The Toughest Job You Ever Loved

May 12, 20231 Comment

The process of shaping the child, shapes also the mother herself. – Elisabeth Elliot

Motherhood made me a better person. I must admit, before having children I was a fairly self-focused young adult doing whatever I pleased, whenever I pleased. But when that first little bundle of Grace arrived, I grew to understand a depth of love and selflessness that I had never experienced before.

Caring for someone else’s needs above our own changes us. It stretches us, grows us and creates a hidden beauty just waiting to be uncovered. It seems a bit counterintuitive, and yet it’s true – the more we give from the heart, the more our heart is filled.

Whether you’re a mother or you have people in your life whom you pour into, may we continually find joy in the giving and not the taking, the stretching and not the hoarding, the sacrifice and not the self-centeredness. We are put here in this world for a purpose, and it is not for self-promotion, rather it is to give our lives away in loving and serving others. That’s the joy of motherhood! It’s the toughest job you ever loved.
Photo by Caroline Hernandez on Unsplash

For more of my thoughts on Motherhood, 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.