Search Results for: blog you dont always have to win

A Good Cry Is What You Need

I love being a mother. There is nothing I’d rather do than parent my daughter. I feel that she is truly a gift. I wouldn’t have chosen to be a single parent but that’s the way it happened. I try to be positive, I want my daughter to always look on the bright side. Yes, sometimes life is hard, but that doesn’t mean you have to let it defeat you. I am always the first to say, keep your chin up, do it for your kids. Sometimes, I forget to take my own advice. Sometimes I feel sorry for myself. … Continue reading →

10 Ways to Push Your Teen Away: Don’t Show Affection (Part 10)

You might be surprised at this last part of my blog series, “10 Ways to Push Your Teen Away.” We are going to wrap it all up with a pretty bow called affection. I think the reason some might be surprised is because it has never crossed their mind the importance of showing affection to your teen. In fact, for some parents it might actually feel very uncomfortable. And then for other parents, they get the sense that their teen doesn’t want affection. In fact, you might be outright rejected when you attempt to give a hug. But don’t let … Continue reading →

10 Ways to Push Your Teen Away: Use Sarcasm to Get Your Point Across (Part 6)

Maybe this isn’t a problem for you but it is definitely one for me, sarcasm. I believe it was inherited from my father. In fact, I remember as a teenager really not liking it when he was sarcastic. So I have to really work on that when it comes to my teens. Today in the “10 Ways to Push Your Teen Away,” we are going to look at what can be a common problem for parents who are trying to get their point across, the use of sarcasm. I had always considered it to be a “funny” way of expressing … Continue reading →

The Grass Is Green Enough on This Side, Thank You

There was a time in my marriage when I thought the grass was greener on the other side. Those were probably some of the most difficult moments in my marriage. I was disillusioned and he was disappointing to me. I had expectations and when they weren’t met, I thought someone else could better meet them. This happened at different points in my marriage. Each time I allowed myself to think the grass was greener on the other side—whether there was a literal person I was thinking of or just the “idea” of a person—it caused greater distance between my husband … Continue reading →

When Should My Child Visit the Orthodontist?

Back when young, many years ago, a child would only visit the orthodontist when he or she was a teenager. At that point, much of the growing was done, and correcting misaligned teeth could involve a lot of pain an effort, including tooth removal and years of braces. Thankfully, technology and techniques in orthodonture have improved greatly since then. There is now an emphasis on a more gentle approach that works with your child’s natural anatomy to make needed corrections. There are devices now that can ease your child’s jaw into a more normal position as he or she grows. … Continue reading →

Don’t Take It Out on Your Husband

Our family is a bit unique, in that my sister married my husband’s brother. So that means my sister is not only my sister but my sister-in-law. Confused? What this also means is that our families see each other a lot. We are so closely intertwined that it can be a blessing but it can also be a challenge. Take Thanksgiving…we have always had a rotation schedule. My sister and brother-in-law host Thanksgiving, while my family hosts Christmas. But this year, for reasons that don’t really matter, we are getting the task of hosting both. The pressure I feel in … Continue reading →

Knowing When to Quit

I’m not a quitter. Once I make up my mind to do something, I’m in it 100%. That’s usually a good thing, but not all the time—I’ve had the experience of staying with things long after they ceased to be the right thing for me to do, and got hurt. When it comes to money and our endeavors to make it, keep it, and invest it, we need to know when to quit. Think about the following. 1. Quitting your job. In today’s economy, it can be wise to hang on to the jobs we have because we don’t know … Continue reading →

Start A New Tradition – Recycle Your Tree

Your family might have a lot of traditions surrounding Christmas that have been handed down from one generation to another. Does your family always get a live Christmas tree, instead of a reusable plastic one? If so, this year might be a great time to start a brand new Christmas tradition. How will your family recycle the Christmas tree after Christmas is over? Not every Christmas tradition is something that all family members can take part in. Not all young children are going to be ready to help decorate the tree. This is particularly true if the child is a … Continue reading →

Plan Your Christmas Scrapbook Now

I know of one person who has already started to play some of their Christmas music. To me, this is much too early to think about Christmas. Besides, I like to take one holiday at a time. Let me first enjoy Thanksgiving and then give it at least a day to put it behind me before I think about Christmas. As much as I would like to do that, I really can’t help but think of Christmas because it is already time to start getting lists together for the grandparents. I would also like to get a head start on … Continue reading →

Plan Your Fitness Routine for the New Seasons Ahead

To me there is nothing like a brisk morning walk. My favorite time of the day to walk is in the morning when it’s cool outside. Now for many of us we haven’t quite hit those cool mornings yet. There is still some summer left. However I always say that we should plan ahead. Since a new season is upon us, it’s time to think about how you will continue your fitness routine. One of the things that can happen is for those of us who live in the colder states; we let our fitness routine fall to the side. … Continue reading →