Parenting Skills from a Movie?

Snuggling with my husband on the couch last night, we were looking forward to an evening without the kids.  It had been virtually months since we had watched a good movie and  Mom’s Night Out (2014)  had been recommended by several friends.  Being several years removed from the exhaustion of small kids under foot and the […]

Are You Really Listening?

Last week I encountered a bazaar conversation that made me wonder who had trained the receptionist I was talking with on the phone.  It was really quite a simple request.  The conversation went something like this. “I’d like to make a follow-up appointment for my son on Wednesday, December 17,” I stated in a matter […]

Time to Negotiate?

  Tony was notorious for wanting to stay up later than his bedtime allowed.   At 12, he started a full-court press on Jennifer trying to get her to change his bedtime complaining that he was being treated like a little kid. “Mom, you just don’t get it!  Other kids my age don’t even have a […]

The Respect Dare – Used and Hurting

Not quite sure how to console her son, Lita was frustrated at the turn of events.  Her 14 year old son had been so excited to invite Ben over after church.  They had been planning the big day for a couple of weeks! Starting school had been difficult for Logan as he tried to navigate […]

Who’s in the Dog House?

Dianne kept telling herself, “I can’t believe we just did it again!  How come that kid always outsmarts us?!” She and Derrick thought they had come up with the perfect consequence for their daughter’s new endeavors to test the curfew limits they had put in place.  After all, it wasn’t like they were over-the-top strict. She […]

Dare 23 – The Respect Dare for parents of 20-Somethings – Are You Awfulizing?

Sitting at lunch with Brenda, Nadine couldn’t keep herself from telling her woes.  “I’m just wondering if he will ever graduate from college, let alone get a job!  He’s changed his major three times.  At this rate he’ll be paying off school loans until he’s 40! She paused briefly to take a sip of water. […]