Since my family leans toward the dramatic, we carry on a running gag which started when our three sons were teens and still repeats itself when we’re all together. After there’s been dinner conversation for a few minutes, any one of our now-adult sons will pretend to be greatly insulted (almost any excuse will do). The “offended” party wipes his mouth, throws down his napkin and pushes back his chair to leave, saying, “You know what? I think I’ve lost my appetite.” This never fails to get a laugh out of us—but in real life, it wouldn’t be much fun to experience such an awkward Continue Reading
Two things you shouldn’t try to be for your children
As my daughter-in-law Rebecca approached the birth of her first child, she listened to the comments of young parents around her, looking for a hint of what her life might soon be like. While paying attention, she noticed a dismaying trend. Many parents would make a laundry list of complaints about the difficulties of raising children, then finish with the remark, “Oh, but I wouldn’t trade being a parent for anything.” Really? thought Rebecca. Because you make it sound pretty miserable. Well, good news—parenting doesn’t need to be miserable and exhausting! In fact, it’s meant to Continue Reading
How I’m letting Christmas moments inform my approach to the New Year
Peeking through our front window on Christmas Eve, you’d have seen our clan of fourteen gathered around the table, then the piano, then the Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of Christ (and, to borrow a favorite line from “A Christmas Story,” plunge into the occasion’s “unbridled ecstasy”). Said clan currently includes kids ages seven, five, three (two cousins) and infant (two more cousins), so you can imagine the level of emotion in the room---sweet moments like the toddlers smothering their baby cousin with kisses, along with the feverish anticipation of opening gifts. Despite Continue Reading
How to have the eyes of a child at Christmas (even though you’re a mom or dad)
My church operates a daycare center, inside which our church office is located. As an office assistant, even though I’m tucked out of sight, I’m literally surrounded by children all day long. There’s extra excitement in the air among the little ones these days. Every so often, we hear comments like, “When is it finally going to be Christmas?” I don’t hear things like this from the parents, though—because guess who’s responsible for making Christmas so awesome? (It sure ain’t Santa Claus!) As a parent, you’ve got things on your plate that your children have no ability to appreciate Continue Reading