Special Moms' Day Edition

Mothers around the world sing nursery rhymes and read childhood stories to their children over and over. It’s comforting not only to our child but to us moms when we see the sparkling eyes of our child gazing up as he/she listens attentively to Mom’s voice. Sometimes if we play-act the sounds, this alone will quiet a restless one. This nightly habit is the first lesson we can teach our child in establishing a “quiet” time that can be used for a lifetime.  

Of all the many children's books in print, The Little Golden Books can still be found in most homes and these stories are remembered well into adulthood. Who doesn’t still enjoy with fond memories The Poky Little Puppy series, The Fire Engine Book, The Hug Book, or Richard Scarry’s Colors? Seventy-six years ago when they first began publishing these books, they only cost 25 cents!

Likewise, there are Five Star selections for our babies, toddlers, and beyond such as God Bless You and Good Night, I Prayed For You, Baby’s First Bible Stories, and The Complete Illustrated Children’s Bible. All are excellent ways to bond with our children and grandchildren and are the most purchased books for kids. As God instructs parents, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6 NIV)

Mothers Deserve a Break

It’s certainly not easy, especially for first-time moms, to know what to do to raise a child who values others and has confidence in their own gifts and abilities. We can only do our best with what we have. In celebrating Mother’s Day, we can relax in the fact that God has given us a special gift to hold in our arms forever.

We won’t always be able to protect our children and guard them as they get older. We can’t be with them twenty-four hours a day, so it’s okay to drop the “guilt trip.” They will most certainly grow and be off on their own one day. First during all the school years, and then into adulthood and their own family. We can only continue doing our best, listen to them, and support their ideas and ambitions.

What they learn as a young child, good or not-so-good, will affect their personality and become part of who they are forever. An excellent child development website called Facts for Life says,

“The first five years of a child's life are fundamentally important. They are the foundation that shapes children's future health, happiness, growth, development and learning achievement at school, in the family and community, and in life in general.”

For further information about this site CLICK HERE:

Teach Them Right

This site is just an example of the many that can give us numerous ways to be the best moms possible. We simply can’t know every single thing without educating ourselves. So, never give up! Our children are worth it. [Note: Fresh Start Momentum does not promote, endorse, or receive any compensation for suggesting a particular website].

One Last Thing

We can do every single thing we can think of to raise the most well-developed child and still, as an adult, they may go their own way and not pay attention to all that we taught them. We know ourselves that we didn’t necessarily take the wise advice of our own parents either, but instead did what we wanted. And that decision may have worked out for us and, then again, it may not have been our best choice.

The verse above from Proverbs 22:6 is not a mistake. It does say our child “will not turn from it” (our direction), but yet, some do. Just know, that at some time in the future--and it may be a very, very long time away--in the back of their minds, our grown child will come to recognize that the Lord, who is all-powerful, was, in fact, guiding our hand in raising them. They will then choose their own path in being the best parent they can be with the Lord’s help.

We will not keep them [stories] from our children; we will tell those who come later about the praises of the LORD. We will tell about his power and the miracles he has done. Psalm 78:4 (NCV)

Happy Mother's Day to each one of you!

Sanity and the Single Mom

Moms of toddlers, teens, and everything in-between can chuckle and knowingly nod their heads when we say "It was so much easier when they were gentle, quiet babies!" That was when we had some measure of control over our children, right. Now it's non-stop noise, running, jumping, and wrestling with siblings. Where, oh where, do they get all that energy? 

It seems the word "gentle" doesn't even re-enter our vocabulary until they are grown and out the door! But, we love our children dearly and wouldn't exchange them, even if we could. Our basic responsibility as parents is to guide and direct their steps, so when they reach adulthood they will instinctively know what to do and how without our interference. Of course, this doesn't come without some struggles and difficulties on both sides.  

Check the Mirror
Raising children requires more than an ounce of gentleness and self-control on our parts. One of the things we learn as parents is our actions and attitudes will be copied by our children. No doubt about it! When they live with a harsh or violent parent, they will likely learn to be harsh and violent to some degree. And the opposite is also true. Developing a kind and quiet nature ourselves will go far in modeling what we may want to see in our grown children some day. 

It is not easy to maintain a gentle, soothing and tender nature ourselves if we, naturally, are not prone to a mellow personality. If we grew up in a home where extreme and harsh discipline was a constant pattern, where love and affection was scarce, and perfection was required, we may need to find a good Christian counselor to help us heal from our past abuses. Understand, there is absolutely no condemnation/blame here and no shame in talking with a professional. It's a plus.   

Seven Tips for Maintaining Sanity
If we are simply looking for ways to improve our parenting skills (and who isn't?), these are just seven things we can do to get the ball rolling:

• Join a local mom's group such as MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) or Moms Club International
• Research common parent-child issues 
• Speak with a professional child development specialist
• Encourage children to use their own special talents and gifts (even if it isn't something we would choose)
• Listen and support the ideas our children express
• Raise children in a Christian home and church 
• Use the only Power Source: Prayer, Prayer, and more Prayer-for ourselves and our children!

We've all heard the phrase, "Once a mom, always a mom," so we might as well learn how to be the best parent possible and not leave it up to chance, or worse yet, to someone else. Our families will thank us and, we will enter our retirement years with the assurance we did the very best we could to raise gentle, self-controlled, and happy children. 

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23

Note: this article is solely based on the observance and experience of the author/mom. To have your personal questions and concerns addressed, may we suggest speaking with a professional counselor.