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How I Began Developing a Love for Christ In My Child’s Heart

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I was a youth leader for many years at my church. During my time as a youth leader, I was always amazed at the number of parents who would say things like, thank you for helping instill faith in my child. Or I’m so glad you’re here to show my child faith, or with all the bad influences in the world I’m glad that you can teach them about God.

I know these parents were well meaning, but I’d often find it sad that so many parents left spiritual training up to one hour a week at a church youth group.

I decided that when I became a parent I was going to at least expose God to my children at a young age and show them how great it is to be a child of God. Obviously, my children are their own people and when they’re older they will have to decide for themselves if they will live for God, but I want to expose them to God now and in everyday ways. I don’t want to leave learning about God to an hour a week at a children’s church class.

So here are a few ways I’ve taught my children about Jesus.

Prayer

We pray for each meal and before bed, we pray when we fall down and get hurt, we pray if it thunders and they’re scared. Also, we pray when we see an ambulance go by for those that might be hurt.
Praying in lots of different situations and times helps kids realize that they can talk to God in any place and any situation. It also shows them that there’s nothing too big or too little to go to God with.

Worship

We set aside times each day to worship God, and we always make sure to keep it fun and different. Some days we worship using instruments and dance around the house. Other days we watch YouTube worship videos and sing. It really doesn’t matter how you do it, but worshipping Jesus won’t be real to your kids unless you set time aside each day to do it.

Bible Reading

Each day we read a Bible story. I buy Bibles that are age and developmentally appropriate for my children and we read a story or devotion together. We get new Bibles and make sure that we bring scripture into our lives on a daily basis.
I’ve also started the last few weeks doing a memory verse. I was shocked to realize that within a few days my son had memorized John 3:16 with me simply reading it to him daily. He’s now memorized several verses, which I think is amazing for a three-year-old.
Mommy, what’s our Bible story today? – 3 Year Old

Talk About God

I talk about God a lot to my kids and they talk to me about Him too. We talk about how God created the leaves and sticks and dirt that are fun to play in, we discuss how blessed we are to have so many great toys. Simply put, we talk about God a lot.
My kids ask awesome questions about God too. They’ve asked me, Is God a boy or a girl? Will there be Mac and cheese in heaven? And I take those questions seriously. I want my kids to always be able to openly discuss their questions and concerns about faith without my judgment.

Church

We make going to church a priority. And my kids love it! They love their friends and community they have at church. They know that Sunday is the day they go to church. Several Sundays ago we were camping and didn’t go to church and my toddler asked, are we going to church today? I love that my kids know that Sundays are for church. I believe that instilling these values in them while they are young will help them make decisions to live for Christ when they’re older.
repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. – Deut 6:7 (NLT)
These are just some simple ways I’ve found to teach my children about Jesus. None of these take up lots of time, are expensive or require a lot of effort.  But they are effective. My three year old told me the other day he loves Jesus.
Mommy, puppy and I love Jesus – Three Year Old
What are some ways you’ve found helpful in bringing Jesus into your everyday life?
**This post contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link.
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Six Helpful Tips for Surviving A Baby With Reflux

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**This post contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link.

When my kids were babies, all I can remember is the puke. The second I’d buckle my son into his car seat, the waterfall of vomit would start. Then I had multiple issues feeding him. He was exclusively bottle fed, but would only eat when I fed him. If I had someone watch him, he would go all day without eating. It was really frustrating not knowing what the issue was with him. It wasn’t until after I had my second child that my doctor diagnosed them with reflux.

When my kids were babies, none of my friends had feeding issues with their kids. I was so frustrated and wished that my kids would eat like other kids. When other kids were eating solids, my son would throw up food all over the floor. It was embarrassing and I never wanted to go out to eat because I never knew when my kid might throw up everywhere.

Eventually, it seemed like he grew out of it. However, two years later, I had a second child. I had hoped that she would be an easy eater. Then at about 8 weeks old just like my son she stopped eating. With my son, if I kept it quiet and held him upright I could get him to eat. My daughter, however, refused to eat entirely.

I had a new doctor and in one visit, she could see my daughter had reflux. Finally, I had an answer. My kids didn’t like to eat because they were in pain from reflux.

Here are some helpful tips for dealing with reflux.

  1. Hold baby upright. Almost by accident, I found that holding my children upright instead of on their backs really seemed to help with the reflux. I had done this instinctually with my first son, but my doctor noted that this is most likely why he ate for me and no one else. I was holding him in a way that helped with his stomach pain.
  2. Avoid the car seat after feeding. When I strapped my kids into their car seats, a waterfall of vomit poured out of their mouths. I found it helpful to wait a bit after feeding them whenever possible to put them in the car seat or stroller. It didn’t always solve the problem completely, but it did help.
  3. Rock and Play Sleeper. This was a lifesaver and the only way we got the kids to sleep for long periods of time. The baby sleeps in an upright position, giving them some relief from reflux.
  4. Swaddles. Swaddling my kids really seemed to help. They slept a lot longer and better. They also seemed to be less fussy. When my kids got bigger I weaned them from the swaddling using a Zipadee-Zip. Both kids made the transition easily to the Zipadee-Zip without sleep disruptions or lots of crying.
  5. Extra clothes. If your baby has reflux your child is going to throw up. A lot. Just realize you’re going to always need extra outfits on hand. And be sure to throw several into the diaper bag before leaving. You’ll glad you did.
  6. Patience. I had to give up the notion that others could feed and hold my kids. With a lot of trial and error, I discovered ways to hold and feed my kids that kept the pressure off their stomachs. Patience was essential because I had to be ok with the fact that I was going to have to be the primary caregiver without breaks until my kids were older and outgrew their reflux.

Read: How to Get Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies

Reflux can be really annoying for a parent. However, both of my children did outgrow it and are good sleepers and eaters. I survived infant reflux, and you can too!
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4 Tips to Help You Survive the Difficult Days of Raising Little Kids

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Some days being a mom is really tough. Today my one-year-old is teething, boycotting her nap, will only eat bananas and cries unless I’m holding her. My three-year-old is being exceptionally disobedient and defiant.
One of those behaviors in a day would make you stressed out but combined together and I’m ready to go back to bed or hide and it’s only 9 AM.
If you’re a mom you’ve experienced a day like this. Some days are just really hard. Some days you want to quit and say forget it. Here are a few things I do when I feel like I want to quit.

How I survive the difficult days.

  1. Remember it’s temporary. As much as today stinks, it’s temporary. Your kids will be in a better mood tomorrow. The teething will stop. Hang in there, it will get better.
  2. Find a way to unwind. You’ve got to find an outlet to unwind. If it’s really bad and you feel you’re going to lose it, put your kids in their beds or rooms where they’re safe and take ten minutes to get your sanity back. Take deep breaths, drink a quick cup of coffee, whatever. It’s not worth you losing your cool.
    Read: 4 Reasons A Flexible Schedule for Toddlers Works For Me
  3. Realize how precious your children are. Even when they are annoying the snot out of you, they are precious lives that God has entrusted to your care. Keep reminding yourself of how precious they are and what an awesome opportunity you have to be their mom. God placed you and them together for a purpose. Never take it for granted.
    Read: How I Began Developing a Love For Christ In My Child’s Heart
  4. Ask God for help. I can’t be a good mom without God’s help. As a mom, know you can always go to God for help and ask Him for wisdom. Many times I don’t know what to do or how to handle a situation. However, when I’ve gone to God and asked for his help, he’s often showed me something I could do to help the situation.
There will be many tough days as you raise your children. The important thing to do is to stay encouraged. Tomorrow will be another day. You can make it through! Don’t give up, you’re raising a precious blessing from God!
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. – Phil 4:13 (NLT)
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6 Chores Toddlers Can Do Around The House

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The other day I discovered a surprising secret. My toddlers want to help with the chores around the house. In fact, I had my three year old crying because I had finished cleaning and he hadn’t gotten the chance to help.
So instead of doing the dishes and turning on cartoons to keep your kids out of your hair, consider letting your toddlers help out around the house.
Realistically they’re not going to do that great of a job, but letting your kids begin to learn at a young age can be really great! With a little encouragement, you’ll find that your toddler begins to become a really big helper around the house!

Here are six chores my toddlers help with around the house.

  1. Sweeping.  –  I give them a small dustpan and broom and they love to sweep. We pretend we’re street sweepers getting the streets clean. My son loves mopping too. He loves seeing the paths the water makes from his mop. I love a clean floor, so it’s a win-win.
  2. Putting silverware in dishwasher. – My one year old helps out a lot with this. She loves putting the spoons, knives and forks into the slots. It takes her awhile, but it keeps her busy when I’m finishing up the dishes.
  3. Lightweight Vacuum – My kids love helping vacuum. I think they enjoy watching all the crumbs under the table get sucked up. They can’t use the big vacuum yet, but we have a lightweight one that works well for little hands to use.
  4. Dusting. – Both of my kids like this. My three year old loves making the “spraying go away”. He loves when I spray a table with dusting spray and he can make all of it go away.
  5. Pick Up Toys – Both of my toddlers pick up their toys. It’s something we began working on when they were little. My three year old can pick up his room on his own and my one-year-old is able to pick her toys up with some assistance.
    Read: How I Keep My Kids From Getting Bored With Their Toys
  6. Laundry. – Both toddlers put shoes, socks and into the lower drawers in their dressers. They also help put small clothes into the washer or dryer. They can’t do this all independently now, but I like teaching these skills early so when they get big enough they’ll be able to do it themselves.

I love teaching my kids to do chores at a young age. It really seems to give them a confidence boost. I love watching their beaming faces when I act really excited about how good they cleaned their room or mopped the floor.

Mommy, I’m a good helper! – 3 Year Old

What are some things you like to have your kids help out with around your house?

Read: 6 Easy Activities To Keep Toddlers Entertained

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Two Simple Strategies to Avoid Toddler Tantrums

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The best way to describe a toddler’s tantrum is senseless. When a toddler throws a tantrum it usually makes no sense. My toddler has been in tears because I held a toothbrush sideways instead of straight up in his mouth while I brushed his teeth. I’ve also had my toddler scream loudly at me because I dared to look at him while he was eating. Tantrums can be absolutely infuriating for a parent because most of the time they don’t make any sense.

The sad thing is, toddler tantrums can’t be avoided completely. Tantrums are going to happen at times and over absolutely silly things. However, I’ve discovered two things that seem to help limit my toddler’s tantrums.

Keep Your Toddler Well-Fed.

In my toddler’s case, it seems like almost any time he throws a tantrum it’s usually because he’s hungry. One time at lunch he wouldn’t stop crying. I asked him why he was having such a hard time. He said it was hard to be good when he was so hungry.

It’s hard to be good when I’m hungry. – 3 Year Old

My one-year-old hits others, the floor, or her toys when she’s hungry. It’s the only time I see her do it. When she’s hungry she just doesn’t act right. So now that I know this when I see her starting to hit and throw tantrums, I know it’s time to get that girl fed fast.

Being hungry can be the trigger that sets your toddler or pre-toddler over the edge. As a parent, it can be helpful to pay attention to when your little last ate and how much they ate. If they didn’t eat well, or it’s been a long time since they ate, you can’t realistically expect good behavior.  With that in mind, if you know lunch will be late, be sure to pack a snack, lunch on the go, or something to keep those little tummies fed. Avoid tantrums by keeping those littles well-fed!

Keep Your Toddler Well-Rested.

A sleepy kid isn’t going to be as well behaved. Whenever possible, try to make naps happen every day. Also, you can’t stay out late at night for lots of nights in a row and expect your toddler to not be affected. Rest can greatly affect the behavior of your kids.

One of my kids is sensitive to sleep, the other isn’t. If my toddler wakes up too early or doesn’t go to bed at the right time, their behavior will not be good. Whenever possible, I try to ensure that naps happen regularly. Even if the nap is shorter than normal, I still try to squeeze in a little snooze if at all possible.

I can’t be nice when I’m sleepy, mom – 3 Year Old

There are lots of strategies to help with toddler behavior but these are two good ones to check up on. A hungry or sleepy kid is going to be more prone to tantrums and fits. That’s why I love having my kids on a flexible schedule, I know when they’ve eaten last and slept. This helps me determine whether the tantrum is because they’re tired, hungry, or if they’re just being a child.
Also, if you have to run errands, help your toddler out by going after lunch, snack or nap. Picking times that you know your toddler will be well behaved will certainly help you keep your sanity and save you lots of embarrassment.
Toddler Throwing Tantrum - Two Strategies to help your toddler avoid tantrums
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4 Reasons A Flexible Schedule for Toddlers Works For Me

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I love watching my kids discover new things. I love the unexpected hugs, the sticky hands touching my arm while reading a book or the smiles and giggles we share. Being a parent has changed my life for the better. I believe part of why I love being with my kids so much is due to the schedule they’re on. For me, a schedule has helped me work from home while raising two kids.

Here are four ways that scheduling my kid’s day has helped me.

Reason One – A Schedule Makes Sure I Get A Break

As much as I love being a mom, I need some alone time. The reason I love our flexible schedule is that it provides me with some much needed “me time”. I have several times during the day when I can take a break from being mom. That is a relief. I know my kids are napping or playing in their rooms and are safe. This allows me to relax for a minute and to help me be a better mom.
When my kids are around, I’m never relaxed. I’m always trying to keep them from hurting themselves and keep them having fun. The reason a schedule is so great is that it allows me to take some breaks from being a mom.

Reason Two – A Schedule Helps My Kids Get Along Better

I think a flexible schedule helps my kids get along better. My kids have their moments when they fight, they’re human. However, I believe that scheduling some time apart everyday has helped my kids get along better. They’re usually very excited to see each other and give each other an abundance of hugs and kisses. I believe this is due to the fact that they both have some time scheduled away from each other during the day.

Reason Three – With A Schedule I Can Work From Home

My flexible schedule allows me to work from home. As much as I had wanted to be a stay at home mom, my husband and I weren’t able to make that work, financially. However, by scheduling my kid’s day I’ve been able to both stay at home with the kids and work at home. I’m able to set aside time each day to get my work done and I know the kids are busy doing activities that I’ve planned out for them.

Reason Four – A Schedule Ensures I Get Time With My Husband

Our schedule allows me some alone time with my husband. My kids have set bedtimes that are early enough to allow my husband and I to have a little time together at night. I need the time to be able to talk to him while being focused and uninterrupted. Our flexible schedule provides this for us.

My kids are on a schedule and it’s worked great for us. They seem to like knowing what’s coming next in their day and what to expect. Our schedule is very flexible, so if a fun opportunity presents itself, we’re sure to stop what we’re doing and go have fun.
Four Reasons A Flexible Schedule for Toddlers Works For Me
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