Posted by Carey Nieuwhof | No one would pretend that raising kids is easy. It’s a constant tension between grace: I love you. I see value in you. I will never quit on you. And discipline: You can’t write on the walls in crayon; hit your brother on the head with a mixing bowl; be out with…
Posted by Melissa Thorson My son peed on my friend’s pants. It wasn’t an “Ooops!-My-lil’-sweet-pea’s-diaper-leaked-some tee-tee!” kinda-pee. My almost-three-year-old pulled down his pants, set up his aim with precision, and fire-hosed the folded jeans. Every parent has laughable potty-training stories. But this incident wasn’t just a learning-bladder-control mishap; it was a desperate act of attention-seeking…
Posted by Reggie Joiner | So how kind have your kids been lately? That is one of your goals as a parent right? Along with a good education, health, financial autonomy, faith in God, you hope your kids will be nice, at least some of the time. That’s because most of us believe life in…
In the decade that I have been parenting my son, his educational and care teams have been excellent. It has always been hard work to coordinate Liam’s services and ensure that everything is as it should be, but I have had utter confidence in each team member. This year has been a bit different. Liam has…
“Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” I used to roll my eyes every time that commercial came on the television. My friends and I made it into a joke, working the reference into our conversations. Then last Thursday afternoon occurred. I am recovering from extensive surgery on both my feet. I’ve spent the…
It’s 4:54 AM and I can hear crying on the monitor. I stumble out of bed half asleep, yet used to this routine. I race down the steps and reach my son’s room. First, I take in the statistics on his monitors and then silence the alarms. The beeping alone can make my blood pressure…
I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions. Maybe it’s my tendency toward distractability or lack of stick-with-itness, but I’ve only ever followed through with one resolution. So this post isn’t about the shoulds and musts and resolves you need. Let’s all breathe a sigh of relief together, shall we? No, this post is about…
Posted by Carey Nieuwhof There’s an insecurity inside most of us that asks, “But, does he/she really love me?” It happens when you’re dating. Sometimes it still haunts you when you’re married. It follows you into your deep friendships. And it definitely makes its way into the heart of almost every child. I have NO…
Thirteen years ago, I couldn’t have known all that motherhood held in store. I knew I wanted to be a mom and have a handful of kids. 3-4 would be good. God saw fit to bless our family with three wonderful boys. Benjamin came first. He was going to be William until the day he…
I get it. When you stop for a moment and say, “Take care of yourself, OK?” you’re telling me you care. And I’m so glad you stopped instead of walking by. But can I let you in on something? I’m trying to take care of myself, really I am. On days where my son’s health…