Positive Parenting Might be your Style

Parents today have a plethora of parenting styles to choose from. Have you figured out what your parenting style is yet? If not, then perhaps Positive Parenting might be your style. Positive Parenting is a style that is intended to lessen stress and form healthier relationships between parents and their children. It is not an authoritarian parenting style. Other phrases that have been used to describe Positive Parenting include: positive discipline, gentle guidance, or loving guidance. Physical punishment, such as spanking, is absolutely not a part of Positive Parenting. It isn’t about “teaching your child a lesson”. Instead, this parenting … Continue reading

October 2010 General Conference-Courageous Parenting

I have to admit that the idea of being a parent to teenagers terrifies me. Now, let me say, there are definitely things about it that are enticing too. But, for the most part, I’m terrified! Hopefully the years between now and then will provide me with added wisdom and knowledge to help my kids become well-rounded, decent people. I loved the talk in General Conference titled “Courageous Parenting” by Elder Larry R. Lawrence of the Seventy. While I am still a few years away from dealing with some of these issues, it gives me hope to know that we … Continue reading

But It’s My Birthday!

Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday dear me! Happy birthday to me! Yep, you guessed it: It’s my birthday. Another year gone, another year older. Birthdays used to be so exciting. I remember looking at the calendar in anticipation when I was younger, counting down the days until I got to eat cake and open presents. It was nearly impossible to go to sleep the night before. I’d wake up early, go into my parents’ bedroom, and the entire family would gather around for gift opening. I would be freed of my morning duty of making … Continue reading

Too Many Princesses

When I was little I never dreamed of being a princess. I would sing and dance and play along to my favorite Disney films “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Aladdin,” but although I longed for the adventures of Belle and Ariel, I never wanted to be them, exactly. Ariel and Jasmine seemed to have too many boring responsibilities associated with their crowns, and aside from the gorgeous library, I preferred Belle’s original quaint cottage and village of residence to the echoing, impersonal castle she’d presumably inhabit as a princess. Yet everywhere I looked, the heroines of my … Continue reading

What Does Strict Parenting Look Like?

Yesterday I asked, Are You a Strict Parent? Realizing, of course, that “strictness” is highly interpretable. What some people think of as strict parenting, other parents think of it as lax parenting. So what does strict parenting look like? To me strict parenting is… Setting Rules: Rules would include cleaning up behind themselves, taking care of their belongings, asking permission before touching another’s belongings, being kind to others, following household rules for computer, television, and going out. While this may sound a little abstract, one must realize that rules change based on age appropriateness, maturity, and trust worthiness. Where one … Continue reading

My Favorite Parenting Line Too

When Mary Ann Romans wrote about her favorite parenting line yesterday, it got me thinking about what my favorite line might be. Like her, I found that using the same old-age adages of my parents were getting me nowhere. For naturally curious children, saying “because I said do” was just frustrating. Still sometimes the conversation needs to be ended and results need to happen. I have found that with my teens the only way to end an unpleasant conversation and to also get the results I need at the moment. My line isn’t the same every time, but it has … Continue reading

Favorite Parenting Line

Do you ever find yourself saying something that is just too close to what might have come out of your own parent’s mouth? I know, we have all been there, right? For me, it is “Just because I said so!” I find myself uttering this line far too many times lately in response to the whys whenever I ask my children to complete a task or accept something that they deem is unfair. I’ve tried the endless explanations, but they don’t always get me anywhere. Recently, I started applying a different strategy that I learned from my oldest son. Now … Continue reading

Baby Blog Month in Review: July 2008

Two of my three children are summer babies. That is, they were born in the summer and had their first months surrounded by sunshine streaming in the windows, the sound of birds chirping, and days spent wearing nothing but a diaper and a “onsie.” I made sure that they had Fourth of July outfits ready, even though one of them arrived a week after the holiday. I guess he just wasn’t interested in the parade. Do you have a summer baby, too? We had a lot of new information to share this past month, such as recall notices and new … Continue reading

The Best of the 2007 Baby Blog

It has been an exciting year in the baby blog with a few changes in bloggers, several news stories, a few series started, and of course lots of information and reflection. This is a list of the best of the best. . .the best news, the best advice and the best of my personal favorites. With that I wish you all a Happy New Year, and look forward to an exciting year in 2008! Ask a Baby Blogger Series–This, in my opinion is one of the best things the baby blog has to offer. Granted, it’s my advice which I … Continue reading

TV Wives as Role Models: My Faves from the 1980s-Present Day

So far I listed my favorite TV role model wives from the 1950s to the 1970s. This list takes us through the eighties to current times. 1980s • Elyse Keaton (Family Ties): Her down to earth demeanor and strength of conviction helped her be the beacon her husband and kids turned to for guidance through rough waters. • Jennifer Hart (Hart to Hart): She was glamorous, stunning, stylish, and smart and she got to have all these amazing adventures catching bad guys with her dashing, devoted husband. • Roseanne Connor (Roseanne): This one straddles both the eighties and nineties since … Continue reading