Category: Parents

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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Back to school!

Believe it or not, school is already back in session for some students! With summer winding down and classes picking back up, The Morning Thing decided to take a look at 5 Back to School Lessons Your Kids Need to Learn This Year from iMOM.com, to help you get your kids prepared for learning!

Click HERE for the full article!

Some lessons you can teach your kids include:

  1. How to wake up on their own
  2. How to pack their own lunch or snacks
  3. How to keep track of homework and tests

Make sure to tune into The Morning Thing weekdays 6-9am on 90.9fm WNZR!

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Want to save money on back-to-school shopping?

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.

1. Shop at home first.

2. Reuse last year’s backpack or lunchbox.

3. Use DIY locker decorations.

4. Shop secondhand for electronics.

5. Agree with your child on one splurge item.

6. Team up to buy in bulk.

7. Take advantage of discounts through digital resources.

8. Host a hand-me-down party.

9. Try consignment before shopping for new clothes.

10. Make a deal with your kids.

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Kicking Off Dad Week!

It’s Dad Week on The Morning Thing! We’ll be sharing all things dad related on the show to get you ready for Father’s Day Weekend, and we kicked things off today by looking at 5 Biblical Fathers Whose Actions Influence Dads Today. The article, from Crosswalk.com, details the stories of five biblical father’s and the impact they had and can have on fathers today!

Plus, in true Dad fashion, we shared some terrible dad jokes along the way. Here’s a few to give you a quick laugh and eye roll this morning:

  1. Why do Swedish warships have barcodes on them? So when they dock they can Scandinavian.
  2. The recipe said: “set the oven to 180 degrees.” But now I can’t open it because the door faces the wall.
  3. What happens if a frog parks illegally? It gets toad. (Get it?)

Tune in for more fun and laughs weekdays mornings 6-9am on 90.9fm, WNZR!

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The Morning Thing kicks off Mom’s Week!

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! 🙂

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Praying for your children while they’re at school

Prayer is important and powerful, and the Bible tells us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Praying for our children in school is also important!

We shared 8 prayers from Crosswalk.com writer Sarah Frazer who shared these prayers that she loves to pray over her children. Sarah says that “I know that God uses my prayers to accomplish good things in their lives. These are some of the prayers I’ve prayed for my children each day. Use these prayers as a way to start. Tailor them to fit your child and each unique situation. I might not pray all of these every day, but at least a few of these quick prayers will help us stay connected and speak into our children’s lives – even as they are at school.”

Things you can pray for include children making good choices, good friendships, protection, remembering what they’ve studied, adults who speak life to children, fun and laughter, courage, and calm for anxious hearts.

Click HERE to see all of the prayers.

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