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Long-Distance Grandparenting Adjustments
It’s been almost exactly a year since my daughter and her husband moved out of state taking all six of our grandchildren with them. I mean, really! The nerve! Over the past year, we’ve learned to...
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“I Don’t Like You!”
While in an airport restroom recently I overheard the following conversation between a sweet, patient mom (SPM) and someone who I assume was her crying, travel-weary toddler (TWT). The mom never once...
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Gaining Children’s Ministry Momentum
Last weekend I directed our church’s weekend vacation Bible school. We have only a few children who regularly attend our church right now, but that was the point. We needed something to generate more...
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9 Tips When Meeting a Shy Child
When my youngest daughter was young, she was shy. She often lowered her gaze or even hid behind me when meeting someone for the first time. Sometimes she refused to speak when spoken to or would...
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The One Topic I’ll Never Blog About
I’ve blogged on a lot of parenting topics. I made plenty of mistakes as I raised my three kids but I did a lot of things right, too. I’ve also learned a lot from watching my daughter parent her seven...
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Showing Teachers Appreciation
Here we are at the end of another school year. I have several friends who are teachers and when I recently asked them how they are, I got these responses. “I’m so stressed out.” I’m exhausted.” “I...
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I’m Right Here
I recently vacationed in Kauai, Hawaii. While there, my husband and I went on a snorkeling boat trip. Now, what you may not know about me is that I’m not a water person. I don’t mind going on boat...
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Blessing Children into Their Futures
I recently had a conversation with a four-year-old at church who surprised me by saying she was really good at singing and dancing. “You are?” I replied. “Yeah. I even have a microphone.” I couldn’t...
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Keeping Children’s Ministries Alive in Dry Seasons
I live in Arizona and in the summertime no one wants to go out in the heat. Many take off for cooler climates, either up to cabins in the mountains or on vacations. Attendance at church drops and...
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Encouraging Children’s Interests
It’s easy to figure out some children’s interests because they talk about it or do it every chance they get. But others need some help in figuring out exactly what they enjoy. Others have so many...
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Blessing of the Backpacks
It’s almost time for another school year to begin. As the Sunday school superintendent at my church, I wanted to do something special to get the kids off on solid footing. I saw on Facebook the idea of...
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Too Old for Jr. Church
Our church resumes its Jr. Church program this week after taking about a month off. Kids ages four through third grade are invited to attend. But what about the older kids? Should they have to miss...
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Teaching Children to Welcome a New Sibling
The sweet newborn in the picture is our grandson, Titus, who is now three-and-a-half. The children are my daughter’s and her husband’s, who are absolutely the best at integrating a new baby into the...
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5 Ways to Deepen Your Child’s Self Worth
Auditions for the next American Idol season have begun. I used to be a huge fan of the show, but become less of one each year. Still somehow, it’s like a train wreck that I can’t quit looking at for...
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Vacation Bible School in October?
Vacation Bible school is one of my favorite church events. Usually it’s done over the summer while kids are out of school. But this year, my church is doing it in October while the kids are on their...
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Ten Tips for Family Unity
A family is a close-knit unit. As such there should be a sense of unity, a certain team spirit, if you will. But family unity does not happen on its own. It’s nurtured, grown, and fought for. So how...
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Positively Strong-Willed
I have a strong-willed child and I’m so thankful that I do. Not that it’s easy, as any parent with a strong-willed child will attest. But there are some definite positives to raising a child with a...
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Things I Love/Don’t Love About Halloween
Children Trick-or-treating — Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis Halloween has become a somewhat controversial holiday. As a matter of fact, some readers are probably bristling right now because I just...
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I Am Thankful
(This post first appeared on Parenting With a Smile on 3/14/14. I thought it might be appropriate for this Thanksgiving season, even though my circumstances have changed.) In January, my elderly...
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A Smaller Thanksgiving
Today is Thanksgiving and it feels different to me than others have. Our family is smaller, more scattered across the country than ever before. Two nieces have moved to Philadelphia. My daughter, her...
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