Teachable Moments

Anyone who spends any amount of time with children will tell you that the most teachable moments can happen at the least expected times. One such moment happened while in the car with three of my foster children. As we drove, the inevitable happened and someone's foot strayed a little too far across an imaginary line. Words were exchanged and the conversation ended with the offended party stating "I will never forgive you". Trying my best not to lecture, I took this opportunity to simply share that God forgives all of us for everything and so we should forgive each other. To this, the bystander in the back seat chimed in with "God's the boss!"

Children have the innate ability to turn those teachable moments into learning moments for us all. For this we should treasure each moment we have with them.

Perfect in Public

Because of my background, many people look to me to be the "perfect parent". This makes me all too aware of the actions of my own small children when out in public. Knowing that this is clearly unfair to my little ones I decidedly took a deeper look at the behaviors and attitudes of adults (mainly other parents) when the all-too-common phenomenon of "acting out in public" occurs. It is in the effort of nullifying the need for a "perfect child" or a "perfect parent" that I would like to share my conclusion with you.

It is a common misconception of many parents to think that they have all the answers to any given parenting situation. If you doubt this, take a look around the next time you have the blessed opportunity to endure one of your child's fits in public. Chances are, the looks given by other parents send the message that "their children would never do such a thing". Oh please. What if we were to interview their children? Chances are, they would share with us just how imperfect their parents really are. The reality is, all parents are going to experience difficult situations with their kids. What's more important to remember is that no one can prepare you for these situations. Because no two children are the same, there is no crystal ball in how to address behaviors or other unexpected circumstances. For that reason, please give yourself a break and take a "roll-with-the punches" attitude when raising your kids. Chances are they will thank you for it.

Notorious Misadventures

I am often hesitant to share my professional and educational background with parents because I am often percieved as the "end all be all" of parenting and child-rearing advice. Notice there is no "Ph.D." at the end of my name. Those who are closest to me know that I believe that life needs to become a little messy in order to be truly meaningful. They would also share with you that life under my roof is full of sponteneity and laughter, the latter usually resulting from the former. This blog could just have easily been named "The Notorious Misadventures of a Stay-At-Home Mom". Having worked with many children whether professionally, as a foster mother or in raising my own biological children, I have many fun and unforgettable experiences in my heart that I would like to share. It is with this blog that I would like to identify and celebrate those heartwarming moments while celebrating children and their innocent hilarity.