Parent Archives - Girls To Grow

Pondering the Positive In Our Parenting

September 21, 2017 by Tracey 3 Comments

One of my favorite Bible verses about parenting comes from an unlikely place – the Christmas story. As many times as I’ve read it, Luke 2:19 always brings Mary to life as a mom just like me.

“But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”

What great and wonderful things Mary had to ponder! Her baby was Jesus, the Son of God Himself.

His birth had been announced by an angel. She’d carried a baby in her womb without ever having a relationship with a man. In the midst of a trip to another town, while staying in a stable, she’d given birth. Furthermore, shepherds appeared in the doorway to worship her son. How full her heart and mind must have been with all that had taken place!

Mary kept these events fresh in her mind, she reviewed them over and over. Surely she thought long and heard about what all of this meant in regards to her child.

Admittedly, Mary witnessed miraculous events surrounding the birth of Jesus. We moms surely won’t share those experiences, yet we do have much to think about when it comes to our children.

Let's focus on the positive behavior we see in our kids.

What type of thoughts do you meditate on when it comes to your children? If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time thinking about them. Whether it’s how they’re doing in a particular subject in school, the way they’re responding to correction, or their latest friendship, I’m usually reflecting about what’s going on in their lives.

Recently I was talking (okay, obsessing) to my husband about something related to one of our girls. I’d had a bit of a run-in with her that morning, and I was focusing on a negative behavior. And honestly, in that moment, I’m sure my mama mind was blowing it out of proportion.

Being the voice of calm (as always), he gently encouraged me to think of all the positive things about her – and admittedly, there are many. As he listed a few of them aloud to me, I realized he was right. It was a reminder to me that I can let one negative incident color my perception of my child for days.

What I realized anew is the importance of focusing on the good in my children. If I look for the bad, I’m going to find it. And honestly, it’s often easier to see all that needs to be corrected, and the many ways they could do better.

If, instead, I focus on the good, I find it easier to encourage her. I can speak words that bless her and lift her up. Because if the good is what I’m looking for, that’s what I’m more likely to see.

Yes, there are issues that will need to be addressed. But with both of my girls, I want to make sure I notice and think about the good. After all, I sure like to be told what I’m doing right more than I like to hear about what I’m doing wrong!

Ultimately I want to concentrate on those things that have eternal value. My highest calling as their mom is to see them come to know and love their Savior. My daughters’ spiritual condition, seeing them develop a personal relationship with Christ, is my top priority.

If her room is messy when she leaves for school, but I know that she took a few minutes to pray and read God’s Word, that’s a win. If I see her being kind to a classmate who needs help, I’ll put less importance on the inconvenience of making a trip back to school to retrieve the book bag she left in her locker.

Our children are blessings from God, beautiful treasures that my husband and I have been given to raise. I want to take each day, each stage, each age, and see the good in it, enjoy it to its fullest. Yes, some seasons will be easier than others. But we will not pass this way again, these lovely young ladies or I.

I believe Mary looked back often on those early days with her baby boy. How special those memories must have been! May I, too, soak up the moments today, focusing on all that is good in my children, so that one day I’ll have many good memories to ponder.

10 “Don’ts” for Moms of Teenage Girls

August 29, 2017 by Tracey 2 Comments

The way I see it, I’m about halfway done with parenting teenage daughters.

There are many, many positive moments in parenting teenage girls. We can share shoes and jewelry and hair styling instruments (clothes, not so much). They can be very helpful around the house. Each one is developing into her own individual person with a sense of humor and the ability to carry on meaningful conversations. I love watching them participate in sports and fine arts, and seeing how they continue to develop new interests.

But over the past several years, I’ve figured out some ways I shouldn’t go about this parenting teenagers deal. How do I know about these mistakes? I’ve made them all. I’m experiencing this times two on a daily basis. More than anything, this is a list for me to refer back to over the second half of this parenting teens season!

Ten things moms of teenage girls may want to avoid

1. Don’t ask too many questions all at once.

I’ve found that I can usually get away with asking two or three questions before I begin to sound like an interrogator. However, I might be able to circle back and throw out a question related to the same topic later on and get a decent response.

Also, non-specific questions such as “How was your day at school?” get no real conversation flowing here. It usually works better if I ask about a specific thing that I know was happening that day, such as “Did you get that class project finished on time?”

Now this does depend on the personality of your child. Some like to give blow-by-blow details of the day, and are happy to answer any questions you might have. Others just keep most of their thoughts to themselves. I’ve got one on each side of the spectrum.

2. Don’t continue to treat her like a little girl.

Okay, so she’ll still act like a little girl at times, but she is growing up. She needs to accept responsibility and, along with that, be granted some new freedoms as she proves herself trustworthy. She can have a later bedtime, handle getting herself up in the morning with an alarm clock, etc.

3. Don’t minimize her feelings.

Yes, whatever is causing her world to fall apart may seem unimportant to you, but it’s a big deal to her. She may not want to hear, “I know just how you feel” because likely, you don’t. You may have experienced something similar, but it’s probably not exactly what she’s feeling.

I’m trying to learn to just listen, to not offer advice unless I’m asked for it. It’s rare that a daughter wants me to fix something. She usually only wants to talk it through.

4. Don’t respond in the heat of the moment.

If your daughter is worked up about something – and especially if she’s upset with you – it almost never does any good to deal with the situation until she’s calmed down. And usually I need time to calm down, too. Much more will be accomplished if we both retreat to our private spaces, and reconnect a little bit later.

5. Don’t feel like you have to answer a request immediately.

It’s okay to say, “Let me think about that” when a child asks to do something or go somewhere, and you’re unsure about what to say. You may need a little while to pray about it, talk to your spouse, or find out more about the situation.

6. Don’t get drawn into the drama.

Be the adult. Yes, you are one (and she’s not – yet), so prove that when a drama-filled situation arises. My initial reaction is to jump right into the middle of it along with her, but that doesn’t help anyone. SO much easier said than done. (And my husband is much better at this than I am!!)

7. Don’t be afraid to stand your ground when you’ve said “no.”

If our teenagers suddenly took our “no’s” sweetly and submissively, would we even know how to react? Sometimes they’re going to grumble and complain. Or they may keep trying to suggest a work around that we’ll accept. I’m of the opinion that we should say “yes” as often as we can, but when we give a well-thought-out “no,” we should stand by it.

8. Don’t forget to say “I love you” and “I’m proud of you” as often as you can.

Make it a priority. That is all.

9. Don’t think she doesn’t need you anymore.

My 16-year-old just packed for an overnight trip. I didn’t have to get down a bag, think about what type of clothes she needed, or do a final check to make sure she had her toothbrush. She can wash her own clothes and drive a car. She works a job and she’s understanding chemistry without me (praises be!!)

But I know she still needs a mom. A lot of times that just means being around in case she wants to talk, going to the store to pick up that notebook she needs for school, or surprising her with a frappuccino at the end of a hard school day.

10. Don’t neglect praying for her.

Prayer is our most powerful weapon against the temptations our daughters will face. It’s also what my heart needs as I struggle to be the mom I should be when our relationship seems less than ideal. Only the Holy Spirit can grow her heart into loving Jesus more. And He’s the only one who can manifest His fruit in me to be an example I’d want her to follow.

If you would add another “don’t” to this list, please share it in the comments below! I’ve got just over five years left with a teenage girl in the house, and I’ll take all the help I can get!!

A Different Kind of Summer; or, When Kiddie Pools and Sand Boxes Don’t Cut It Anymore

May 31, 2017 by Tracey 3 Comments

Another school year is winding down. My daughters’ last day is Friday, then we’ll enter the summertime zone.

Summer used to mean a kiddie pool in the back yard, bottles of bubbles to blow, and a sand box to dig in. It meant trips to the park to swing and slide, and Popsicle juice running down your arm.

Now summer looks like my 16-year-old getting her first real job – one she can actually drive to all by herself. It means a week away at camp. It’s starting to plan college visits and looking ahead to ACT testing. Needless to say, we’ve moved into the realm of serious, grown-up-like stuff.

The summers of then and the summers of now are both fun in totally different ways. Yes, there are some sweet memories associated with the bubbles and sidewalk chalk and kids running through the sprinkler. And these days, I appreciate how my girls can entertain themselves quietly with a book or another project for hours on end.

Back then, it was me pushing the swing and blowing the bubbles in the 90+ degree heat and humidity, wishing I could be inside in the air conditioning. Now I get to sit in the air conditioning while I’m praying that she makes it safely to work or looking around an empty bedroom and missing her while she’s at camp.

Every summer has a different rhythm. Some have been loud and busy and long. Others passed quietly and all too quickly. The older I get, the more of a blur they are.

Yet there’s still the pull of that slightly slower schedule. There’s time to savor sitting side-by-side on the couch reading books, staying up late watching a movie, and sleeping in until the sun’s already been up for awhile.

How to plan your summer when your kids are too old for kiddie pools and sand boxes

I previously mentioned Katy’s post The Schedule that Saved Our Summer. Now I’ve decided to put her ideas into practice with my 14-year-old. (My 16-year-old may participate in some of this, depending on her work schedule.) I took the days of the week Katy designated (making a minor switch for Friday), and listed at least five ideas under each category that will work for us. We’ll likely add a couple more as the summer goes along.

Make-it Monday

bake a sweet treat
sewing project (she’s currently sewing a dress for her American girl doll)
puzzles (she’s still working on a 1000 piece puzzle she got for her birthday…back in December)
craft project (she has a large tub of craft materials)
make fruit smoothies or milkshakes
I might pull some ideas from 8 Creative Skills You Can Learn in a Weekend

Trip Tuesday

bowling
park
museum
library
picnic downtown

Working Wednesday

clean baseboards
organize a space
clean out closet/drawers
dust blinds
go through books/papers/music books and give away what we no longer need/use

Thoughtful Thursday

card for a church member who’s sick
meal for a neighbor or friend
thank-you note to someone
collect items to donate
write to pen pal

Fun Friday

at-home movie marathon
get together with a friend
swim at our neighborhood pool
board games
make a meal of all our favorite foods

Between vacation and camps, we have less than ten weeks of summer. Therefore, we won’t quite make it through each round of ideas twice.

In case you’re like my daughter, and a little stressed that too much planning equals too little down time, don’t worry. I’ll make sure to build in days with no expectations and just pure summer relaxation!

My goal is to send out an e-mail newsletter on Friday with a list of the books my girls will be reading this summer. If you’re not signed up to receive my newsletter, you can do that here. (Each summer we assign our girls a list of non-fiction books to read. After they finish the book, we pay them to write a brief report about it.)

For further reading on how I’ve planned out our previous summers, visit these posts.
How to Plan a Summer Learning Program for Your Kids
Summer Learning Program for 2016
3 Keys to a More Peaceful Summer with Your Kids

Are your children done with school yet? Have any plans for the summer?

For Those Days When You Need to Chill Out as a Parent

April 27, 2017 by Tracey 4 Comments

I don’t know if it’s just my personality or if this is totally a mom thing. (Since I’ve seen plenty of laid-back moms, I’m guessing it’s more my own issues.)

Sometimes I feel that my approach to parenting is simply to move from one small crisis to the next, getting worked up over whatever needs to be taken care of in the moment. Or, if there’s actually nothing I need to be addressing in the present, I’m probably worrying about what the next issue will be!

I think it’s the worst with the oldest child. As my parents would say, she’s the “learner child.” Working through problems with her is typically a brand new process for me. With just two children, I guess my youngest is the only one who will benefit from my (hopefully!) learning from my mistakes.

Essentially, I find that I sometimes make EVERYTHING a big deal. I’m writing these words today to remind myself to take deep breath, followed by a step back, and remember this advice.

Only make things that really are a BIG DEAL a big deal. Let the little stuff go. Not every battle is worth fighting, especially if winning is going to drive a long-lasting wedge into the relationship I have with my child.

Let the BIG DEAL stuff be my big deal, not someone else’s. To me, eating to a certain level of healthiness and getting enough sleep most nights are a big deal. Yes, we have PopTarts® in the pantry and chocolate yogurt in the fridge. But the girls get fruit in their lunch box every day. Several times a week, I try to serve a vegetable they at least tolerate enough to eat. And as for getting enough sleep, that’s to benefit me as much as them, ’cause nobody likes to deal with a sleep-deprived, emotional teenage girl! Someone else’s big deal stuff may be totally different than mine, and that’s okay!

Remain calm and let the drama flow around you. I can get sucked in to whatever the current issue is…I lost my homework! My friend won’t play with/talk to me! My favorite outfit is still in the dirty clothes hamper! Guess what? There will be a new drama tomorrow. But if I get drawn into it, I can’t give good advice or help them see past the problem and come up with a solution. (Honestly, this is what my husband’s for, too! He’s much better at remaining calm through it all.)

Hitting milestones ahead of time is fine…but so is letting my child develop at her own pace. Everything doesn’t have to be a race to be first. I can encourage my child to excel whenever she can. But if her ability in a certain area is average, that’s okay. If she can improve by working hard, great. But if average is her best in that area, I can deal with that.

Focus on what’s really going to matter when my kids are 30. That’s their walk with God, their character, their generosity, and their relationships with others. If I want to be hyped up about something, I should focus on what I can do to grow my children in those areas.

If I’d mastered all this as a mom, I wouldn’t be writing about it!! I’m sure today will be a challenge in one of these areas, so I’d better print this out and hang it on my refrigerator!

If you haven’t done this yet, check out the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle sale for a great list of homemaking resources at a super price!

Just a Few More Miles on the Car

March 30, 2017 by Tracey 4 Comments

Two weeks ago, I drove my teenage daughters to their school at 5:30 in the morning. They wanted to ride a bus with their friends to the state fine arts competition. I raced back home, ate a quick breakfast, then started my own hour-and-a-half drive to the competition. The odometer clicked along as I drove down the interstate…putting just a few more miles on the car.

That car takes us to basketball games, school concerts, piano recitals, and school plays. The miles are racking up, evidenced by my feeling like I have that vehicle at the dealership for regular maintenance every few weeks. Where will it take us next? I think college visits are lurking in our future.

But I wouldn’t miss these miles for anything because it means we are there for our daughters. I don’t want them to just tell me about that free throw shot they made; I want to see it, and celebrate with them. It’s not enough to just hear how they missed some key notes in that piano duet; I want to be there to commiserate, then encourage them to move on to the next event. And it takes putting a few more miles on the car to be present for those moments.

Am I going to have a meltdown if I have to miss a game? No. Things happen. But I want our daughters to know that in our world, being there for them is important.

Being present with your child, involving yourself in what they enjoy, is a huge relationship builder.

You may not be in the season of putting those miles on the car. For you, it may be celebrating that new puzzle he finally put together by himself or hanging that picture she colored on the refrigerator. Perhaps you’re cheering from the sidelines of a local soccer game where all the five-year-olds cluster around the ball. Maybe you sit in the stands at a Tee Ball game where the kids in the outfield are aimlessly picking flowers.

But whatever your child is doing these days, be present in it with them. Look up when she calls you to see how high she’s going in the swing. Really notice when he connects the train tracks in a new way. Because we’re building relationships. We want our kids to know that we’re going to be there every step of the way, win or lose, succeed or fail.

Is it always easy or convenient? No. I’m finding it is easier in these days to make time for all those things since the physical demands of parenting are less. But when you have younger ones to take care of or housekeeping chores that keep piling up, it may not seem worth the time to stop what you’re doing and focus on what they’re doing.

Yet how much does it mean to our children to gain our approval, to know they have our full attention? Or, in this stage of mine, to know that they can look up in the stands and see me there, or if they’re up on the stage, that they can spot me in the crowd.

I’m nearing the tail end of this active parenting stage. Is there one kindergarten field trip I regret attending? No. Is there one piano recital I wish I would have skipped? Not hardly.

I know you moms that read here. You’re the ones who already go out of your way to support your child, encourage him, be there for her. And isn’t it fun when the game or the concert or the play is over, and you can talk about the highlights and laugh (maybe not in that moment, but later) over the miscues?

Before we wrap up, let’s talk about what this post is not.

It’s not a guilt trip. Goodness knows we’ve all been on enough of those.

It’s not a “Look at me! Aren’t I the perfect mom because I attend all my kids’ activities?!” I’ve been blessed with parents who set the example in this area. I have a husband who works hard and manages money well so that I don’t have to work outside the home, which gives me the time to do all the things. I’ve been granted the health and strength to make this process work.

Lastly, this isn’t a license to obsess over every move my kid makes, or to relive parts of my own childhood through my children’s accomplishments. It’s simply a reminder of the importance of building relationships. If you don’t have kids, apply this to your marriage or your friendships. Be present when you’re with that person. Practice enjoying what brings them pleasure. Celebrate their wins and grieve with them in their losses.

But back to us moms…On those occasions when you wonder if it’s worth it to read one more book aloud or exclaim over one more Lego creation or take another long drive to watch that kid play (or sit on the bench) in a game, remember our goal. We’re building a relationship with that child that will last a lifetime. And the time to invest in that relationship is now. You can’t go back and do it all over again.

And do you know what happened last Friday, the final day of my girls’ spring break? That 16-year-old and her sister, they got in the car and drove off on their own to meet friends at the ice skating rink while I stayed at home. And just like that, it’s my girls – not me – putting just a few more miles on that car.

Don’t Skip This Crucial Step When Training Your Children

March 9, 2017 by Tracey 4 Comments

Here’s my latest version of “Kids Say the Funniest Things” – and it brought to mind such an important principle for our parenting!

I work with the Kindergarten through Second Grade children at our church on Wednesday nights. Last week, during Bible verse memory time, I had a 6-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy in my group. The girl was studying Philippians 2:14, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings.”

At the top of the page in her Awana book was a picture of a boy with a plate of food in front of him, and some words printed next to the picture describing what the verse was about. Once she had memorized the verse, I asked her to tell me what it meant.

She glanced up at the picture (obviously not reading the words), and said, “Oh, it means, don’t eat your food too fast.” I smiled and said, “No, that’s not what it means.”

The little boy started saying, “I know what it means! I know what it means!” He’s quite smart for his age, so I figured he probably did. I said, “Okay, tell me what the verse means.” He started making stabbing motions toward himself, and said, “It means don’t kill people!”

He obviously mistook the word “murmuring” for “murdering!” After I gently told him that his description was also incorrect, I explained that the verse meant to do everything without whining and complaining. Honestly, I think they had two thoughts – they both liked their interpretations of the verse better, and they also probably understood that they’re guilty of whining and complaining at times (aren’t we all!) What the verse really meant was more convicting than the meanings they had come up with.

This experience reminded me of the importance of explaining God’s Word to our children. While memorizing Scripture is great, how much more valuable it is when our kids learn to apply those verses in their lives.

Our daughters are at the age now where they sometimes hear views that differ from ours. Whether it’s from their friends, at their Christian school, through media, or in other arenas, they are slowly being exposed to a wide range of opinions about what’s right and wrong, how they should act, and what they should believe.

Since they’re 16 and 14, my husband and I are able to actually have discussions with them about these topics. My burden lately is that every time a new question comes up, we will not just share our opinion, but that we will point them straight to the Bible, and share specific verses about why we believe what we believe. Because in the long run – and actually not long from now for our 16-year-old! – she will have to make her own judgments and decisions about what she will and won’t do, and I want her to decide based on God’s Word. It’s not enough for her to say “Well, that’s how I was brought up.” That will fail her at some point. Her convictions need to be based in the truth of God’s Word if she’s going to stand firm.

Over Sunday lunch, a certain movie was the topic of conversation. While we had already decided that it wasn’t going to be viewed by our family, I wanted the girls to think it through, and come to a conclusion about why we should or shouldn’t watch it (even if this particular decision had already been made for them). With teenagers, we are way beyond the point of “Do this/Don’t do this because I said so.” We are on the threshold of our daughters making all their choices on their own, so it’s vital that we point them to the Bible. Part of our training them is to help them learn to think critically and apply what they know from the Bible to every situation.

No matter what age your kids are, get them thinking! Help them understand the Bible, not just regurgitate its facts or spout off verses that they don’t comprehend. If they’re saved, the Holy Spirit can take the Word of God, use it to convict them of wrong, and show them the right way to live.

What Should We Teach Our Daughters to Look for in a Husband?

March 2, 2017 by Tracey 8 Comments

If we’re going to talk about boy/girl relationships, I’ll tell you a bit of my history.

I didn’t really date in high school. While I found plenty of boys that I liked and that I thought should be interested in me 😉 it was my freshman year of college before I actually started to date. The Christian college I attended had fairly strict rules, so most of my dates were on campus, and consisted of lots of talking, eating meals together, playing games and/or studying in common areas – or going to church services together, which was where my husband and I went on our first date!

Since I now have a daughter in high school, we get to have some fun conversations about boys. I encourage both of our girls to get to know guys as friends while they’re in high school, to use these years to learn what types of personalities work well together, and to begin to understand what attributes might be important to them in a future husband.

When it’s time to get serious about the type of guy they want to marry, there are a few qualities that are key. The neat thing is that this is not a theory I have to explain to our daughters or a lecture they have to sit and listen to me give. I get to point out these qualities in their dad – so he has a major role in helping define what the right guy is going to look like for them!

Here’s a list of nine traits to help them get started as they consider the type of man they want to marry.

1. He’s a Christian. Our girls already know the Bible verse (2 Corinthians 6:14) about not being unequally yoked together with unbelievers, so this needs to be the determining factor before their heart and emotions get involved with a young man.

2. He walks with God. More than just having a salvation testimony, I hope our daughters seek a man who has an authentic relationship with Christ, and who demonstrates that through his words and actions. For example, since going to a local church to worship God and minister with others has been important to our girls, the man they’re getting to know should have the same interests.

The rest of these traits should naturally flow from this one, but we’ll break them down anyway.

3. Character. He has a good moral reputation and is a man of integrity. This is one of the greatest things that my husband models for our girls. He is determined to always do what’s right in a situation to the best of his ability.

4. Kindness. It sounds like such a simple thing, but not every guy is going to be genuinely kind to others.

5. Hard worker. A guy’s work ethic is going to play a very important part in how life goes for their family. He doesn’t have to start out with a great job making lots of money, but he does need to be willing to work hard and to look for opportunities to improve himself. Watch out for laziness!

6. Sense of humor. Life is going to be serious enough; you need someone to laugh with as you go along!

7. Comfortable in his own skin. Not only do you want someone to laugh with, but you want a guy who can laugh at himself. He is who he is, and doesn’t “put on airs” to try to impress other people. A man like this will also be humble enough to ask for forgiveness when he’s done wrong.

8. Not self-centered. I remember one guy that I dated briefly in college. He spent most of the few dates we had talking about himself – specifically telling me what a great soccer player he was. I appreciate that he helped me to see one of the things I didn’t want in a husband, and I’ve already warned my girls about this kind of guy. 🙂

9. Honest. A lifetime relationship of marriage requires trust. Don’t just consider how he interacts with you, but watch how he deals with other people. Is he always looking for a short cut to get things done rather than doing the job thoroughly? Is he totally up front about all the details when he’s conducting business?

I remind my girls that they’re not perfect, and that there’s no perfect guy out there, either! You’re not likely going to find an 18-year-old who has matured in every one of these areas, but he can certainly have a heart that is bent toward God, and be pursuing a life that will glorify Him.

God can give our daughters the wisdom and discernment they need as they begin to develop dating relationships in the coming years. And as for me? I can be on my knees praying!!

6 Pieces of Advice for a Daughter Who’s Beginning Her Life’s Voyage

February 23, 2017 by Tracey 6 Comments

It’s a feeling I’d have been expecting a few months from now. It should hit when the school year ends, and I realize my oldest daughter is officially a high school junior, and I only have two more years to expect her to come walking in our door every night, going to sleep in that queen-sized bed, leaving socks and pajamas in a pile on the floor every morning.

So to get teary-eyed about my daughter growing up on a random February morning caught me by surprise. Though I’ll admit that I cry a lot more easily these days, and it doesn’t take much to get me all sentimental. But this time a picture did it.

No, it wasn’t the one of her holding the driver’s license she got last week, nor the cute picture she posted on Instagram from her elementary school days. It was a picture of a boat on a lake at sunset.

That picture prompted these thoughts.

It’s like that sweet daughter has spent years here with us, safe in the harbor. Her dad and I have directed where she went and when. We’ve been able to guide and correct that boat to a great degree. Not that there weren’t rough winds and waves splashing up on the shore and rocky paths to navigate together. There were – and I’m sure there are still some more ahead of us.

But before long now, she’ll push away from the dock, set off in her own boat, begin the voyage that will take her out into the life that God has for her. And that little boat will seem so tiny out on that big ocean all by itself. She’ll chart her own course as we watch, sometimes from nearby, sometimes from far away.

So, since I’m an ex-school teacher, and always take the opportunity to slip a little advice her way, I thought I’d have some words of wisdom ready for her as she navigates her way out into the world.

1. Let God be your captain. Pray for His guidance, study His Word, yield to His leading. Nothing is more important. He will always guide you well.

2. Be true to yourself. God made you special. He put dreams and desires in your heart that He meant you to fulfill. Don’t allow other people to dictate who you become or where you go, but follow the course that’s meant for you.

3. Love those God gives you with all your heart. Treasure the relationships you have, whether it’s friends, a husband, children. Be loyal and passionate in loving your people.

4. Be bold and brave in chasing your dreams. Be willing to step outside of your comfort zone, and fight your fears. It’s fitting that we talked about this quote just a few weeks ago.

5. Make time to serve others. Life will be mighty empty if you make it all about yourself. Wherever you are, find a way to bless someone else, to make another person’s life a little easier and a little happier.

6. Live in the present. Don’t think that when you reach that certain port you’ll finally be truly happy. Whether it’s marriage or parenting or that promotion or a ministry opportunity, don’t waste today wishing for tomorrow. In fact, when you look back, you just may see that the actual journey was more fulfilling than the reward.

And I’ll finish by taking that last piece of advice for my own. I’m not going to wish I was back in the preschool phase or the elementary days, nor am I going to waste the next 2 1/2 years dreading her high school graduation. I’m going to wash that school uniform tonight and pack her lunch tomorrow morning and let her drive us down the highway to school – and enjoy today’s moments as they come.

How to Pray for My Strong-Willed Child (and Her Mother)

February 2, 2017 by Tracey 5 Comments

Sitting around the supper table recently, my family was discussing some memorable “misbehavior moments” from when our girls were younger. It took me back to those early days of training and correction, when it sometimes felt like nothing was working! (Not that we still don’t have those days now, but that’s a post for another day 😉

We often hear the term “strong-willed child.” I would certainly say we have one that fits into that category! I like this definition from Aha! Parenting.com.

“What exactly is a strong-willed child? Some parents call them “difficult” or “stubborn,” but we could also see strong-willed kids as people of integrity who aren’t easily swayed from their own viewpoints. Strong-willed kids are spirited and courageous. They want to learn things for themselves rather than accepting what others say, so they test the limits over and over. They want desperately to be “in charge” of themselves, and will sometimes put their desire to “be right” above everything else. When their heart is set on something, their brains seem to have a hard time switching gears. Strong-willed kids have big, passionate feelings and live at full throttle.”

While we need to consistently pray for all of our children, sometimes those we would classify as strong-willed drive us to our knees more often than the others. Below, I’ve listed eight ways we can pray for those children in particular, as well as ways we can pray for ourselves as we guide them. (I’m using the female tense here since I have daughters, but feel free to substitute “he/him” if your strong-willed child happens to be a boy!)

Give me wisdom to parent this child. James 1:5 promises that God will answer this prayer! I certainly need wisdom to know how to handle the daily struggles that come when she continually wants her own way, right then, no matter what.

Draw her to Yourself in salvation early in life. Our ultimate desire in training our children is to have them be willing to submit their will to God’s. Teaching them to obey authority they can see and hear will hopefully lead to their obeying God and His Word.

Help me to be firm in setting boundaries. We get tired, and it’s so easy to cave in and just let her do what she wants. If you’re like me, you just want peace in your family! Every issue doesn’t need to turn into a power struggle (which is why I need wisdom), but when I take a stand, I need to see it through.

Channel her strong will into courage to stand up for what’s right. Help me see the positive potential in her nature. Use her to be a voice for those who are weaker, and to do great things for the cause of Christ.

On those days when I’m exhausted from the constant power struggles, remind me to find my strength in You. Psalm 22:19 says, “But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me.” God can give us the help and strength we need for each day.

Grow her desire to obey. So often that’s what it’s all about – obedience. Recognize and praise those times when she actually does do what she’s asked without a fight!

As I parent her, show me how often I put my wishes and desires above Yours, so that I may repent. I’ve learned more about myself through parenting my children than I ever dreamed I would!! I’m not nearly as patient and easy going as I might have thought I was before. Often, God uses situations with my children to show me my own lack of self-control and sinfulness.

Even when it’s hard and I’m frustrated beyond belief, let me demonstrate Your love toward her. Romans 5:8 tells me that even when I was steeped in my sin, Christ loved me enough to die for me. No matter how unlovely she is in her moments of rebellion, I can allow the fruit of the Spirit to show love through me to her.

God has placed into our homes exactly the children He wants us to parent. May we seek His help through prayer every day to train those children in a way that brings Him glory.

10 Ways to Build Strong Family Ties

January 26, 2017 by Tracey 7 Comments

Do you have any goals for your family?

I’m not talking about a written-down list of what you want to accomplish together, though I think that’s a great idea! The only list of that type we have at the moment is a general list in our heads of trips we’d like to take, places we’d like to visit as a family.

Let’s go deeper than that. How do you want your family members to feel when you’re all together? I know that I want each person to feel safe, loved, and accepted exactly as they are. Whether it’s a wacky sense of humor or a deep-seated fear of spiders, we all should feel comfortable being ourselves when we’re together.

I want us to enjoy spending time with each other, to create family memories, to have moments that we can all look back on with shared fondness. I love hearing our daughters talk about memories from their younger years, though that often turns into retelling stories about when they got in trouble for something!

I think we all want to build this sense of love and security into our families. I need to actively look for ways to cultivate that spirit, so I wrote out a list of ten ways that we can build strong family ties.

1. Pray together. Here’s a great foundation for the rest of the list! Our hearts are united as we pray for needs to be met, then rejoice together when prayer is answered. We all know when someone in the family is going through a difficult time, and it’s a comfort to know that the whole family is praying for you.

2. Share family meals. Do this as much as you can when your children are small, even though it will be hard at times and all kinds of messy. 🙂 Speaking from experience, it gets much harder when your kids are teenagers and have practices, games, and other activities in the evening. These days I really treasure the nights we’re all around the table at the same time! It’s fun to hear about the girls’ school day, and to just slow down and reconnect after a busy day.

3. Support each other’s interests. As much as possible, we all go to the girls’ piano recitals, basketball games, and school concerts. It’s fun to rehash the highlights together afterwards! It also helps us be able to encourage each other in our interests. My parents were wonderful examples of this when I was growing up.

4. Volunteer as a family. Whether at church or in the community, take advantage of every opportunity to serve others as a group. I like to have the girls help me when I work in children’s church, vacation Bible school, or the church nursery.

5. Read an exciting book aloud. It’s fun to experience the story together and discuss what might happen next. We might also listen to radio series like Adventures in Odyssey in the car when we’re on long trips.

6. Set family goals and work toward them together. You could choose long-term or short-term goals to strive for. Even manual labor can be fun, if you’re working together towards a goal, like cleaning out the garage so you can have a yard sale to make money for a family trip. You could also choose a fun project, like putting together a large puzzle. (Okay, so that’s fun for some people 😉

7. Have friendly competitions and include a prize for the winner. Each March, we all fill out NCAA basketball tournament brackets; the person who gets the most points chooses a restaurant for our next night out. Even though the girls and I aren’t that knowledgeable about which teams are the best, we still have fun competing.

8. Explore new places. While an actual vacation is nice, this could also just be a visit to the local zoo or a bike ride at a park you’ve never checked out. Once they’re old enough, involve your children in the planning of trips and activities when possible.

9. Respect each other by listening – and not interrupting – when someone else is talking. This is a valuable skill both inside and outside of our families! We need to listen to each other and really hear what the other person is saying instead of just forming our answer and sharing our opinion.

10. Institute family traditions. If you’ve read here long, you know this is one of my favorite ideas! Our next tradition on the calendar is in February. Each of our girls always get heart-shaped boxes of candy from their dad on Valentine’s Day. I’ve tried to create a certain tradition around every holiday.

As Gretchen Rubin says, “The days are long, but the years are short.” Let’s gather our families around us and build strong ties that will give us great companions as we walk through life, those who will celebrate our victories and walk with us through our struggles.

(And if you’re having a particularly hard day today, go read The Best Response to ‘The Days Are Long, But the Years Are Short.‘ Because I do remember those days, and they can be really, really long.)

What are other ways we can strengthen ties within our families?