by Donna | Jan 5, 2016
We are the most balanced baby people I know! No extremes here of nursing a child on demand until age three —or of putting a baby on a four hour eating schedule while he’s still in the hospital at two days old! Somewhere between those extremes is an amazing way to parent babies and toddlers in which everybody (baby, parents, and siblings) enjoy each other and fall into a comfortable family rhythm that does not over-emphasize one child’s “wants” over another. And one in which wants and needs are differentiated and met as is appropriate. This is certainly not an article about baby and toddler training (check out our blog for more on that!); however, our parenting of our babies really did have something to do with the deep, communicative relationships that we developed with our children.
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by Donna | Jan 4, 2016
When we are asked those common questions of “What things did you do the most right?” and “What things did you do wrong?” (or any version of those), we immediately know a solid answer to the first one: One thing that we have done right in our parenting for thirty-three years is talk to our kids—all the time, about everything, never ceasing, without hesitation. We made time, and we always talked.
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by Donna | Jan 1, 2016
I recently looked up top resolutions for the new year—and saw some interesting lists. They were the typical ones you would expect—lose weight, exercise, get out of debt, eat more healthfully, spend time with family, etc.
But what struck me most was the recurring use of the word MORE.
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by Donna | Dec 30, 2015
Donna Reish, author, speaker, and blogger from Character Ink Press and Raising Kids With Character, brings you a new year’s podcast episode about using your planner/calendar to get more done. She emphasizes the importance of looking at the day-to-day first (while still keeping your big and lofty goals in place!) by conquering the dailies (with a Daily Duties list). Then she moves into how to make weekly lists that really work (using her ABC prioritizing method and the Terrible Task List). Finally, she describes some helpful ways to set up your monthly calendar to utilize the space better and see things at a glance. She refers to this month’s (January 2016) Friday Freebies’ planner (The Simplified Planner) to help you plan and achieve more each day, each week, and each month. (That is available for free during January for blog or newsletter subscribers, so subscribe and download this month!)
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by Donna | Dec 18, 2015
In addition to “If You’re Missing Baby Jesus,” we have also been blessed for many years with the Christmas story of the Christmas tablecloth or tapestry. This story is a story of hope, restoration, and God’s working in mysterious ways—and never ceases to give pause to all of us as we share in it.
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by Donna | Dec 18, 2015
1. Which Traditions to Continue
A. Find out from children
i. Joshua’s first Christmas married
ii. Kayla flying home
B. Our “always” ones
i. Christmas decorating night
ii. Our own “Christmas Eve”
iii. Our own “Christmas Day”
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