The Christmas season is almost upon us, and if you’re like most moms you’re both anticipating it with joy and approaching it with a bit of dread. After all, the weeks from Thanksgiving Day (in the U.S.) through Christmas and …
MOPS for Life: A Mentor Story
More than 20 years ago, I left my job as a Hollywood producer to raise my infant daughter. Those first months were such a struggle because I had no family near and no idea what I was doing. I had …
The Day I Stopped Talking
I imposed a 24-hour “No Talking” rule on myself, and this is what happened … I’ll start by owning that at least a strong part of me is an 8 on the Enneagram (“the challenger”). As such, the emotion that …
2 Things To Do Instead of Reward or Punish Your Kids
Should I use the carrot or the stick? You’re asking the wrong question. Many of us were raised under a system of punishments versus rewards. Good behavior results in the carrot, bad behavior results in the stick. Over the past …
Annoying Things You’ll Miss When Your Kids Get Older
“Time flies” may sound like a cliché, but once you have kids the phrase suddenly starts to ring true. Stepping into motherhood carries a huge responsibility, and it goes beyond simply taking care of the kids or cleaning up their …
School Choice: Questions to Ask Yourself
Over the summer we were at a family gathering halfway across the country. It was a lot of catching up and conversation about education came up. A cousin asked if ours was a good school and I hesitated. Yes, our …
Front Yard Living
At the beginning of the summer, during our daily Quiet Rest Hour, the energy in our house changed. I looked up from my book and felt that it had gone from Quiet Rest “Quiet” to eerily and suspiciously “Quiet.” I …
I’m New Here: How to Find Your New Best Mom Friends
Every mom is new somewhere. I just had my first baby and entered motherhood. I’m new here. We relocated away from our family and friends. I’m new here. I long for friends and am looking for a moms group. I’m …
The Brave Art of Motherhood
Excerpted from The Brave Art of Motherhood: Fight Fear, Gain Confidence, and Find Yourself Again. Copyright © 2018 by Rachel Marie Martin. Used by permission of WaterBrook, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Over the past five years, I’ve lived …
Five Reasons Why We Don’t Talk About Depression
I’m in my ‘30s and a mama of three. I probably seem like a super happy person most of the time. I love to laugh, sing show tunes, read novels, go on beach vacations and drink coffee (or wine) with close friends. I love writing, …