Category: parenting

Do you need more quality family time?

We’ve got you covered! The Morning Thing hosts this morning shared some fantastic ways for you to carve some family time out of your busy schedule. This list has it all and whether simple or extravagant, any family time is better than none at all! In theory, you should do something every day but we know life can get in the way. We just encourage you to get involved in family life!

Some of the hosts favorites:

  • Have a family video game tournament
  • Turn your grocery list into a scavenger hunt
  • Have a movie marathon
  • Go for a surprise drive to get ice cream

These are just a couple of the 30 ideas! Check out the full list HERE!

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Make the end of the school year exciting!

Today, The Morning Thing featured a number of ideas on how to create a fantastic end-of-the-year celebration for your kids! These ideas are claimed to require less energy than packing a lunch, so they don’t require that much effort and are guaranteed to make your kids smile!

Some of them that we shared:

  • Summer Bucket List Party
  • Walk of Fame
  • Hunt For Summer Treasure Hunt
  • Hydro Hooplah
  • “Be A Lump” Day

These are just a few of the great suggestions, you can click HERE to see the full list!

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Ways to become a more fun mom!

The Morning Thing hosts shared easy ways to become a fun mom for your children! These are great ideas from educator, journalist, and author Nancy Jergins! All of them are sure to help you and your kids have more fun this Mother’s Day!

A sneak peek:

  • Relax the rules
  • Let your kids pick on you
  • Forget fear… at least for now

Go check out the rest by clicking HERE! You won’t regret it!

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The Mount Vernon Salvation Army is bringing a new childcare facility to our community

Captain Christine Moretz shared an exciting ministry update with WNZR.
Construction is underway for a new childcare center in our community!
Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the link below.

She explained how they discovered the need for childcare and decided to build this facility.
Christine shared an overview of the facility that will be added to the area that they call “Salvation Square.” This new building is a 13,270 square foot childcare center, that also allows for 36 additional slots for an after-school program. A total of 112 children will be cared for daily in this facility, named “The Salvation Army Learning Lighthouse!”


She listed the areas and facilities in this center that will be used for educational and recreational programs. There will also be renovations made to their existing social services building to better serve those in need in the community!


Christine also shared the timeline for this building project with WNZR. Construction is planned to finish in October 2025, with the childcare center to open in January 2026!
Their campaign goal is $6.25 million dollars, and about $4.9 million dollars has been pledged by generous organizations.
You can support this campaign at www.salarmy.us/LightTheDay

Christine also shared about the many ways to get involved with raising funds for the Salvation Army this Christmas Season!
Kettle Kickoff is Tuesday, November 26th at noon at the Salvation Army! You can keep an eye out for red kettles accepting donations around town, or volunteer to ring a bell.

The community Thanksgiving Dinner will be November 27th at the Salvation Army, and you can volunteer for that event as well.

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Place 4 Grace shares an exciting announcement with WNZR

The Morning Thing was excited to have several special guests on Monday’s show.
Representatives from Place 4 Grace stopped by the studio to share a ministry update and a very exciting announcement.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click the link/picture below.

The BIG NEWS is that Place 4 Grace has hired House Parents! This is an answer to many years of prayers.
Samantha and Austin Beckett have taken on this call and talked about how God directed them to be a vital part for the future of the ministry.

Kandee Popham, Executive Director also shared the history of Place 4 Grace and how they have been serving Mommas and babies in our community.

Hosanna Swartz, Community Outreach Manager also joined us to talk about how Place 4 Grace is funded. She shared about p4g Thrift Boutique and how this outreach is supporting Mommas, babies and the overall ministry.

We also shared an update from last Friday’s Flannel Fest fundraiser.
You can still make a donation to Flannel Fest at http://www.place4grace.com/ff2024

Follow them on Facebook and Instagram – place 4 grace and p4g Thrift
Website – http://www.Place4Grace.com
Phone – 740-847-2232
Email – info@place4grace.com

Pictures from the Place 4 Grace Flannel Fest.

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Parental Stress has been declared a significant public health issue. How will you fight it?

The US Surgeon General has declared Parental stress as a significant public health issue. Dr. Vivek Murthy recently released a 36 page advisory on this important issue.
Click HERE to read more.

Dr. Murthy says that we need a culture shift. The advisory says: “It’s time to value and respect time spent parenting on par with time spent working at a paying job, recognizing the critical importance to society of raising children.” Parents and caregivers need societal support and to be able to talk openly about the stress of parenting. Like an earlier surgeon general’s advisory, it says more connection is needed to combat loneliness and isolation among parents.

“The bottom line is that we’ve got to start seeing mental health as health. It is no less important than our physical health,” Murthy said Wednesday. “If we can attend to both our mental and physical health, then we have a good chance, you know, of being happy, healthy and fulfilled, and that’s what we all want for ourselves and especially for our kids.”

The Morning Thing shared some ways for Moms and Dads to fight stress.

For Moms, we shared 5 shifts in focus that can help alleviate Mom Stress.
Click HERE to read the full article from imom.com
1. Focus on your breathing.

2. Focus on your inner critic.

3. Focus on what brings you comfort.

4. Focus on forgiving yourself.

5. Focus on what you can control.

For Dads, we shared 5 ways to address fatherhood stress.
Click HERE to read the full article from allprodad.com
1. Start the day early.

2. Write daily goals and journal.

3. Get active.

4. Find moments to read.

5. Connect with other dads.

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Hey, Empty Nest Parents, here are 5 things that your adult children still need from you.

Parenting is tough at any stage, but navigating through the path of having an adult child can be challenging.

Crosswalk.com shared an article listing 5 things that your adult children still need from you. Author Stephanie Thompson shares practical insight on how to approach this time in your parenting journey.

Click HERE to read the full article.

  1. Empathy
  2. Empowerment
  3. Encouragement
  4. Refuge
  5. Mercy

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Hey Mom, we found some powerful prayers for your kids in school

Prayer is powerful! It should be our first response to any situation.
Moms, we know that your life is hard. You are trying to balance crazy schedules while you work hard to raise your children.
We want to help!
imom.com shares 7 Powerful Prayers for Moms to pray during this school year. We hope that these prayers can encourage and strengthen you.
Keep up the good work Mom!

Click HERE to read the full article from author Lisa Rowell.

1. A Prayer for Friendship and Kindness

Father, I ask that You surround my child with other kids who see the best and bring out the best in him. Peer influence plays such a big part in my child’s character development. Since I can’t pick my child’s friends during the school day, I ask that You steer him toward friends who practice kindness and show love and respect toward everyone. And, God, help my child be a positive influence over his friends and classmates. Amen.

2. A Prayer for Safety and Security

Hey, God. I admit I’m more than a little nervous sometimes sending my child to school. I feel scared that something will happen when I’m not there to protect her. It just seems like every time I scroll through the news, I see one more reason why I should feel scared. Father, please calm my worries. I don’t want to carry them around. Keep my child safe today. I’m asking not just for physical protection but to please guard her heart and mind from harm, too. Keep her safe from hurtful words or actions of others. I know You love my child even more than I do and are always with her, even when I am not. Amen.

3. A Prayer for Purpose

God, I know You have a purpose and a plan for my child’s life. During this school year, I ask that you give him opportunities to begin to discover his unique purpose and the courage to hone his talents with passion and perseverance. Guide my child’s steps this year so he can confidently walk through the doors you open.  And, Father, I want to parent with purpose. Help me parent my child from the perspective that Your purpose and plan for Him is not just about what he does today but also about who he is becoming. Amen.

4. A Prayer for the Love of Learning

Father, I want my child never to lose her love of learning. Give her the confidence to remain curious, not just this school year but throughout her life. Equip her with resilience so she doesn’t see failing as a reason to stop but only as a place to pause, assess, and try a new way. Of course, You already know that prayers for children’s success in school often include requests for good grades. And, yes, I want those good marks for my child; however, I want her to find joy in the process of learning, too. Amen.

5. A Prayer for Respect and Responsibility

Hey, God. I need your help. Please instill in my child a deep understanding of respect for himself and others. Give him opportunities to practice honoring the feelings, thoughts, and boundaries of kids in his class and on the bus. And, Father, show me ways I can step back a little so my child can step up in responsibility by taking the lead in places where he is ready, whether it’s in managing his homework or asking for help from the teacher when he needs it. Amen.

6. A Prayer for Peace for the Momma Heart

Father, I need some peace this school year. Not the peace and quiet of naptime, but peace for my heart. Sometimes I find myself caught up in the “what if” cycle of thinking. What if my child gets bullied? What if my child doesn’t make any friends? What if my child can’t do the work? What if something bad happens at school? I don’t want to think this way, so please guide my thoughts with Your gentle hand. Lead me away from fear and anxiety toward a place of trust and confidence in your unfailing love. I know in that space with You, I will experience peace and rest this school year. Amen.

7. A Prayer for Wisdom for the Momma Mind

God, You can read my mind, so you already know all the thoughts swirling around in there. It’s a lot—I know. Being a mom is heavy and light all at once. I’m winging it more than half the time, especially during these school years. My child is exposed to so much more than I encountered at that age. I need your help to make the right choices. Give me the wisdom to make the right choices for my family, even if they go against what everyone else seems to be doing. Amen.

What prayers for children’s success do you find yourself praying?

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The Morning Thing celebrates Daughters!

Today is National Daughter Day. In honor of this special day and these special ladies, The Morning Thing shared some ways to celebrate.
Click HERE to see the history behind this special day from daysoftheyear.com and some great celebration ideas.

Some of our favorite ideas:
– Send a Card
– Call Your Daughter
– Arrange a Mother-Daughter Date or Father-Daughter Date
– Take a Getaway Trip with your daughter

We also shared 5 ways to tweak y our language to empower your daughter. Our words are very powerful. Today, as we celebrate the blessing of daughters, take a quick look at this great advice from imom.com
Click HERE to read the full article from Mary Jo Wyse.

Highlights from the article:
1. Unless you’re talking about a puppy, drop the word “cute.”

Find other words to describe her: cool, creative, innovative, thoughtful.

Find a word that more accurately describes what she’s done: dynamic, ingenious, perceptive, focused.

2. Use words that describe her abilities and contributions.

You are so imaginative, inventive, detailed.

Tell your daughter she’s powerful, clever, determined.

3. Encourage a mindset of growth and effort.

Strong daughters aren’t born strong. Rather, they grow into that strength. We can help by tweaking our words and our focus. Praising their effort (not the outcome) can empower girls.

Be realistic but encouraging: You’re tackling this challenge like a champ. By welcoming feedback from your teacher, you’re taking steps to learn. I like how your friend Sasha inspired your drawing.

4. Eliminate “perfect” and “perfection” in everyday conversations.

I don’t want my daughter growing up expecting perfection from herself, so making an effort to pick my words carefully now will help change her thinking and the demands she places on herself years from now.

Instead, use these words to encourage girls to keep at it, to work hard, and to rise above her setbacks: epic, fierce, brave, charismatic, conscientious.

5. Find new words to describe your daughter that might traditionally be used for boys.

If you want to empower your daughter, try to think outside the box.

As moms of daughters, let’s try to think about what words will build them up. Strong daughters are unafraid to go after their dreams, whatever they are. Tell yours she’s capable, goal-oriented, insightful, adventurous.

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Do you have a teen leaving for college soon? Want to stay connected?

Today on The Morning Thing, we talked about a very important parenting strategy – staying connected.
This is very important as your son or daughter prepares to leave for college.

We shared some encouraging tips from Focus on the Family and author, Cheryl Barker.
Click HERE to read Cheryl’s full article.

Here are some of Cheryl’s tips:

Before leaving for college –
1. Work on Face to Face communication
2. Ask open-ended questions. Avoid the “why” questions.
3. Go Beyond the Words. What does the non-verbal signs tell you?
4. Pray, pray and pray some more!

After leaving for college –
1. Meet their needs. Care packages and unexpected gifts are wonderful!
2. Build bonds. Get to know their new friends.
3. Make a Date. Get to know who they are dating. Support the new important relationship.
4. Embrace the Major. Go to the concerts, the games, the plays, etc. Participate in their activities.

At WNZR, we work with college students every day. This is a wonderful, but stressful time in their lives as they navigate the path to their future. We pray that you will find peace and direction through this transition. Remember, that we are The Lifeline. An encouraging word, song or message is just a click away!

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