Awesome! Congratulations on your new little person!!! I remember the excitement (Wheeeeeeeeeeeee! This is really happening!!), the uncertainty (“what in the world have I gotten myself into?” and “what in the world is all this gear?”) … and the voracious appetite for ideas and information. To help, I’ve pulled together my favorite resources for you:…
Is It Possible to Give Calm, Firm Correction?
When our kids disobey us, and especially if they cop an attitude, it’s easy for us to feel out of control… as if we CAN’T harness our own anger amidst such outright defiance. Good desires, like for our children to learn to obey, for them to make wise decisions, for them to respect us as…
10 Bible Truths To Help You Understand Your Child
Parenting can be such a challenge. Sin outside our home… sin inside our hearts… the stresses and strains of life in a family… These things swirl together and threaten to knock us off-kilter. As my husband and I go about life with our seven children (currently, ages 13, 11, 9, 7, 5, 2, and 7 months),…
Finally! A Simple, Discussion-Rich Bible Curriculum
I’m so excited about the Bible study curriculum we’re using this year. Well. OK, in order for it to be true, I have to take out a few words from that first sentence. It should read: I’m so excited about the Bible this year. There, that’s better. Because this year, our “curriculum” is very simple. It’s not really a curriculum…
13 Reasons I Don’t Mind Being a Chunky, Happy Mama While Breastfeeding
While breastfeeding, I tend to stay (how should I put this?) plump fluffy voluptuous chunky heavier than I’d prefer curvy rounder-than-while-not-breastfeeding soft Yeah, those adjectives work. You might have other words you’d use. Keep those to yourself, please. 🙂 Basically, I’m not the gal the breastfeeding books all talked about. Nope. I’m the one…
Eustace & My Hard, Dragon Heart
One of my favorite passages in C.S. Lewis’ fiction is from his book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. For background, Eustace is a wretched, spoiled boy who constantly complains and makes life miserable for himself and everyone else. He’s unexpectedly come to Narnia with his cousins Edmund and Lucy. The ship they’re on visits several islands, and…
How Ya Doin, Mama? (Really?)
Hey there, mom in the thick of raising your kids, or mom of 3 little ones, or newly postpartum mom, or homeschooling mom, or tired mom who has been dealing with a sick little person for far too long, or mom helping your aging parent, or single mom carrying the whole load yourself, or nomadic…
August Mailbag: Circumcision? Breastfeeding in Public? When Your Child Says, “I’m Bored?”
TO CIRCUMCISE OR NOT TO CIRCUMCISE? Q: To circumcise or not to circumcise? I’m anxious about the subject and my husband and I disagree. What do you guys do? And what were your reasons? Thanks! First, don’t be anxious (this is a biblical command for believers!) and stop reading nonsense anxiety-giving mom stuff on the…
Reclaiming JOY in My Personal Bible Study
For the past few years, I’ve been dissatisfied with my personal study of the Bible, and I’m trying to hash out why. My goal is to reclaim joy in my studies of God’s Word. Here are some things I’m thinking through as I try to discover an approach to God’s Word that rightly honors Him as the truth-teller and…
The Problem With Grade Levels
This morning, we’re starting our 2015-16 school year. In our homeschool this year, we have 8th, 6th, 4th, and 2nd graders (and a kindergartner). Phew! Just writing that makes me tired. But let’s talk about grade levels. When people ask my kids what grades they’re in, my homeschooled kids (mostly) know what to tell them……