I love my son’s morning routine chart because it holds me accountable for the things that are important to me as a mother—the things that would probably get lost in the midst of the urgent “to-dos” and daily craziness of motherhood, if they weren’t included in our simple chart.
Three Strategies for Being a Less Annoying Parent
I am an annoying parent. I’m not talking about being annoying to other people; I’m talking about being annoying to my children themselves. I’ve found that when I tweak the delivery of my expectations to be less irritating, I enjoy parenting more and have fewer battles with my strong-willed son.
Creating Highlights
As mothers, we do not need to burn ourselves out with expectations that we will plan outrageously fun and magical activities for our children every single day of their lives. Instead, we can plan ‘highlight experiences’ for our children to spice up the monotony of daily life.
Mushy Love Letters
One day while my infant son and I were running errands together, I had a “swell moment,” when my heart about burst out of my chest from the love I have for him. I went home and started writing. The words of adoration poured out of me as I thought about every little thing that I love about him.
The Best Year of My Life?
This year has been good, but it has also been challenging. Then a friend of mine recently wrote on Facebook that this has been “the best year of [her] life, hands down.” I thought about her sentiment and wondered if I could echo it. I wasn’t sure that I could.