Another one about being a kind mommy...

Here is a very short little piece on how to talk to your kids. Would you talk to anyone else the way that you talk to your kids?

Gifted kid?

Here is an article entitled "Is your kid really gifted? Probably not." It talks about how obsessed we are with making our children brilliant and gives a more balanced view. My favorite part is the 5 tips it gives.

Catholic Vote

I'm not Catholic, but I am part of the catholic (little "c" meaning universal) church. This little commercial was really moving and inspiring. Take a look.

Kind to the Kids

This is a great post on speaking kindly to your kids.

And here is a quote from another article about the cost of raising kids (I did not read the whole article so I am not endorsing it...I just liked this quote):

Once a lady went to visit her friend. During the visit the children of the friend entered the room and began to play with each other. As the lady and her friend visited, the lady turned to her friend and said eagerly and yet with evidently no thought of the meaning of her words: “Oh, I’d give my life to have such children.” The mother replied with a subdued earnestness whose quiet told of the depth of experience out of which her words came: “That’s exactly what it costs.”

There is a cost of motherhood. And the price is no small sum. And if you are not willing to pay this price, no amount of encouragement about the joys of motherhood will satisfy.

But the price of motherhood is not fundamentally different from the price of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. In fact, Christian mothers see their duty as mothers flowing from their calling to Jesus Christ. And what is this cost?

Christian motherhood means dedicating your entire life in service of others. It means standing beside your husband, following him, and investing in the lives of children whom you hope will both survive you and surpass you. It means forgoing present satisfaction for eternal rewards. It means investing in the lives of others who may never fully appreciate your sacrifice or comprehend the depth of your love. And it means doing all these things, not because you will receive the praise of man — for you will not — but because God made you to be a woman and a mother, and there is great contentment in that biblical calling.

Dealing with the Interruption of Parenting

Step back and look at the big picture. What do they need for the future? Do they need their mom to sit and read with them right now so that they can feel loved and secure and able to have that same love to share with their children in the future? Or are they already feeling that way, and right now need to help you do the dishes instead, so they can learn to think of others and to be giving and caring? Always think of what is best for your children in the long run. And remember to observe and know each individual child and their individual needs. And yes, sometimes they do need to learn to just sit and be quiet and not disturb you while you handle something important beside them.

This is an excerpt from this article about what to do when your kids annoy you.

Highest Calling?

Here is a wonderful post about what the highest calling is. This is wonderful to balance out those that say that being a mother is the end all be all of womanhood. I found this link (and probably the next few I link to!) at Making Home.

The Rest of the Quote

In March I posted this quote by C.S. Lewis. Tonight I found the rest of the excerpt at Making Home. Here it is. What a wonderful article about dealing with the sin of other people.

How much should you spend on food?

Take a look here to see what the USDA says your family should be spending on food. There are 4 categories: thrifty, low-cost, moderate-cost, and liberal.

Daily Docket and More

Here is a link to some very useful forms that you can download. My favorite is the Daily Docket. It is an "at a glace" view of what I need to get done today. It has a place for my "to do list" for today, an outline of my schedule for the day, a place to write what's for dinner...you get the picture.

Having Guests and Storing Art

Here is a wonderful little post about how to make overnight guests feel welcome in your home.

Here is a wonderful post about what to do with the huge mass of artwork that you can accumulate if you have children...Oh, boy do I need this one!