Why discipline is like raising sunflowers

Why Discipline Is Like Raising Sunflowers

Of all the hats we wear as moms, my least favorite is referee. Some days it seems I have no chance to enjoy my children because all my energy is spent on mediating their squabbles. This was especially true when they were smaller. Here’s a typical scene: “Moooooom! She pinched me!” My older daughter, five years old at the time, accused her little sister of unprompted abuse. “She! Took! My! Bear!” My two-year-old sputtered her defense. “Did you take your sister’s bear?” “No. I had it first!” Sure, that old trick. I knelt to eye-level with my toddler. “Did you …

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5 Common Ways Parents Breed Sibling Rivalry

“My kids fight all the time!” “I can’t stand the arguing.” “I just want some peace.” Does this sound familiar? Do you want your kids to get along? Do you want your quiet back? Or even better… Do you want your kids  to be friends not foes?  Do you want your kids to be friends not foes? @loriwildenberg Click To Tweet It seems times where attention is directed toward another sibling due to a celebration, like a birthday, or another’s success can stir the pot of envy, jealousy, or discontent. Sibling rivalry is the result. Sibling rivalry is as old …

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The Million Dollar Question

  If you’re a parent, it’s only a matter of time before you ask your husband or your girlfriend, or your mailman the million dollar question: Why do our kids fight so much? Why? This million dollar question often rears its ugly head after visiting a friend whose children love each other so much they finish each other’s sentences. Her children seem so happy together, like Prozac-happy and you just don’t get it. You begin to ask yourself, Why does (Insert friend’s name here.)  kids like each other? Why do her children share toys and talk to each other sweetly …

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Six Suggestions to Stop Sibling Squabbles

Any mom with two or more kids has seen sibling squabbles… from the toy snatching of toddlers to the bickering of older kids. And even though these interactions between sisters and brothers are inevitable, they can sometimes be hard to deal with.  Here are six things you can do as a mom to stop the squabbles (and increase the love): 1. Get involved. Rather than yelling at your kids to stop fighting (or hiding in the other room pretending not to hear them), get in the mix. If you have little ones, kneel down and talk on their eye level …

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The Unique Struggles of a Special Sibling

“He gets mad at the smallest things and always causes a scene. I’m embarrassed to be seen with him.” ” I feel ignored and resent how much time he demands from my parents.” Click To Tweet “Why can’t I just have a NORMAL family like everyone else?!” “As much as I am embarrassed to be around my brother, I worry about if he is OK without me.” “It hurts when people are rude to him… but I feel guilty and ashamed because I am the rudest to him of all.” “Who will take care of her if something happens to …

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Introducing a New Baby Into the Family

“I wish you would turn into a ball and roll away.” Apparently my second oldest wasn’t too excited about my pregnancy with our fourth child. Adding a new person into the family fold causes adjustments for all family members.  Adding a new person into the family fold causes adjustments Click To Tweet Because this was child number four, I wasn’t too worried. (I may have felt alarmed had this been my second baby.) Our home in La Mesa, California was very…shall we say..cozy.  We decided it was best to have our girls (the oldest and the third) share a room …

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Avoiding the ER

Minnesota, Colorado, Virginia, Utah, California are all states where at least one Wildenberg child has made a  trip to the ER.  It isn’t an official family vacation until we take at least one trip to Urgent Care or the Emergency Room.  I prefer to avoid the ER. There is another -er that would be good to avoid. The suffix, er. The er  that comes at the end of a word: Smarter Happier Sweeter Nicer When we compare our kiddos to one-another we can do some damage. Theodore Roosevelt said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” It’s true. Comparison can turn admiration into envy …

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5 Reasons Why You Should Read to Your Children?

Do you read to your children? When my children were young, I loved curling up against the headboard with my boys in my arms and a book in my hand as I read a story to them before I tucked them in. I LOVED story time – and so did they… even when they were older. But to be honest, with dishes to do, baths to take, teeth to brush, homework to finish and laundry to fold, I often struggled to settle down long enough to read to my children. Maybe you feel the same way too. Always something to …

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How to Thrive When Life Would Be Easier If…

“That was easy,” the red easy button’s mechanical voice intoned. And that is how we want life – easy. That is why articles titled 25 Great Life Hacks continually make their rounds in cyberspace. We all want the easy way: the easy way to lose weight the easy way to finance furniture with no money down the easy way to raise children the easy life We all have a list too – an It Would Be Easier If list.  It would be easier if: My kids would get along. My kids would obey the first time every time. My husband …

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Does Holiness Really Matter?

Today, I’m super excited to introduce you to my sweet friend, Kathy Howard! Kathy is an author of many books and her love for Jesus and for ministry is inspiring!  I wanted to take a few minutes to share with you about her newest book, Embraced by Holiness because, as moms and as ministry leaders, the need for holiness is huge! Little eyes are watching mommas…and if you’re a ministry leader, lots of eyes are watching you…they want to see how you act and react – so holiness needs to permeate every area of our lives. Two years ago, “Fifty Shades …

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