Caring for Moms of Newborns
Motherhood takes its toll on women’s bodies, minds, and emotions. And that’s even before the child is actually born! Pregnancy itself can be exciting and miraculous while also being difficult and almost disabling. The upside is that during pregnancy, the…
Avoid the Summer Slump with Teachable Moments
Just as teachers want children to avoid the “summer slump” of digressing academically June through August, we as parents don’t want our children to forget what WE have taught them either. That’s why it’s so important for us to look…
Don’t Miss It!
Note: I wrote this article ten years ago. And yes, I had forgotten these things again. Parents, this is exactly why we need to write our stories down! . . . Recently my children pulled out their memory books to…
Let Them Witness the Fitness: Getting Your Kids Involved
It’s February now, so how is everyone doing on their New Year’s resolutions for health and fitness?! If you’re not where you’d like to be, I’m sure you’re not alone. Sometimes family life can be what makes it difficult for…
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…for Teachable Moments
The holiday season is upon us, and although some things will probably be different this year (Thanks, 2020.), there will still be plenty of hustle and bustle to manage for ourselves and our families. But what if we did more…
Parenting a Puppy
Several weeks ago, my family decided that two dogs just weren’t enough for our family of seven humans. And so we added a third dog. A Golden Retriever puppy, to be precise. His name is Dallas, and he’s just about…
Let’s Take Responsibility…And Pass It on to Our Children
Responsibility. It’s a quality that we all desire for our children. We parents must realize, however, that responsibility is something that must be taught. And we are the ones who must teach it. Start Early The key to raising responsible…
Making the Most of ALL This Family Time
These next weeks/months will likely set a record for the most family time any of us have ever had. Ever. We didn’t see this coming, but it’s here, and we are faced with a choice: We can either waste our…
How Does Your Garden Grow?
My husband Kevin has maintained a vegetable garden in our backyard for several years now. Some seasons it has gotten more attention than others. One summer’s garden was particularly great and produced an abundance of tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers, lettuce,…
Teamwork in the Family
My husband likes to refer to our family as “Team Partridge” or “Team Peartree.” Teamwork is essential to family life, and I am understanding this concept more and more as my family has grown from five to seven members in…