Inspirational Parenting » Parenting Lessons

To Summer at Eighteen

Steve Meineke — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 01:41:50 +0000

November 1994

Dear Summer,

Eighteen years ago I stood looking at you—fresh-born—through the big glass window in the hospital nursery, watching the nurses try to count your tiny toes. Minutes old, you were bright-red-screaming-at-the-top-of-your-lungs unbounded life, squirming and kicking in every direction—quite a challenge to those toe-counting nurses. How I wanted to reach through the window, to [...]

A Kiss That Still Works

JoyH — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:27:36 +0000

Dr. James Dobson’s book, “Stories of the Heart and Home” illustrates that special romantic love that we dwell on during Valentine’s Day so beautifully, I just had to send it along to all of you. “But nothing is so beautiful as a loving relationship that conforms to God’s magnificent design”. Here is a brilliant example [...]

Mean Mom in Awe

Maureen — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:55:02 +0000

My mom passed away two months ago. I have not been the same since. Not just because I lost her, but because of what I learned about my two college age sons.

The first thing they each said when I told them of her aggressive cancer diagnosis was, “How soon can I go see her”, halfway [...]

Fireworks and Memories

Jeff — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:54:05 +0000

She is sitting on my lap as we gaze into the night sky. This may be the last year she will be willing to do that. She’s growing up so fast and pretty soon snuggling with Daddy will be embarrassing rather than comforting. She lays her head against my chest and I smile. Above us, [...]

Burying Children…

Tiffaney — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:30:28 +0000

The hardest thing I’ve been through as a parent is to have to bury two of my children… It taught me to cherish life and love every moment that I have with my family. It taught me not to take my kids for granted because they could be taken from me with no warning. Every [...]

What Makes a Great Mother or Father? The Little Things

Taz — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:41:33 +0000

When I was in my twenties, my gaze was always focused on the big things—finding the “perfect” partner, the “to-die-for” job, the “huge” book deal, or getting into the “best” graduate school. Little things didn’t matter much; they were unnecessary distractions that I treated as rounding errors. I either ignored them or focused on what [...]

First Day Of School

author unknown — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:50:58 +0000

She started school this morning, And she seemed so very small. As I walked there beside her In the Kindergarten hall.

And as she took her place beside the others in the class, I realized how all too soon Those first few years can pass.

Remembering, I saw her as She first learned how to walk. The words that we alone made out When she began [...]

Message From Your Child

author unknown — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 01:17:41 +0000

1. Don’t spoil me. I know quit well that I shouldn’t have all that I ask for, I’m only testing you.

2. Don’t be afraid to be firm with me, I prefer it. It makes me feel more secure.

3. Don’t let me form bad habits, I have to rely on you to detect them in the [...]

The Thick of Autumn

JoyH — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 01:40:15 +0000

The cold air hits me hard in the face. We are in the thick of autumn, in its entire splendor. I smell coffee (because I always smell coffee, it is my constant companion along with my Lord!) and I’m pleasantly perked up by the chill. We’re off to somewhere each and every day. There are [...]

Empty Yesterdays

Jeff — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:27:05 +0000

My daughter loves to watch musicals. It is one of our favorite things to do as a family. Even as young as 5, she was captivated by every musical she watched (expect for Footloose for some reason). The other night, we got blankies and piled on our bed to watch The Music Man. I was [...]