Submitted by Shanti Landon: Have you ever woken up in the morning and wondered how you became a grown up? I think I’m a grown up now. I mean, there are 5 rug rats running around here. I cook food, wipe bums, kiss ow-ees, fasten seat belts, unfasten seat belts…fasten seat belts, unfasten seat belts…I […]
There’s Nothing Like a Newborn Baby
Submitted by Ali Hawkins: When I look at this picture I am reminded at how much I love newborns. This is my eighth. Most people that I run into think I am crazy. I always get “are they all yours?” or “are you going to have more?” Some people search their whole life for their […]
How do you handle a case of “I’m a Bad Mom”-itis?
I had it bad. So bad, I decided it needs a name: “I’m a Bad Mom”-itis. Ordinarily, I can be a mostly upbeat mom. I have a mental list of how I want the day to go, and the kids and I just go at it, give or take half the list. I think we […]
I Learn So Much “Nose to Nose”
Submitted by Aubry Tenney: I was not prepared to be in any pictures the day this was taken. My hair wasn’t done, I had no makeup on, and definitely not a cute outfit! When our photographer suggested I be in the picture with him, I protested…but obviously lost. I’m so glad I did, because this […]
What do you do to eat healthfully?
I was never more food-conscious than I am now that I’m a mom. Before I had kids, food was always an afterthought. I could cook up something grand when I wanted to, but I could also eat a granola bar and call it good. A baked potato with melted cheese seemed like a feast. Now […]
How do you show your kids that moms have fun?
Visiting this week with a mom I’ve long admired, I learned about a few challenges that await me when I attempt to parent my kids through their teenage years. (And I thought I had it rough, with my three youngens!) One of her mothering puzzles inspired this week’s question. A teenage daughter has declared that […]
Each Day is a Gift
Submitted by Kelleyn Rothaermel: I remember the day as if it were yesterday, but over three years have passed since that day. My husband, our middle child, and I were going in to find out the sex of our third child. I was so excited! I was hoping for a girl since we had two […]
What mothering tools have you discovered recently?
Allow me to introduce you to the ultimate family-friendly potty, which we affectionately call “The Froggy” in our household. The Froggy allows for single-handed emptying. The contours of the blue bowl pour its contents cleanly. Rinsing is simple, since the bowl fits under the faucet of the bathroom sink. The boy shield is built in. […]
How do you take the stress out of family vacations?
Let’s face it: Vacations aren’t all the fun and games that they used to be. By “used to be,” I’m talking about back when I was a kid, and all I had to do was pack one small bag of personal activities and hop in the car when my dad called, “All Aboard!” All of […]
How do you teach your children selflessness?
Lately I’ve found myself in a perplexing dilemma. I don’t know how to teach my four-year-old son to be selfless. I suppose he is like most young children, especially first-borns, favoring his own interests above all others. For example, today when the first hot dog came out of the microwave, he suggested, “Mom, your act […]
Read any good books lately?
Sometimes it’s hard to even remember back to the DBK (Days Before Kids) when we would have time for a quiet afternoon of reading by the lake. I’ve found that now it takes considerable effort (or sheer negligence) on my part to clear time for reading. Tonight, by I delaying writing this assignment […]
A Precious Gift: Adoption
Submitted by Carolyn Canning: The phone call came at 12:25 PM on September 26, 2006. Seven hours later I was the mother of a 17-month old, beautiful, blue-eyed boy These are the precious moments when we realize that life doesn’t always turn out the way we planned, sometimes it’s better than we ever imagined. After […]