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Your Other Mother

Pinterest is great. I love how it visually collects things I like.

The boards I’ve created to help mothers of every stage … (click on the direct links) –

Under Twos

2-5s

6-9s

10-13s 

Teenagers

Training and Guiding Your Children * * *

Chores and Responsibility

Top Ten Toys * * *

FOOD + parties

Mothers (in general) * * *

Pregnant?

Mothers of Preschoolers

Relationships

Mothers of Teens

Bible and faith

Crafts and Gifts

Seasons and Holidays

Creativity and Beauty

Journalling and Diary * * *

Storage and Organisation

Bedrooms and Play Areas

Fun

Clothing

Education – home or school

Traditions + Rituals

10 Things A Child Says That He Needs

Simply Child-like

Learn to watch snails. Have wild imaginings. Giggle with children. Play with everything. Build a fort with blankets. Get wet. Write love letters. Simply enjoy yourself.

My Boy’s Perspective

I asked my 6 and a half year old (don’t forget the half) what Mummies needed to know about what children needed. The first few popped out easily – and we went from there.

1. Kisses! Kiss me. Kiss Daddy.
2. Hugs. About 20,000. In a year.
3. Hot chocolate drinks. At the dining table. With the family.
4. A warm bed. With lots of cosy blankets. And a Thomas the Tank Engine duvet – with matching pillow case.
5. Don’t need lots of toys. A tow truck. A car carrier that carries four cars. Lego blocks. Car track and train track.
6. Snowy – teddy.
7. Need to do experiments (“experiences”). Water. Paper. A blob of detergent. Drink bottle and top. Plastic cups. String. Egg carton. Coat hanger. Metal teaspoon. A tornado maker.
8. Crayons and colouring pencils, activity books, like Thomas TTE, Thunderbirds, join the dots, jokes and riddles.
9. Colourful food, like carrots, peas, corn. Sometimes treats like ice cream, marshmallows, and lemon meringue cheesecake. Blue fizzy drink.
10. Do exciting things and go on outings, like pajama rides. Go to see Christmas lights. Go to Sunday School. Kid’s Bible CDs. Story books with tapes or disks. Go to the library every Monday. Visit the beach!

The words, detail, and exclamation marks are all his.

– as told to Mummy by Nathan Whittaker, 2006

Mother’s Heart

May I pursue childlikeness, not childishness. May I be free to do – and be – simply for the enjoyment, for the now. This week I want to stare in the eyes of someone I love, linger in an embrace, and do things for fun – just ‘cos I can!

Anger + Gratitude

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. ~ Ephesians 4:26-27

Mother Moment

Attitudes of Anger and Gratitude

We growl at the children for ‘not getting it right’ after being told ‘a hundred times’ and we snip at our husband for not seeing that we’re tired and need their help. We expect things that may not be reasonable considering we get things wrong too.

Communicate your anger constructively rather than holding it inward to fester. Anger at unpleasant circumstances in your (earlier) life may be lurking behind your ‘over-reactions’. Learn how to express your anger in healthy ways, rather than suppressing it or using it aggressively against others. When you effectively channel energy from your anger, it won’t cause anxiety in your life.  

But in the comings and goings of family life, we need to consciously get purposeful about dealing with unmet expectations, frustrations, and disappointments.

This week, I am challenging each of us with an assignment (myself included). The next time we feel anger rising up -STOP yourself – bite your tongue, hold your hand over your mouth, walk away, do whatever it takes – and ask yourself what expectation did I have of this person that was not met.

Then try – really try – to refocus your thought on what you can be thankful for. With practice (and we get many opportunities) we really can have an attitude of gratitude. Maybe as you fall to sleep, think again of a few things for the day and in your children/spouse to be grateful for.

Mother’s Heart

What is really happening? What am I believing? when I over-react or `blow’.
May I get to the heart of the matter and not spill the lava from my inner volcano over my family.
May I deal with the anger and rubbish for each day on each day.
Lord, have mercy on me.

Gratitude Activities

• For one day, recognise the gifts of words and deeds you receive and take a moment to feel grateful; on another day add some expression of your gratitude. What are some differences?
• Take a walk and count the gifts God in nature gives you daily. Make a list, and share your observations with family or friends.
• What was the best advice someone ever gave you? Send the giver a postcard acknowledging the effects of that gift. Be specific.
• Make a list of your 10 most valued material possessions. For what would you trade them?
• Create a mind map of all the gifts in your life. A mind map is a shape divided into all the sub-components – such as physical, emotional, cognitive, material, and spiritual gifts.

Links 

Every Mother Can Keep Her Cool –

Anger Management Not Applicable – been there, done that … 

Angry Mother, Wounded Daughter – blog – see also the Resources listed below article.

Tell your children and your favourite people that you love and care about them,

Blessings on each one of you, dear Readers, as you journey through the imperfections of Life,

Johanna

Mother’s Day ~ every day

Tomorrow Starts Today – Day of Rest

Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it

(Hebrew: Zakhor et yom ha-Shabbat l’kad’sho)   – Exodus 20:8

Mother Moment

– Tomorrow Starts Tonight

With little children around, you can get busy – so busy you may even forget to rest and nurture yourself.

God gave the Jews the right idea and I wish I had practiced this from the beginning. Your Day of Rest starts the night before. Pre-prepare your food, lay out clothes, and organise anything for the following day before sundown. Then your Day of Rest is really a DAY of REST. This rushing around, getting organised for church, and bustling here and there I don’t think is really what God had in mind for our day of rest (Sunday?).

Shabbat (Hebrew:  shabbat; shabbos; “rest” or “cessation”) is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from sundown Friday until the appearance of three stars in the sky on Saturday night. It recalls the Biblical Creation account inGenesis, describing God creating the Heavens and the Earth in six days, and resting on and sanctifying the seventh (Genesis 1:1-2:3).

Sabbath (Shabbat) in the Bible is considered a festive day, a weekly day of rest and time of worship, when a person is freed from the regular labours of everyday life, can contemplate the spiritual aspects of life, and can spend time with family. It is the only ritual observance instituted in the Ten Commandments. Traditionally, on that day three festive meals are eaten — on Shabbat-eve, at lunch, and as an end-of-Shabbat evening meal. It is observed differently in Judaism and Christianity.

Do more reading on this – maybe even explore having a Shabbat meal with friends. A meal of Blessing. Awaiting the Bride – the Sabbath. A day to celebrate God, His earth – and the fulness of it.

 

Mother’s Heart

May I give thought as to how to better enjoy my Day of Rest. This is important for me as a mum.

 

Link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbat

 

Mother’s Day ~ every day