It’s important to keep an emotional connection as a couple, and Mark and I have learned some ways to make that happen. I say make that happen because if you don’t put your mind to staying connected to your husband, a thousand other things will get in they way of doing it. Or, in my case, 5 children — even though I loved them — had a habit of getting in the way. These 6 things will help you stay connected…
We got in a pretty heated discussion during an iMOM meeting the other day. The topic: should you spy on your kids. One of our iMOM writers had written about three ways that she spied on her children. A couple of the younger people in the room thought it wasn’t right for a mom to snoop. I disagreed, and here’s why. One of my children went through a very, very tough time in high school. I could tell this child…
Mark Twain once said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” I think this is especially true in marriage. When you are knee deep in children and half of them have the throw-up bug and a toilet just overflowed, a good, honest compliment from the one who sees the dark, weary circles under your eyes will get you through the battle. A sincere, timely compliment can be a powerful difference maker for days. It’s not easy, this crazy busy…
Conquering bad behavior is not my favorite part of parenting but I learned that the sooner it was caught, the easier it was taught. In other words, when you observe bad behavior in your child, correct it quickly. If you allow the behavior to go on and on without correction you will have a harder time re-training your child. Another thing I learned is that often times the same behavior will pop up again at a different stage of a…
I hear it from moms everywhere I go, I’m just not a good mom. No matter how hard I try, I am not the mom I want to be. I messed up again, today. I know how you feel. There were many days, especially when my children were toddlers and teens, that I felt like I had missed the mark. But as my children have gotten older — I’ve gained perspective. I have learned from hindsight and I want to…
“Here you go again…” “Maybe if you didn’t always…” “Let’s not forget it was you who…” These are scripts of unforgiveness that inflamed many an otherwise common argument in my marriage. The phrases were hot coals left smoldering from past unforgiveness. While small statements, they packed such heat that when thrust into an argument the fire invariably burned and wounded the relationship far more than the initial argument warranted. There have been times Mark and I have hurt each other deeply…