Releasing our children to the world and becoming empty nesters sounds like a logical, freeing next step…after all, parenting is a hard job! But many of us struggle when our children walk out the door- on their own- for the first time. When my fourth child graduated from high school, I felt sad and sought…

Leaving the hospital the nurse placed my newborn son in my outstretched arms, “goodbye and good luck”, she cheerfully exclaimed. Slightly panicked I thought, this is the most important job in my life and we have no instructions! Like most new parents my husband and I were terrified something would go terribly wrong. I jumped…

Do you want to teach your child about God but don’t know where to start?  The idea of teaching our kids about a God we struggle to understand can feel overwhelming.  However, we can trust God to help us and guide us.  Let’s talk about this challenge together today. How to Teach Your Child About…

While people may ask “What is a normal parent adult child relationship?” I’m not sure there is a “normal” that can be pointed to with the expectation that all others would look the same.   Perhaps a better question is “What does a healthy parent adult child relationship look like?”   Given the fact that every family…

The short, cooler days of fall are ushering in a time of preparedness for winter. I love this time of slowing down that speaks to my soul as I prepare for and anticipate the upcoming Christmas Holiday. Family Christmas traditions are already starting to occupy thoughts and calendars. And as much as I try each…

The thought of raising teenagers has historically caused dread and prayers for survival. Many parents have said raising teenagers can take the joy out of parenting. But if we enter our season of raising teenagers armed with wisdom, faith, and a good attitude, it can impact our experience as parents and impact the lives of…

Since becoming a parent, I have been on the lookout for positive parenting tips. Every stage of a child’s life has highs and lows, but the teenage years can be especially challenging. Although the teenage years are unpredictable and hard to grasp, they are an important stage of growth in every person’s life. Finding and…

While listening to my friend explain her simple Christmas traditions, I looked around and felt the spirit of Christmas everywhere. Her home looked, smelled, and felt like Christmas. Her family’s interpretation of how to celebrate the holidays without stress and exhausting busyness was intriguing. A simple Christmas sounded like a comforting, freeing idea. I decided…

Teaching kids how to develop strong character is not an easy task for parents. Although most of us would love to be described as a person of strong character, modeling and teaching character to our kids is a difficult job. Strong character is so important to our family, that we have intentionally focused on how…

As a parent, I used anything and everything to ignite my son’s curiosity. I knew curiosity in kids was a step toward academic or scientific thinking and a lifelong habit of exploring God’s wonder. Oftentimes, people will say a particular child is just naturally curious and others are not. As a parent or teacher, you…