Search Results for: blog letting it go

Free Range Parenting – Letting Kids Roam Free

There’s a parenting style in the news that has gotten some attention lately. Its called free range parenting. The basic concept is that children should be allowed to roam free while they are unattended by their parents (or other adults). This parenting style was common in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Today, it appears to be causing some controversy. Parents Alexander and Danielle Meitiv are practicing free range parenting. It is pretty much the opposite of helicopter parenting. A helicopter parent wants to hover over their children and step in at the first signs of a problem. A free range parent, … Continue reading →

Is Cleanliness Next to Godliness?

Is it really true…is cleanliness next to godliness?  Well for some housekeepers it is!  I tend to have a mixed view on this. While I want a clean home, I don’t want it to feel untouchable.  And I certainly don’t want it to become more important than the relationships that happen inside. I really hate that when my children were younger, I oftentimes made them feel that the state of my home was more important than they were.  Obviously I never truly felt that way but it was the message I sent more times than not. Complaints were always coming … Continue reading →

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

It’s always interesting to reflect back on the past year, to review the most significant moments, to pay special attention to those things you might have changed and to marvel at how quickly it all went by.  Some of us might get stuck in the past, while others find it easier to move on. I would have to say that without a doubt, the year 2012 was the most difficult for me as a parent.  Our family went through a troubling situation with our teen daughter that lasted several months.  All it took was one boy to enter the picture … Continue reading →

Potty Learning On The Go

Tomorrow, the boys and I are headed out of town for the weekend. We are going to Maine to stay at my husband’s parents’ cottage, which just happens to be located less than an hour from the town where my favorite fair is being held this weekend. The trip would take about six hours, if we drove non stop. I have no idea how long it will actually take us, nor do I have any expectations of getting there at a certain time. You see, this trip could take a while because Dylan is on an important journey of his … Continue reading →

Letting Hope Light Your Path

When a teenager decides to take a path you never hoped they would travel, nor did you ever imagine they would, it can result in a mother questioning her abilities. I know because I have been there. You ask yourself what signs you might have missed. I know because I asked myself that. You wonder if you could have changed the course. I know because I have wondered the same thing. You wonder if it will ever get better. I know because I had those concerns. And you ask yourself, “What can I do to make sure this never happens … Continue reading →

Letting Your House Go

Are you a busy mom? I know…that’s an oxymoron. What mom isn’t busy? Just thinking about this upcoming week has my head spinning. A full workload, preparing paperwork and other documents for my son’s leave for basic training, finishing touches on a creative writing class I will be teaching for a week, professional pictures being taken, a going away party for my son, appointment with the recruiter and well, you get the picture. Although the details are probably different, I would guess you have a lengthy list as well. So when we have days, weeks or even months where it … Continue reading →

When Good Kids Go Bad

Acting out after a parent’s divorce is normal for many children. They are still young and haven’t yet learned how to cope with the changes they are being faced with. They may simply be trying to express their fears and frustrations, but haven’t found a way to communicate them effectively, and are thus acting out in a way to express their feelings. While you may feel guilty that your children are behaving this way, this is in no way a reflection on your parenting. Good kids make bad choices sometimes, your job is just to help guide them back onto … Continue reading →

Letting Go or Giving Up?

Virtually every parent of a teenager experiences turbulence. Sometimes it’s just a little bump in the road. It may not be a serious issue or it may not last long. But then there are other times when the turbulence tends to go on. The issues could be very serious, causing a lot of upset in the family. I personally know parents who have gone through mild and severe turbulence with their teens. I have my own experience with it. But what I am beginning to notice is that some parents are confusing “letting go” with giving up. What does it … Continue reading →

Still Learning to Let Go

I am always talking about the necessity of learning to let go as our children get older. It’s funny how some things are easier to let go of than others. Take my 18-year-old son, who is beginning to get impatient that a job in the Air Force hasn’t opened up yet. In case you are curious how this all works, after enlisting and being sworn in the first time (there is a more official time you are sworn in, right before you leave), you apply for a job. The job you get will determine the technical school you go to … Continue reading →

Letting Go

If you’ve ever walked into your child’s room and thought she must belong to someone else, you are not alone. Hailey’s room has been a disaster since she was about ten, before that I cleaned it every day. I can’t count how many times I’ve said- you can’t to (whatever) until that room is clean. Ten minutes later she comes out and tells me it’s clean. I go look, it’s neater but now everything is just piled. Why doesn’t she put things away? Why doesn’t she clean off the top of her dresser? Why doesn’t she carry her drink glasses … Continue reading →