etc.
15) Make a list of things for a scavenger hunt.

Enjoy making memories!

From one mother’s heart of love to another…

Lynn Mosher
http://lynnmosher.blogspot.com

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