We have about 20 kids’ puzzles stacked on a bookshelf in our living room. They all fit there, but they’re a bit of an eyesore and it is difficult to access the one our kids ask for because inevitably that particular one is at the bottom of the stack! As you can see, we need to find a better way to store these puzzles. This is … [Read more...] about Storage Solutions for Kids’ Puzzles
school-age children
Names Are Gifts We Give to Our Children
Are names merely indiscriminate titles that help us know when someone is speaking to us or is there more to it? I believe the latter, specifically that names have the power to shape our lives in significant ways. We see examples of this in Scripture. Though names sometimes recorded an aspect of a child’s birth (see Esau and Jacob in … [Read more...] about Names Are Gifts We Give to Our Children
Snow Activities for Families Living in Warm Climates
My two older kids are fascinated with snow. They frequently ask me when it will snow and if they can do things like build a snowman. They aren’t quite old enough to understand that we live in a location (the Texas Gulf Coast) where snow is rare. Because they desire to play in snow so much, I’ve been on the lookout for “snow” activities … [Read more...] about Snow Activities for Families Living in Warm Climates
Christian Parenting Affirmations
This last summer, as I was preparing to give birth to my third child, I wrote out some labor affirmations on note cards. Affirmations—statements meant to encourage, inspire, and energize—are helpful during labor because delivering a baby (vaginally or via C-section) is strenuous, requiring a lot of mental and physical energy. As I was caring … [Read more...] about Christian Parenting Affirmations
12 Crafts to Help Kids Understand the Christmas Story
My 2-year-old and 4-year-old are really into crafts right now. They ask to draw, paint, make masks, create collages, or do something else creative every single day. I’ve found a number of cool Christmas crafts for them that yield secular symbols of Christmas (trees, wreaths, bells, etc.). I don’t have a problem with these, but I want to make … [Read more...] about 12 Crafts to Help Kids Understand the Christmas Story
10 Wonderful Children’s Books About Gratitude
In my household, we all love reading. It should come as no surprise that I enjoy using books to introduce new concepts to my kids and to reinforce the concepts we’ve been discussing. It is November, so we’ve been talking a lot about gratitude and giving thanks to God for all He has given us. These are really difficult concepts for young … [Read more...] about 10 Wonderful Children’s Books About Gratitude
6 Wonderful Things About Having Closely Spaced Children
I recently gave birth to my third child. When I saw the positive pregnancy test at the beginning of my pregnancy with her, it didn’t take long for me to realize that my oldest child would be just 3 years of age when the new baby was born. I would have a 3-year-old, a 2-year-old, and a newborn. I felt momentary insecurity, but this was … [Read more...] about 6 Wonderful Things About Having Closely Spaced Children
7 Resources to Help Kids (and Adults) Memorize Scripture
Last week I shared with you A Simple Book of Big Truths for Little Ones, a simple tool I created to help my kiddos memorize Bible verses. Many of you will find it useful when helping your children memorize Scripture. However, some of you won’t find it to be that beneficial. This is typically how things work—different kids have different … [Read more...] about 7 Resources to Help Kids (and Adults) Memorize Scripture