Motherhood

One of the things I’ve tried to establish early on in my parenting is my desire to raise responsible children who contribute to their community (be it their family, classroom, society, etc.). In our culture, this can be difficult. They’re busy, they want to watch TV, or they’re used to being told: “You’re too young to do that.” But I’ve found a few things that my kids can and should be doing to contribute to the housework load. Here are 10 chores most children can do around the home: 1. Help unload the dishwasher. My kids do their plastic dishes, their cups/bottles/all those parts, and all the silverware (not including sharp knives). I just ask whichever of them is around when I need

Here’s what your kids’ memories do with the times you thought you were a good mom, but you weren’t: They turn them into funny stories. That’s if you’re a good sport about it and—this is crucial—if you ask forgiveness as soon as your realize your mistakes, which, in my case, was often. I asked forgiveness in the moment for my losses of temper and other lapses in maternal conduct. And I asked forgiveness later when I had the perspective to know my general character and personality flaws probably did some damage. Forgiveness is important. It can almost turn you into a good mom. Almost. I have no accurate memory of this, but my sister and I love to tease my mom about

“This is gonna hurt.” Every mom that has nursed a cut, scrape, or banged head has made this proclamation. From applying antiseptic, getting shots from the doctor, and icing bumps to ripping off Band-Aids, we tend to warn our kids of the impending pain. We do this because we’re moms; we do what’s needed to get from damage to restoration. There’s another arena with its own share of pain that humans find themselves living through; it’s called life. When it comes to preparing your child for the pain of life, what’s a mom supposed to do? We want to protect those we love, we want to shield them, and in many ways we should. But if we build a wall around them to keep all

Millennials… We get a bad rap, but let’s be real—we are subject to a whole lot of pressure and criticism…especially as moms. Here are just a few of the oh-so many thoughts Millennial moms are sorting out: I have got to get this nursery done before our baby arrives! Obviously not for its functionality because we’ll be using the bassinet in our room at first, but for the newborn lifestyle photos. Today was such a fun day with my kids. I think I could be content doing this all day every day without the pressure of a job. But would I be living up to my fullest potential if I were “just” a mom? I certainly wouldn’t be utilizing the college degree I’m still paying off… I can’t feed