Yes, you are! I think all children have the same first love — their mom. And we are usually their first Valentine, too. All of the future Valentine’s Days our children celebrate will echo the love they learned from us. And, the way we show our children love will also affect their future marriage. So, what are the most important relationship traits to teach our kids? Marriage researcher John Gottman says there are two traits that are more important than…
Can you know how to be a good parent? The answer is yes. This is an important topic because we so often doubt ourselves, especially when our children go through tough phases. We tend to feel like it’s our fault and we look back and say, “Uh-oh, how did I fail in these areas?” Today I want to assure you that there are lots of things you’re probably doing right. Here are some ways you can know that you’re being…
I have an awesome new marriage printable to share with you that will help make your relationship with your husband stronger and more loving. It’s the Lists to Love By 30 Day Marriage Challenge. The printable was inspired by our Lists to Love By, Simple Steps to the Marriage You Want books (there is one for wives and one for husbands). We have been so encouraged by the feedback about how the simple actions and short chapters are making it easier…
My husband can read two languages — but reading body language isn’t one of them! Mark does his best to be an attentive listener, but because he’s so focused on what I’m saying (I’ve written before about how we are completely different animals when it comes to wordsmithing), he often misses the nuanced meaning telegraphed in my facial expressions. Can you read your spouse? In our books, Lists to Love by for Busy Wives, and Lists to Love by for…
Have you ever noticed that when someone from another country speaks a different language, people feel the need to speak louder? We think speaking loudly will bridge the communication gap. But it doesn’t. Their ears are working, it’s their brain that can’t understand the words. The same problem occurs when a husband and wife have different love languages. A husband loves his wife in a certain way and when it’s not appreciated he doubles his efforts. It’s like he is…
We often don’t understand what’s going on in the heads of our teenagers. In my case, this happened with one of my boys. He was such a good, compliant child that when he hit the teenage years I really didn’t know that he was having a lot of self-doubt. He based it on things that had happened to him that he perceived incorrectly. Even if you think your child is fine, be alert during these years and have regular conversations so the…
I loved it when my children were babies. I also loved it when they were teenagers—really, I did. Yes, there were challenges, but the bonds we formed during those years will last us a lifetime. What’s the key to parenting teenagers? In this podcast episode, Mark and I talk about how first, you’ll need to transition from being a little-people parent to a big-people parent. We have to accept that their mind has changed, how they think has changed, they…