Category: Parents

The Morning Thing celebrates National Family Day with some ways you can strengthen your family

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.

  • Work on good communication skills. Focus on listening and understanding what your family member is trying to say. Carve out time to work on communication skills by putting away phones and other devices at the dinner table so you can interact with each other.
  • Establish traditions, values, and goals together. If you have already developed some family traditions, do your best to continue what you started. Sit down to discuss and reinforce values, invent new traditions, and plan how you will accomplish goals together.
  • Try new things together. Play a new board game, discover a new craft, or try different foods. Choose a night each week for movies and games. If you have children, let them help make decisions about new things to try.
  • Connect with distant family members. Make time to connect with long distance family members by phone, email, or video calls. Staying in touch with people outside of your home will help you feel more connected to them.
  • Stay active. Physical activity can help reduce stress. Have a family dance party or set family exercise goals, schedule weekly walks together, or create competitions to see how many pushups or jumping jacks each of you can do. These activities can create moments of bonding.
  • Laugh together. Find things to do that will make you laugh. Choose a funny movie to watch together, read a favorite book, or tell each other jokes.

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The Morning Thing shares ways to make Valentine’s Day sweet for your family

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!

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It is National Family Day! How will you celebrate?

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:

Enchilada Casser-Ole!

Breaded Ranch Chicken

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!

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Today is National Care for Kids Day. How will you celebrate?

National Care of Kids Day is held annually on September 20th and gives us an opportunity to positively impact a child’s life.

Here are some easy ways to celebrate (ideas from National Day Calendar):
– Donate to your favorite children’s charity.
– Volunteer with a children’s service organization.
– Make an in-kind donation. This can be a service, supplies or other needs a charity requires.
– Share stories about amazing service organizations, volunteers or children.

When you celebrate, be sure to use #CareforKidsDay on social media.

The Morning Thing shared some inspiration from Crosswalk.com for this special day.
Here are 4 godly ways to care for your child’s mind, body and spirit:
1. Reject the World’s Ways – ”Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

2. Have the Wisdom to Give Them Healthy Choices – If you’re like most confused and frazzled parents, God understands and promises: “…If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).

3. Have Courage to Overcome Negative Emotions, Starting with Yourself – The words parents say, the expressions they repeat and the attitude they convey can either bring life into their children, or bring death to their sense of security. Proverbs 18:21, “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.”

4. Emulate Boldness to Make Them Warriors – We emphasize God’s purpose for their lives.

Click HERE to read the FULL article.

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Making the most of mealtime with your family

Did you know that families who eat a meal together are happier and healthier? Perdue University’s Extension Nutrition Education Program encourages families to make mealtime family time as you cook, eat, and talk together! This can build your family’s relationship, promote healthy eating, foster your children’s sense of family stability, save money, develop everyone’s cooking skills, help your children develop important social skills, and even let everyone try new foods.

Click HERE to learn more from Perdue University Extention Nutrition Program.

Need some cheap and easy dinner ideas for your family? We shared some recipes from Country Living. They include pictures of every recipe so you can see what amazing food you can make You may even have some of these ingredients in your pantry now so you could even try one tonight!

Click HERE for 68 cheap dinner ideas for families from Country Living.

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Tips and tricks for organizing your family’s schedule, and some advice from local moms!

School is back in session, and the kids are getting back into their after-school activities. Does it seem overwhelming to keep track of? We talked to 3 moms to get some real-life advice on organizing your family’s schedule. Lindsay Robinson, Amanda Smith, and Soni Douglas share their experiences.

We also shared 7 tips from Very Well Family for creating those family calendars. Some advice they gave included:

Make sure the calendar is updated and accurate.

Try a digital calendar. Make sure the app works for your family and your needs!

Use a physical calandar, and keep it where it’s accessible to everyone in the family. Use color coding if that’s helpful for your family. You can also blend these two and write your schedule in both your calendar app and your physical calendar so your phone can send you reminders.

Get everyone in the family involved, even the little ones! Teach them the importance of keeping a schedule so they can use it effectively when they get old enough to use the calendar.

Check-in with your family regularly about their schedule. Talk about what they need to do the next day, and what they need to plan in the future.

Don’t forget to plan for time to rest and relax. Having a jam-packed schedule once in a while happens, but it shouldn’t be every day. Studies show that people who don’t take time to rest are at risk for depression, anxiety, lack of sleep, eating less/poorly, and poor decision making skills. Make time for your family to spend time together, or for you and your significant other to have a date night.

Click HERE to read the full article from VeryWell Family.

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Jane Frickey gives us the details on an exciting new program coming to Mount Vernon City Schools!

Jane Frickey from Lifewise Academy tells us about this exciting new program coming to Mount Vernon City Schools! She tells us about what Lifewise Academy is, how she got involved, and how you can sign your student up to join the program!


Go to lifewise.org/interest/, type in your school district, and click “visit school district page” to sign up and learn more.

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It’s Back to School Week on The Morning Thing!

We know many students in our area are getting ready to go back to school, and many students are going back this week. We want to help you and your child have a smooth transition as they head into the school year!

This morning on The Morning Thing, we shared some relaxing things you can do before the semester starts. Click HERE to see the full list. We especially loved the idea of taking a hike (and the weather forecast looks promising for a hike this week!), cleaning out your closet, and going berry picking. Take some time for both you and your student to unwind before the school year starts.

Is your child feeling anxious for the school year? Sometimes starting new things can make children nervous. If they are, here’s 5 tips from Johns Hopkins Children’s Center:

  • A week or two before school, start preparing children for the upcoming transition by resuming school-year routines, such as setting a realistic bedtime and selecting tomorrow’s clothes.
  • Arrange play dates with one or more familiar peers before school starts. Research shows that the presence of a familiar peer during school transitions can improve children’s academic and emotional adjustment.
  • Visit the school before the school year begins, rehearse the drop-off and spend time on the playground or inside the classroom if the building is open. Have your child practice walking into class while you wait outside or down the hall.
  • Come up with a prize or a rewarding activity that the child could earn for separating from mom or dad to attend school.
  • Validate the child’s worry by acknowledging that, like any new activity, starting school can be hard but soon becomes easy and fun.

Click HERE to learn more about easing your child’s anxiety.

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Dad – would you like to go fishing for Father’s Day?

Fishing with Fathers is coming to Ariel Foundation Park on Sunday!

This FREE event is Sunday, 6/18 – Father’s Day!
WNZR’s Alyssa Sidle talked with TeenWorks Executive Director, Angela Harris about this wonderful event and the mission of their organization.
Click HERE to hear their conversation.
The event is from 12 pm – 4 pm. NO fishing license is required.

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Bible Verses to encourage DAD!

The bible is the best source for encouragement for our daily lives. This week, The Morning Thing is honoring Dads, just in time for Father’s Day.

We found over 30 verses that talk about God’s love for us, instructions for fatherhood and inspiration for husbands. There are also verses about love and faith. It is our prayer that these verses will encourage Dads and their family members.

Click HERE to see the list from CountryLiving.com

Here are some of our favorites:

  • Lamentations 3:22: “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end…”
  • Psalm 103:8: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
  • John 15:9: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”
  • Jeremiah 31:3: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”
  • 1 Corinthians 13:7: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
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