One of the early parenting lessons I learned is routines are lifesavers. Whether it was trying to create a predictable bedtime routine, figuring out how often the child needed to eat to prevent meltdowns, or simply helping the child live into the routine of childcare and school, routines...
As Mother’s Day approaches, I face it with my usual dread. Though there are so many mothers that we can and should honor (I love you, Mom!!), there are so many people for whom this is a hard day. I am at the stage in life when many of my friends are having children. There are the sonogram...
In the last couple of weeks we have seen quite a lot of change in our infant. She is finally getting up on her knees to crawl instead of doing her “commando drag.” She is pulling up to a standing position and happily standing for a while. She is trying and enjoying new solid foods...
Today is the big day. Our older child’s first day of kindergarten. As background, we are used to our child being in the care of others. Since she was 18 months, she has been doing four days a week of full-day care. Though that was hard at first, we quickly saw how she thrives on the...
As parents of two young children, whose family lives far away, we try to be diligent about documenting our children’s development and milestones. In our family we do that with group emails and links to recent photos. At the beginning of our children’s lives, we share about the many...
My older daughter attends a Lutheran preschool. During the summer the school runs a camp that is more play-based. What our family loves is that they keep the religious content present in both programs. What I especially enjoy is discovering my daughter singing a religious song...
I am a regular advocate for children in Church. I think the practice shapes children at a young age and enlivens worship for the community. Though distracting to some, the noise of children makes me feel like the church is alive and joyful. That is why I always encourage parents with young...
I grew up in the South, which means I have a particular perspective about the experience of snow. When snow was in the forecast, even a little dusting, schools were usually closed, people stayed off the road, and the grocery store shelves were bare. We did not have the kind of equipment needed...
This past Sunday, our church held its annual Epiphany Pageant. Since the pageant involves using Scripture and hymns to retell the entirety of Jesus’ birth narratives, the pageant replaces most of the Liturgy of the Word (the part of the service when we traditionally read/chant the...
