Happy New Year! As the Christmas decorations come down, I often reflect on our celebration of this Holy Season. What went well? What needs a little tweaking next year? I find that making notes for the following year prevents making the same mistakes again and again. This year’s notes look something like this: For gingerbread houses, buy a kit for the little…

The story of Matt demonstrates the power of a parent or other mentor in helping a child recognize and develop his talents (see page 14 of Strengths Based Parenting).Growing up on a farm, Matt joined every 4-H club possible, and he frequently won the highest award for his projects at the fair. Upon receiving the coveted ribbon, however, Matt frequently dropped that…

Reading the results of my Clifton Strengths Finder assessment felt like looking in a mirror. I nodded my head repeatedly as I murmured, “Yes, I do that all the time. And that. Oh, and I am really good at that!” I was impressed by how accurately the report described the way I naturally operate. The Gallup organization uses the word “talents” to…

My first impression of the Clifton StrengthsFinder promoted by the Gallup organization was decidedly negative. “What’s the point in yet another personality test?” I thought. After all, wasn’t I trying to refrain from putting people – particularly my children – in neat little boxes? Besides, even though the StrengthsFinder assessment had revolutionized the way my husband interacted with his team at work,…

Disciplining In Love“Love looks out for the interests of another; so does discipline. So discipline is certainly an act of love. And the more a child feels loved, the easier it is to discipline that child.”Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell begin chapter eight of ‘The Five Love Languages of Children’ reiterating that every aspect of a relationship with our kids is easier…

After introducing the reader to the five love languages (Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation, Gifts, Quality Time, Acts of Service) in ‘The Five Love Languages of Children,” Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell show how to discover your child's primary love language.By understanding the primary type of love that drives our children, we can better meet their emotional needs and love them in…

You love your child. But how can you show it so they really feel loved? This question headlines the back of Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell’s book, The 5 Love Languages of Children.Chapman’s first book, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts, sold millions of copies as he helped couples discover the five types of love in order to better…

“I’ll admit that with five children, there have been times when I’ve simply parented ‘the herd,’ says Jill in No More Perfect Kids. “I’ve seen them as a group rather than the individuals they are.”I struggle with this too. Sometimes it takes all I’ve got just to plow through laundry, dinner prep, homework help for the older kids, and bedtime routines for…

When I first heard a podcast about No More Perfect Kids, the phrase “perfection infection” caught my attention right away. It is so easy for the comparison game rampant in our culture to slowly infiltrate our homes. Under the guise of seeking excellence and preparing our kids for the “real world,” we often raise the bar of expectations too high.I love this…

A tendency toward perfection invaded my motherhood even before I brought my first born home from the hospital. I was determined to have a “natural” childbirth. No interventions. No meds.Two weeks past my due date, however, our bundle of joy had yet to arrive. I reluctantly allowed my doctor to break my water. “Ok,” I thought, “I can still do this.”Fast forward…