Where Has Motherhood Taken You?

May 4, 2015Leave a comment

I was headed down the road called It’s All About Me – that is until the title of “Mom” was added to my resume. When our first daughter Grace was born, my world began to change for the better. Oh don’t get me wrong, I was stretched beyond my limits, but it was a good stretch (and I’m not just talking about my belly).

Motherhood has taken me down roads I never thought I would travel. It’s the toughest job I ever loved. Through the joy of caring about another person’s life more than my own, I’ve learned to:

Love deeply

Pray fervently

Think creatively

Live flexibly

Discipline wisely

Speak kindly

And most important, give generously of my time, energy and love.

Yes, being a mom has made me a better person as I’ve traveled down the road of selflessness and joy. Through it all, I have recognized my need for God’s strength, wisdom and patience as I pour myself into raising the next generation. What about you? What have you learned as you traveled down the delightful and sometimes frightful road of Motherhood?

For more encouragement as a mom, check out The Power of a Positive Mom

Don’t Simply Tell Your Kids They’re Great

April 28, 2015April 30, 2015Leave a comment

In their book Nurture Shock, authors Bronson and Merryman site a study of fifth graders which revealed that kids who were praised for “being smart” did not perform as well as those who were encouraged for their effort. The study found that “emphasizing effort gives a child a variable that they can control,” but when kids were praised for just being smart, they tended to discount the importance of their own effort.

Simply telling children a blanket statement like, “You’re great,” may bolster their ego for a moment, but it won’t necessarily help them in the long run. Yet, parents shouldn’t be too quick to swing the pendulum in the other direction either. Research also shows that when encouragement is given in the right way, it can be a powerfully motivating factor in our children’s lives. How do parents know how to encourage their kids without overindulging? Here are a few tried and true principles to follow:

Be sincere and specific when praising your kids.
Commend your kids for their effort and hard work.
Guard against comparing your kids to others, and instead encourage personal bests.
Notice and highlight positive actions which your kids choose to exhibit toward others such as kindness, patience, sharing and compassion.
Encourage learning and growth through their challenges and mistakes.
Teach your kids the importance of encouraging and cheering for others.

Instead of simply telling your kids that they are awesome, use precise words to highlight their hard work, wise choices and honest achievements. When we offer sincere and specific words of affirmation, we not only give the gift of encouragement to our child, but we tie it with a bow and attach a note that says, this is meant only for you. Let us be givers of good gifts through our words and our presence.

For more keys to being a positive parent check out:

The Power of a Positive Mom – www.positivewomanconnection.com/books

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book goes to ENGAGE Parenting Initiative, encouraging moms in at-risk communities. www.EngageParenting.com

Positive Progress

April 8, 2015Leave a comment

Talk about positive progress! The newest version of my best selling book, The Power of a Positive Mom is just out! I wanted you to see the progression of covers over the years. The first version came out in 2001, and then an update in 2007 and now newest, techy version in 2015. I call it “techy version” because I have now added QR codes, so you can scan and watch videos of me sharing a few words at the beginning of each section of the book. Perfect for group studies! Hope you find it uplifting and helpful as you do the important work of raising your family.