It’s probably one of the most frequent questions to cross every Momma’s mind: Is it okay to read my daughter’s diary? I asked some moms and dads what they thought about taking a sneak peek into their daughter’s diary. Is it okay, or not? Here are some of the replies I received:
"The only time [...]
by Sharon Hurley Hall
As moms, we are often last on the list for a bit of self-care. We may be looking after our families, caring for relatives, working at home, holding down full time jobs or all four. Even if you’re only doing one of those things, it can expand to fill all the [...]
Your life as a mother doesn’t stop there. There was a time when it was just you and your Sweet Cakes. Remember those days?
Being a momma is hard work. There are times when I know you feel like the kids are out of control and your house is in disarray. It can be overwhelming to feel like your world is crumbling around you. You start questioning your judgment and wondering if your kids would be better off not [...]
If you have younger children (pre-teen age and younger), how often do you teach them new life skills at home? As a mother, it is your responsibility to make sure your children know how to do the basic things that will help them in everyday life when they grow older.
My daughter, who is nine, has begged me for weeks now to teach her how to make coffee in the coffee pot. I put her off at first, thinking that she was too young. I wasn’t ready to give her that bit of knowledge yet because I still think of her as being my "baby girl." The reality is she’s growing up right before my very eyes, and if I don’t teach her these basic skills, someone else will.
Today I took two big steps. First, I released a certain amount of control by letting her do something for me. And second, I taught her a basic life skill that will enable her to do something nice for others. She knows her daddy and I love to drink coffee. Now that she knows how to make coffee, she will enjoy doing that small, nice thing for us from time to time.
These days, families are constantly on the lookout for ways to spend quality time together. Some real quality time projects take real thinking. Family trips are great but not everyone can afford to take them all the time. But when you do, whether it is to the park or on a mountain hike, you can work together to preserve the memory.
My family keeps a family journal. After returning from family outings, the family gathers together and those who can write take a turn to jot down their day and what they thought of it. The younger children talk about their adventure and one of us writes it down for them. We list the pros and cons of each outing and makes notes on whether we would like to return again and what, if anything, we have learned.
The journal is made accessible to the whole family so that they can look through it at any time. Once pictures from our outings are developed/printed, we place them in the journal also.
Kids are the best at using their imagination to create all sorts of things. When it comes to recycling and reusing what’s on hand, kids have us parents beat, hands-down. That’s why it is so great to get your kids involved with creating crafts. Here are some fun crafts you and your children can create together, using stuff around the house.
