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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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!
YES?! Us too!
Did you know that the National Retail Federation estimated families with children in elementary through high school would spend, on average, $890 per household. WOW!
Here are 10 ideas for smart shopping – money saving tips from imom.com
Click HERE for the full article.
This will be a special week on The Morning Thing. Today, we kicked off Mom’s Week – a week to honor and encourage Moms at all stages of life.
Today, we shared 5 ways to be a mentally strong Mom. Click HERE to see the full article from imom.com
1. Empower yourself.
To be a better mom and mentally strong in trying times, revise your default phrases. When you’re stressed or challenged, try these instead: I’ll rise above this. I won’t let this bother me. I’m human. I’m gonna do the best I can.
2. Be content with who you are.
Comparing ourselves to others in person or on Instagram steals our joy. Self-worth is built on contentment with who you are. If you want to be a better mom, start with identifying your own wonderful qualities instead of comparing yourself to others. Are you a good listener? Are you crafty and creative? Are you the best at making your kids laugh.
3. Let your mind wander.
Instead of scrolling your phone when you have downtime, try turning inward. Think about your experiences and look for solutions to your problems. Building mental strength takes effort. Sometimes that means facing the hard or challenging thoughts we’d rather choose to avoid. But the payoff comes with being a more thoughtful mom.
4. Be on the lookout for progress.
In this moment in your life, you may feel frustrated with your child. But instead of holding her to standards you’ve read about or seen in your friend’s child, shift your focus to small, measurable goals. You’ll not only be a better mom, but you’ll build mental strength because you’re feeling hopeful rather than defeated.
5. Lay your head down more.
Getting more sleep will help you be mentally strong on those days when your kid refuses to get dressed or your teenager blames you for not waking him up for school. When you’re sleep deprived, you’re much more likely to lose your cool. Stixrud and Johnson say, “[S]leep deprivation decreases your flexibility, weakens your ability to see things in context, and impairs your judgment.” Getting a good night’s sleep can help deliver the patience we need in a heated moment.
imom.com also has 7 quick prayers of encouragement for moms. Print this one off! 🙂
Today in Canada, they will celebrate Family Day. This day was established with the purpose of bringing relatives together, strengthening family ties and celebrating the importance of family.
Click HERE to read more about the history of this special day and find some ways that you can celebrate (from Days of the Year).
The Morning Thing decided that since the USA was celebrating a holiday today (President’s Day), it would be a good day to focus on the family. They shared 5 ways to strengthen your family. We hope you try an idea today, while most families have the day off.
Click HERE to see the list created by the Department of Homeland Security.
Valentine’s Day is next Wednesday! YES – 1 week away!
Today, The Morning Thing shared some fun ideas on how to make this day extra special for your family.
Thanks to imom.com for their wonderful and creative ideas!
Let us know if you try any of the ideas. We would love to share your family’s story!
WNZR does not endorse or support any events or entries on this list. We recommend that each family or individual use their own discretion before participating or attending.
Fall officially kicked off on Saturday, and Ohio is so beautiful in the Fall. Of course, there are so many fun things that you can do in the fall, like apple picking, exploring a state park, trying out new fall recipes, and having fun with your family.
Ohio.org has a list of 100 fun things to do in Ohio during the Fall. Check out this list HERE for some ideas for your family!
The 4th Monday in September is National Family Day. The National Center on Addiction declared National Family Day in 2001 as a way to combat substance abuse among teen. Their research shows that teens who ate meals with their families were less likely to fall into substance abuse.
Click HERE to read more about this special day.
Taste Of Home has 90 Quick and Easy Family Dinner Recipes! Click HERE to see the full list.
Marcy shared a few today on the show:
Marcy and Judah also shared some fun ideas and traditions that your family can do now that Fall is here!
Click HERE for a great list of ideas from imom.com
We hope that you can find time today to sit down to dinner with your family.
We also pray that you will take time every day to celebrate your family! They are a precious gift from God!
