Over the years I have observed and interviewed numerous moms whose children have grown into godly adults, all of who serve the Lord, whether as a stay-at-home mom, in full time ministry or in a secular vocation. While this is not a scientifically based observation, I was able to narrow their success down to twenty common traits. Here are the first five of those twenty. #1 She gets into her child’s WORLD “You will always be your child’s favorite toy.” — Vicki Lansky One of the greatest gifts you can give your child is your time. For your little ones, …
Seven Insider Tips for Pioneer Parents
By Featured Guest: Mary E. DeMuth Adapted from Building the Christian Family You Never Had (WaterBrook, 2006) Some of us grew up in stable, Christ-loving homes. Others did not. What happens when people from difficult upbringings want to raise their children in a Christian home? How do we pioneer a new path for our children? Pioneer Parents are parents who don’t want to duplicate the homes they were raised in. They share many common traits, the most common being fear. They ask themselves questions like: Will the hurtful words my parents said to me fly out of my mouth in …
Getting Over the Homeschool Holiday Hump
It happened every year. Thanksgiving and Christmas would loom largely over our homeschool plans and as we began to shut things down for the holidays and take a break from class. We loved the time we had together during those precious days – the only problem was that once the holidays were gone and we launched into the new year, we always had a hard time getting back on the homeschool track. Every year we were on three good months into school when the fun and festivities of all the holidays seemed to derail our well laid plans. Definitely not …
It’s Scary Being a Mom
Babies don’t come with instruction manuals and mommas don’t automatically know what to do. Are you surprised by that? I remember the day I first brought my newborn baby boy home. I was so awed by that sweet little bundle of humanity that I could barely speak. But my over-joyed heart quickly transformed into an overwhelmed flood of fear when I realized the responsibility that came with that 7 pound 14 ounce treasure of pure pleasure. All I could think is, “What am I going to do with him now?” “What if something goes wrong?” “What if he cries and I don’t …
Rockabye Baby
Newborn babies sleep a lot. But they wake up a lot too…especially during the first six months. New moms who often describe their nights as sleepless and their days as long may be able to get some much needed rest if they try to implement the following five tips. 1. BE CONSISTENT – Consistency is the number one key to almost every area of development for your little one. In our crazy, busy, non-scheduled world it’s important to know babies thrive on schedules. You may not be used to watching the clock and keeping a dairy of your day, but …
Breastfeeding Basics
Although we know breast milk is best, breastfeeding isn’t always possible. And for some, it’s even a little scary. It’s normal to feel a bit anxious about breastfeeding – especially if it’s your first time. But as we look at the basics of breastfeeding it may just help you understand it better and fear it less. It’s really very natural. The God of all creation equipped babies with rooting and sucking instincts as well as an appetite for mommy’s milk. That very same God also gave women mammary glands to produce the milk their sweet little bundle of joy needs. …