Do you ever think that what you do with your kids is as important as what you do for your kids? It’s an important distinction. Because often the things we do for our kids takes us away from the time we would could have spent with our kids. Read more – here

If you are like me, Mother’s Day is anything but relaxing. I appreciate the thought, but the day never quite lives up to its expectations for me and I feel guilty for even typing that. Too often I end the day feeling like I’m not enough. That I’ve failed too often. If you have ever felt the same, I think you’ll enjoy this post from Parentcue.org:

Mother’s Day is a reminder of our humanity—and the humanity of those around us. Of how we all get it wrong—how life often gets it wrong. But it’s also a day where we can take stock of the dreams we harbor and realize they are the breadcrumbs pointing us to the God who is ultimately able to bring all things to right, one day. But it’s more than that too.

Read more here.

You don’t have to be a faith expert. Whether you came to faith later in life or if you ever feel unqualified, here’s a few things you can do to pass on faith to your kids Passing Down Faith

Texting does not have to be a negative tool in your home. It also can be a tremendous opportunity and a blessing to stay connected as a family.

If your child has a cell phone, check out this helpful post about kids and texting:A Parent’s Guide To Texting

The article shares common acronyms (some were quite eye-opening to me [GNOC] Yikes!) as well as tips on monitoring services and ways to use texting to encourage your children.

It’s now four years since my son was diagnosed with autism. He still doesn’t have functional speech and works very hard to play and learn, but he releases more joy than anyone I know. I’ve learned from him about the power of releasing, and know he will fulfill a powerful destiny.

Autism and Down Syndrome are different, but I can relate to parents who fear for their child’s future because of a diagnosis. This article really struck a chord with me because at a time when I was hopeless about Nathan’s future, I received encouragement from so many people that I didn’t even know. It was amazing.

Read the full post here and if you are a parent with an autistic child check out the book Josiah’s Fire.

Parenting is a conundrum of the happiest moments of your life mixed with ones that make you want to run from the room screaming. But there’s hope:Hope of a Napkin

Can you think of an adult (other than your own parents) who invested in you growing up and who made a big difference in your life? Did he/she influence your faith? We know that kids need a wide circle of adults in their life.
It does take effort and intentionality to invite others into the life of your family. Take the first step this week to reach out to someone you want to invest in your child’s life. And read this article from Parent Cue for guidance and more tips – Bigger than Your House

Families are busy. For most of us, this means we’re spending more and more time in our cars together. As easy as it is to turn on a movie or music and zone out, drive time is one of the few situations where you literally have a captive audience. We want to help you maximize this time by giving you a few suggestions for conversation prompts and activities to engage with your kids.Things To Talk About In The Car With Your Kids