| The Grit and Grace Project

Raise Your Boy to Become a Strong Man

As a mom of four boys, I am thinking of the attack on manhood lately. It seems like I know a lot of great women and not too many great, strong men. I guess it depends on what your deﬁnition of a great man is, but I think most of us can agree on what it is not. And that’s not who you want to raise your boy to be! Unfortunately, due to cultural inﬂuences and the period we live in, I believe there is a rise in the number of passive, lazy, and entitled “boys who can shave.” Men who still live in their parent’s basements play video games for as long as possible, thus putting oﬀ such beautiful privileges such […]

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Here’s How to Create Christmas Magic as a Boy Mom

By Kitti Murray / Motherhood, Featured

Several years ago I got this message from Mandy, one of my favorite boy moms: “Am I seriously the only boy mom who has dreams of decorating together at Christmas only to be faced with three boys totally not interested? Just needing some female sympathy.” Well, here’s your sympathy, Mandy. Glad to oblige. It’s hard to sympathize these days, when almost all of my memories of our four-boy-house-Christmas are sweeter than a Leo’s peppermint stick, the kind in the blue tin that my grandmother kept on her coffee table from early November until late January. That’s what the years have done, made me a sentimental amnesiac. But I also feel that lightly singed sensation of having survived something. So I thought it

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Motherhood: Struggle Bus or Joy Ride? Or Is it Both? – 187

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreSociety is quick to point out the challenges of motherhood. We see it in the “Mommy needs wine” shirts at Target and read about the seemingly endless struggles from other moms on social media. We don’t deny that motherhood comes with its share of hard times, but with the difficult seasons come the rewarding ones, too. Darlene Brock and Julie Bender sit down this week to talk about the beauty of being a mom—from the privilege of shaping a little one’s views and raising them with the potential to positively impact the world, to enjoying life from a child’s perspective and all of the other little gems

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To Moms of Boys in Middle School

By Amanda-Lee Pitzer / Motherhood

Sometimes I really hate being a parent. As I got off the phone with my son’s school, I was furious. Before now, he’s never really been one to get in trouble at school. He was well-behaved, had good grades, and a good group of friends. But this year he was thrust into middle school and into all the challenges that middle school brings. He has been through a lot, but he has come out the other side with a heart bigger than most his age. He feels deeply and strives to be a good friend and do his best. Challenges of Having Boys In Middle School So yes, this little boy turning adolescent threw me for a loop today when I got

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How I’m Learning to Trust God as My Son Becomes a Man

By Amy Saxby / Motherhood

I half knew it was mistake when I made the call. My brothers had flown into town so that we could celebrate my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. It was a special day. We gathered with friends and family at a famous local restaurant eating ribs and exchanging stories. And in that moment, I missed my boy. I’m in a New Parenting Season as My Son Becomes a Man A few weeks before, he graduated from high school. We celebrated with a big party and a day later we drove him eight hours north to work at a Christian camp. It was a whirlwind. So many endings and beginnings all smashed together. As I looked around the restaurant, my heart was happy to

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the loss of my son is changing how i teach my children healthy emotions

Losing My Son Has Changed How I Teach My Children Healthy Emotions

By Cara Martinisi / Motherhood

I’m a mom of three boys, and while I know from experience that prepubescent girls have their own struggles, I am beginning to learn about the struggles of prepubescent boys. My ten-year-old middle son had one of those days today. It was one of those days where it feels like everything is going wrong. He got his first zit, didn’t sleep well last night, and everything just feels “icky” as he stated it. It makes me feel terrible to see him this way. My initial emotional reaction is always the same, “Quick, make him feel better!” Just as quickly as that thought appears, it fades and my reasoning takes over. In my head, I know that I am robbing him of integral

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My Sons Communicated Better When I Used These 5 Techniques

By Jennifer Schoonover / Motherhood

Communication is a key ingredient in every healthy relationship. I think most of us would agree with that statement, especially when talking about our relationship with our spouse. But what about our relationships with the other men in our lives? By the other men in my life, I am referring to my two sons. Here are 5 techniques I used at different stages of their lives to help them open up and communicate more with me. 1. Ask Specific Questions and Pick the Right Time When they are small, we teach our children to “use their words” to communicate what they need or want and even how they feel. As they grow, go to school, and have interactions on their own, we

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5 Ways to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Kids – 158

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More The job of “mom” can be tough! A mother nurtures, disciplines, clothes, feeds and does her very best to protect, all while balancing many more jobs both in and out of the house. With each day abundantly filled, do you find it challenging to invest enough time in building the strong relationship with your kids that you desire? Mom, you are not alone! In this episode, we give five ways every mom can build that relationship at any stage of their kids’ lives. We share things you can do to develop their character while making treasured and lasting memories. Darlene (mom of adult daughters, Nonie to

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When Your Kids Need A Win | Our Grit and Grace Life

By Our Grit and Grace Life Videos / Motherhood

Motherhood is one of life’s most challenging duties. Although you want your child to grow up successful and independent, you still want to intercede and give them a hand up when they fall. Meaghan Dawson, the director of editorial development at Grit and Grace Life, shares her own motherhood struggle and the moment she realized that she needed to step in and help her son, even when the parenting books said otherwise. A parent’s intuition often proves to be the ultimate guidebook. You can read Meaghan’s article on this story here: Mom, You Know When Your Kid Needs a Win

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To the Moms in the Middle Years

By Meaghan Dawson / Motherhood

“Mom, stop talking please. You’re embarrassing me.” This was spoken, of course, through gritted teeth in a pleading whisper as my 13-year-old sat in the front seat next to me, his friends tucked into the back during our daily afternoon carpool. It was after I made the deadly mom mistake of trying to engage a car full of prepubescent boys in conversations by asking how their day was. This, moms in the middle, is a fatal mistake. It Will Hit You Like a Sucker Punch You know this, right? If you’re in the middle, you know. One day you’re hip and cool and wearing the latest denim and the next, you’re excited about your new vacuum and color-coded carpool schedules. It happens

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This Is Why You Need to Let Go of Your Boy, Mom

By Kitti Murray / Motherhood

I had breakfast with one of my sons this week. Somewhere between our first cups of coffee and our last, he looked at me across the table and said, “We should do this more often.” If you are a mom of a boy, especially a boy who is old enough to drink coffee, and even more especially a boy who is a man with a wife and children of his own, you understand how this comment made me feel. I don’t have to describe the little flip-flop that happened in my heart. But it wasn’t all that long ago when the flip-flop could have ruined the moment. This is the danger zone between moms and their boys. I will not say we

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Ask Dr. Zoe – My Tween Boy is Distant, What Do I Do?

By Dr. Zoe / Ask Dr. Zoe

‘Mom of Three Boys’ Asked: As a mom with three boys (12-year-old twins, 9-year-old), how do I deal with the tween separation that boys do without taking it personally? And allow them their space after being super close with them. They used to be so chatty and fun and now they are withdrawn, ‘hanging out with friends’ – which I know is normal but I take it personally… Also looking for some advice on how to get them to do their chores without asking 100 times! Thanks for any help! Xoxo Dr. Zoe Answered: From one boy mom to another, I get you! It is so hard when your son starts distancing from you—especially a child that was previously very close. Our

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Mom, Do You Believe in Chivalry?

By Sarah Beth Wright / Motherhood

“Mom, do you believe in chivalry?” I felt my jaw tighten up, and I did my best not to roll my eyes. As a boy mom in the South, one of my biggest conflicts has always been how to raise my boys to treat girls and women with respect in all directions. I grew up with a mom who taught me women are independent and can handle life on our own, while she also respected my father. My dad opened doors and carried in the groceries while appreciating her for her achievements. Strong Women Still Desire Chivalry So, why was this such a nerve-touching question? Most likely because of the family, friends, and relatives I grew up with that defined chivalry for

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A Letter to My Preteen Son, I See You Finding Your Way

By Laura Hurd / Faith

I can’t say for sure when it started because I feel like it has been more of a creeping progression. This year I have felt more sidelined as your mom than ever. You are learning about your body, your personality, and your friends. I understand that it’s a lot for you to take in. You are pulling away from adolescence and gradually determining your mindset. Basically, you are growing up. Most of the time I am so proud of you for how you react to situations. You have even stood strong in your faith in circumstances that have left me doubtful. However, to assume that you wouldn’t be tempted in any way along the journey of your youth was a dumb thought.

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Your Mom Always Said This (And She Was Right)- 079

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreLooking back we all recall the mom phrases: “Don’t roll your eyes, they’ll get stuck like that”, “If your friend jumped off a bridge…” and “Because I said so, that’s why!” These all-too-familiar phrases became ones we mouthed in the backseat of the car as we were growing up. There also may have been phrases like “I love you no matter what” that she never said, but you wished she would have. On this episode, Darlene and Julie revisit several expressions moms are famous for, as well as ones they didn’t say, but you needed. If you’re a mom, you will find yourself repeating these to your

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If Raising a Boy Has You Filled With Fear, You Need to Read This

By Kitti Murray / Faith

We were on vacation with our kids and our grandchildren when it hit me. Boys will always give you something to fear. A red flag whipped in the wind, an ineffective reminder—in our case—that the surf was not safe today. Under my watchful eye our grandson, Gunnar, thrashed about in the waves. Up to his ankles. Up to his knees. Over his head. Every fourth or fifth time the water would pull Gunnar backward just as a wave would send him spiraling forward into the sand. I’d help him up and think, “Oh good, he’s scared now.” But he wasn’t. Or maybe being scared was the point. I used to say our kids were fearless, but watching our grandson last week I

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This Is What I Do When My Child Has ‘Big Emotions’

By Rachel Hagstrom / Motherhood

I lay down in bed with my daughter, snuggle close, and whisper, “Guess what? You have a superhero power.” The last 45 minutes have driven me to a state of sensory overload. The loud cries and tantrum-type behavior heightened by end-of-day depletion leave my nerves frazzled and on edge. The lines of communication blurred after my girl spouted off about something I asked her to do before getting ready for bed. I reacted in equal measures of frustration and disrespect, and shortly after, everything imploded. I’m ticked at her, but mostly at myself and the way I responded. I’m worn out; the sleepless nights are doing a number on me and on my headspace. I’m tempted to wave the white flag of

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