The Food and Drug Administration's Office of Women's Health and the Federal Citizen Information Center have created the "Healthy Moms Advice Kit". It's filled with practical tips on topics such as hay fever, recognizing and conquering depression, keeping food safe, discovering the real differences between name brand and generic drugs—and every mom's dream—learning the secrets of getting a good night's sleep.
Click here to link with Publications.USA.gov where you can download several of the free publications and/or request printed copies.
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting. Show all posts
Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Overcoming Insecurity
From Purpose Driven Connection
by Rick Warren
May 2, 2011
by Rick Warren
May 2, 2011
What we need to teach children from an early age, even before they get into school, is: God is my father, he loves me unconditionally, and he will never stop loving me.
If our children can understand and absorb that truth then, when they are confronted with someone who wants to diminish their self-worth, they can have the confidence to say, “If God likes me and I like me, but you don’t like me, what’s your problem?”Read more here.
5 Love Languages
So many have asked our Mentor, Sandy Joseph, about The 5 Love Languages resources after she spoke at the last MOPS meeting (3/23). Her devotion, "Loving your children - it should be easier" can be found on her blog by clicking here and the resources that she mentioned for The 5 Love Language Assessment Tests can be found here .
Sandy reminds us "that God did not make a mistake when He gave you the children that He did - you are the perfect Mom for your kids. Often, God is growing you as much as you are growing your children."
Tiger Mothers
Even before hitting bookstore shelves, the book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by author Amy Chua got people talking. Since its release and rise on the New York Times Best Sellers List, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother has been the topic of conversation in several circles - is Amy Chua's tough love approach to mothering over-excessive?
Click here to read the opinion of Charlotte Latvala who recently wrote about all of this in the Beaver County Times on February 20, 2011.
Click here to read the opinion of Charlotte Latvala who recently wrote about all of this in the Beaver County Times on February 20, 2011.
linked with permission from Charlotte Latvala, a Featured Columnist for The Times
S. O. S.
SOS
by Holly Rowlette
(as appeared in MOPS International Mom's Email on 1/31/11)
Sometimes it is hard to ask for help, isn’t it? As strong women, we want to be super moms. We want to look like we have it all together and can do it all. Work, volunteer, clean house, cook dinner, organize play dates, manage the house. And when challenges come (sick child, deployment, money gets tight, loss of a job, childcare falls apart) we resist asking for help and even refuse friendly offers. We still want to have it all together and act like we can persevere.
"I'm a mom and I can do it all!"
I learned this lesson a few years ago when a friend offered to watch my kids. I kindly declined. She reminded me that I would be robbing my kids of a fun time with her kids, robbing her of the blessing of helping me and robbing myself of some much-needed down time. And she was exactly right. From that moment on, I have been less fearful of what others will think if I ask for help.
This week, let your friend be the blessing. Let her bring you a meal, watch your kids, drop off some groceries or help you fold laundry. Say it with me … “I’m a mom and I can’t do it all!” Say it again if you need to.
Dear God, teach me to accept help and to be willing to reciprocate as needed. Use me to teach my children about the joys of giving and receiving.
Easy, Breezy... Motherhood {NOT}
Click the excerpt below to read the rest of the wise words from Staci on 5minutesforfaith.com:
Whether our children are two, twenty-two, or forty-two, we feel their pain in a way that is so exquisite that there is yet to be a word created that would aptly describe it. It takes us to the very brink of all we think we can feel or think or experience…and then the very next day it surprises us all over again in completely new ways.
Facing The Darkness Within - One Mom's Story
as found on the In Courage blog, 3/23/2010
"My darkest moment found me lying on my living room floor in a literal puddle of my own tears plotting ways to end my life while making it appear accidental ... I thought there had to be a monster lurking inside of me ... I believed that my children would be much better to not have a mother than having me for a mother." [read more}
Cooped up with kids?
(from FamilyLife MomBlog February 11, 2010)
A huge historic blizzard is raging in the Washington, D.C,. area where I live. In a city that prides itself on being known as the most important city in the world, it's a beautiful and humorous reminder that man is not in charge.
From the important people on Capitol Hill to the important moms in the homes, everyone is feeling a bit out of control as the snow piles up, the government is shut down, and schools closed yet again.
Last night several of my young mom friends managed to dig out of their drives and gather at my house for supper. When I asked if we should cancel because of the treacherous conditions one replied, "No way. If I don't get out of my house there's no
telling what I might do to my kids!" Now there's an honest mom for you!
It is wearying to be shut up inside with a bunch of toddlers and young elementary kids for days on end. Especially when you are used to a mother's day out, preschool, or regular school. You may have awakened this morning dreading another day of whining, sibling rivalry, boredom, a trashed house, and wondering how you could get through the day (the next hour?) without losing your cool. Take comfort. You are not alone and you are normal.To read more, click here.
Allowances and Chores
As found in the FamilyLife MomBlog - Feb 2, 2010
Recently a mom asked me what advice I would give her about granting her children an allowance and also about the connection of allowances to family chores. It's a good question, and one I've heard repeated over the years by many moms. And it's one we struggled with as we raised our five children.
I have found it helpful to separate chores from allowances. Why? .....
To read more, click here.
Your Kid Can Do What?
As found of the FamilyLife MomBlog - Feb 3, 2010
There I was, sitting on the carpet with another mom, and it snuck up on me again: The Comparison Game.
She was talking about some new program she'd bought for her 6-month-old that would ideally teach him, as a baby, to read. (Sheesh. I'd been focusing on getting my kid not to spit pureed carrots on my khakis.) ...Read more here.
How To Be The Best Babysitting Family Ever
Our mentor Sandy's daughter, Laryssa Nilsen, wrote a fabulous article on the Hearts at Home blog about how to be THE family babysitters bend over backward to sit for. You can check the article out here. This is a great article, full of great wisdom and advice for being your sitter's favorite family.
What Do You Want For Dinner? (Family Life Mom Blog)
as found on the Family Life Mom Blog 11/30/2009
(Thanks Sandy!)
.
"Recently I have observed an interesting practice by a number of parents with young children. As dinner time draws near, the parent ask the child, "What would you like for dinner?" But wait a minute. There are some unintended things happening in this practice that can be unhealthy ... (read more).
31 Biblical Virtues to Pray For Your Kids
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If you want to pray more for your children, but aren't sure what to pray or how to pray for them, then use this list of virtues as your guide. Next to each virtue is a prayer based upon Scripture that you can pray, with the reference to where in the Bible the prayer was inspires. This makes for a great prayer calendar. Just pick one virtue each day of the month to pray over your child/children.
- Salvation - "Lord, let salvation spring up from within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10
- Growth in grace - "I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18
- Love - "Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit who dwells in them." Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 5:2
- Honesty and integrity - "May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection." Psalm 25:21
- Self-control - "Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all they do." 1 Thessalonians 5:6
- Love for God's Word - "May my children grow to find Your Word more precious than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb." Psalm 19:10
- Justice - "God, help my children to love justice and You do and act justly in all they do." Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8
- Mercy - "May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful." Luke 6:36
- Respect (for self, others, authority, etc) - "Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as your Word commands." 1 Peter 2:17
- Biblical self-esteem - "Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God's worksmanship, creating in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:10
- Faithfulness - "Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts." Proverbs 3:3
- Courage - "May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their action." Deuteronomy 31:6
- Purity - "Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions." Psalm 51:10
- Kindness - "Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." 1 Thessalonians 5:15
- Generosity - "Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age." 1 Timothy 6:18-19
- Peace-loving - "Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace." Romans 14:19
- Joy - "May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit." 1 Thessalonians 1:6
- Perseverance - "Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them." Hebrews 12:1
- Humility - "God, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all." Titus 3:2
- Compassion - "Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion." Colossians 3:12
- Responsibility - "Grant that my children may learn responsibility, for each one should carry his own load." Galatians 6:5
- Contentment - "Father teach my children to the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength." Philippians 4:12-13
- Faith - "I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them." Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40
- A servant's heart - "God, please help my children develop servants' hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men." Ephesians 6:7
- Hope - "May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
- Willingness and ability to work - "Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work at it with all their heat, as working for the Lord, not for men." Colossians 3:23
- Passion for God - "Lord, please instill in my children a soul that follows hard after You, one that clings passionately to you." Psalm 63:8
- Self-discipline - "Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair." Proverbs 1:3
- Prayerfulness - "Grant, Lord, that my children's lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." Ephesians 6:18
- Gratitude - "Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:20, Colossians 2:7
- A heart for missions - "Lord, please help my children to develop a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all people." Psalm 96:3
Turn Off Week 2009 (9/20-9/26)
September 20-26 marks Turn Off Your Television Week. People everywhere are accepting the challenge to unplug for one week and discover new avenues of entertainment, be it solo or family-oriented.
Up for the challenge? Wonder what you could possibly do without TV all week? Check out this resource found at SimpleKids.com (click link or image to left).
Stay-At-Home Moms Need A Schedule, Too
A common area overlooked by stay-at-home moms is not having a schedule on which to operate. For a preschoolers, not having anything "definite" to look forward to in any given day or week can result in the discipline issues or just sheer-out boredom. Moms suffer from lack of a schedule or routine as well. It's easy to become stressed or unmotivated without some skeleton of what a day or week is going to look like. Having a routine in place helps everything run smoother and more efficiently, and your family will appreciate knowing what to expect.
If you don't have a routine, or are struggling with your current schedule below are some examples of real moms who live by a routine to get your started:
- Routine With Kids (includes 20 practical pointers for having a routine for your kids)
Does something work especially well for your family? Share with us!
Downloadable Resources for Women
Check out this extensive database of resources for women. Topics include:
- abortion
- being a godly woman
- church
- devotions
- forgiveness
- christian living topics (topical)
- God
- gratitude
- holidays
- marriage
- mentoring
- modesty / sexual purity (single or married)
- parenting
- prayer
- priorities
- relationships
- revival
- suffering
- women in ministry
- women of the bible
to view details for each topic, or to download resources visit the Revive Our Hearts website
There Are No Mundane Tasks In Mothering
from "No Mundane Tasks," part of a 31-day series on Revive Our Hearts (a radio program for women), hosted by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
to read the entire transcript or to listen to the broadcast go here
Remember
... as you’re cleaning - as you’re ironing, sewing, picking up, as you’re painting, as you’re beautifying your home, as you’re doing things to make your home attractive, remember that you’re painting a picture for your children—a picture of God. You’re demonstrating to your children in ways that penetrate deep into their hearts, the heart of God, the ways of God, and you’re increasing the likelihood that your children will grow up to love that God and to want to be like Him. You’re demonstrating parables of spiritual life to your children as you work with your hands, as you serve in your home.
... when you prepare food for your family, you’re demonstrating to them that God is a faithful provider.
... when you’re being quality conscious in the things that you purchase, you’re showing your children the excellence of the character of God.
... as you are orderly, you are teaching your children that God is a God of order.
... when you clean things up in your home, when you keep a clean home, you’re showing your children the importance of purity, holiness of heart, of being clean and washed before God.
... when you’re disciplined in your life and habits and schedule and the time you get up and the time you go to bed according to the way that God has directed your family, you’re teaching your children that the Christian life requires discipline. You are teaching them that you can’t just stay in bed and become spiritual. It requires effort and cooperation with God’s Spirit to develop godly habits, patterns, and sanctification in our lives.
... when you reach out your hands…to the poor and the needy and you’re ministering to the needs of others, you’re showing your children the heart of God for those who are poor and needy and oppressed.
There is indeed NO mundane task! Every task assigned to you is spiritual and paints a picture of God to your children.
The Importance of Family Rituals
"Kids love traditions and family rituals, because it fosters a sense of belonging and security. They also thrive on routine, so rituals only add to that need." (quote from The Importance of Family Rituals by SimpleMom)
Highlights of the article (to read entire article click here)
- Rituals are what make your home "home."
- Family traditions need not be tied to a holiday on the calendar.
- Family rituals don't have to be elaborate or expensive.
To read more of why family rituals are so important and how to start creating some in your family go the SimpleMom website or click here.
If You Give A Mom A Muffin
by Kathy Fictore, adapted from If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff
If you give a mom a muffin, she’ll want a cup of coffee to go with it. She’ll pour herself some. Her three-year-old will spill the coffee. She’ll wipe it up. Wiping the floor, she will find dirty socks. She’ll remember she has to do laundry. When she puts the laundry in the washer, she’ll trip over boots and bump into the freezer. Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper. She will get out a pound of hamburger. She’ll look for her cookbook. (101 Things To Make With A Pound Of Hamburger.) The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail. She will see the phone bill, which is due tomorrow. She will look for her checkbook. The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old. She’ll smell something funny. She’ll change the two-year-old. While she is changing the two-year-old the phone will ring. Her five-year-old will answer and hang up. She’ll remember that she wants to phone a friend to come for coffee. Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup. She will pour herself some. And chances are, if she has a cup of coffee, her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.
Creating Post-Vacation Peace For Your Children
found on Simplemom.net
"The summer months offer families a time to get away, enjoy a change in scenery, and breathe some fresh air. Whether the days away are filled with sightseeing, hiking, sailing, amusement parks, or lazy days at the beach, the relaxed and refreshed spirit that has been nurtured by a vacation can quickly be quenched by chaos once your key turns in the lock of your front door ... as a parent you will set the tone for transition from vacation to routine. {read more here}"
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