Search Results for: blog focus on your parenting strengths instead of your weaknesses

Apples to Apples

As women, we are pros at comparing things; houses, clothes, shoes, weight, kids, jobs, parenting, you name it, we’ve compared it. When we spend our days comparing our lives to that of others it doesn’t take long before we, ourselves, feel inadequate in every aspect of our lives. What we forget is that we are comparing everybody else’s highlight reel to our “behind-the-scenes.” Someone who may seem like the World’s Greatest Mom on Facebook, may in reality be falling apart at the seams at home. When you see your friend who lives in that beautiful mansion across town, you may … Continue reading →

Homeschool Smackdown

We’ve made the decision to homeschool. We’ve turned away from the pressures of trying to compete with the public school and we’re good with our decision to be a little different. We’ve found our curriculum, we’ve organized our supplies, and we’re really happy with how we’ve decided to proceed. Invariably, though, we’ll find ourselves in a conversation like this: Us: “So, you homeschool too?” Them: “Why, yes, I do. I’ve had all twenty-four of my children at home, with no drugs, and I’ve taught them at home since birth. They all said their ABC’s shortly after their first diaper change, … Continue reading →

Why do we Focus on Whose Messing Up?

The other day, my oldest daughter and I made plans to get together and catch up. We’ve all been so busy with summer fun and obligations that we have not been really keeping up so well so she and I made a ‘date’ to make dinner together and chat. In the midst of our chatting, however, the other two came through and I could not pass up the opportunity to bring up a few “issues” that had come to my attention. My eldest finally asked a very important family question: Why is it that the ones who are messing up … Continue reading →

Watch Out for Being Overly Self-Critical

We definitely need to try to be honest with ourselves as business owners and work to do a better and better job at our work. I also think it helps to be able to be honest with ourselves and look at our “weaknesses” or those areas where we stand to make improvements. Many of us can get carried away, however, and spend so much time beating ourselves up and focusing on what we are not doing right, that we can force our self-esteem into the dumpster! Too much self-criticism does not help our businesses. To be completely honest, I do … Continue reading →

Focus on Your Parenting Strengths (Instead of Your Weaknesses)

Ask any parent and they can probably tell you all the things they have done wrong in the past week. We tend to focus on where we need to make improvements, all those times we made mistakes or where our weaknesses keep us from being the most perfect parent however. Focusing on our weaknesses, however, seldom makes us better parents. It is playing up our strengths as parents that can make us more effective. It just seems to be human nature to hone in and feel self conscious of our weaknesses. Or, perhaps it is cultural for us having been … Continue reading →

Homeschooling and Competition: Healthy, vs. Unhealthy

In my previous post Homeschooling and Competition… or the lack of it, I may have given the impression that I do not believe in grading my kids. That is not entirely true. I do not believe in the competition that results from grading. Grading should be a private and confidential thing used only to let a child see where he or she is academically, and where they have to improve. In our homeschool, our children are not allowed to get under a 90% on any test. (Sounds like many of our homes growing up, doesn’t it?) However, instead of being … Continue reading →

Share Beliefs and Values

Many children today no longer have a set of beliefs or values that they adhere to. The results are apparent as teen drug use, depression, violence, and sex is commonplace. It is a parent’s responsibility to teach values and beliefs. Why do many of today’s children not have values? Dr. Andrew Mullins author of “Parenting for Character” says, “Good parenting focuses on long-term outcomes, not just the immediate physical and emotional welfare of a youngster.” Too many parents focus on raising happy children instead of raising children who can become happy, mature adults with a “clear set of goals and … Continue reading →