“They are so well behaved,” the perky saleswoman nodded at my three children. They are? I just told them to settle down three times. One nearly knocked over a shoe display and… “Thank you,” I smiled and attempted to cool my boiling blood. Where is the balance between first time obedience and grace? How do I decide what to discipline and what to talk about? As moms we are to, “Train a child up a child in the way he should go…” Proverbs 22:6 How do we train children without breaking their souls? How do we speak with kindness, but …
Kids & Chores – No Reason to Be Tired
Is your house a mess? Would you be mortified if a friend stopped by without calling first? Are your children at an age where they can go to the potty by themselves? Have they figured out how to use the TV remote DVD player, or your home computer? Then, there’s no reason your little darlings can’t help you around the house. Martha Stewart would not be impressed with my shower, nor would she praise me for my windows –still, my home is in good enough shape for company. I learned early on as a mom of four children, I had four …
No Rescue Needed: Necessary Pain and Disappointment
“But, Mom, this means I can’t go! It’s impossible!” wails Annemarie, tears coursing down her cheeks. Five minutes ago, she was all smiles as we sat at the kitchen table to “crunch numbers” for the school-sponsored 10-day trip to Italy. As we calculated the number of hours she’d have to work to earn enough money to pay for the trip, though, her face fell, her eyes reddened, and she reached for the Kleenex. Pain and disappointment can be effective teachers, I remind myself. Don’t cave. No matter how badly you want to bail her out–for your sake as well as …