Blog » Gather & Grow

Every Generation Better Than The One Before: Overcoming Toxic Parenting

18 Oct

I had good parents growing up. They weren’t perfect and they had their fair share of baggage but they loved us very well and were good, humble, always willing to admit a mistake and figure it out together kind of people. But I have many friends who dealt with a large variety of issues passed down by ... View Post

A Story of Hope through Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss

14 Oct

Over the past two years my daughter Hope has asked a lot of questions about the siblings she's never met. "Were they boys or girls?" "Did you name them?" "How many times were you pregnant before me? Before Joshua?" We've answered her questions as best we could, sparing her the intimate details. . ... View Post

Discipline that Connects {book review + online course}

3 Oct

Of all my parenting responsibilities, discipline is the one that has overwhelmed me the most. Am I doing it right? Is it too little? Too much? I admit I've often addressed the behavior rather than the heart behind it, even though I've read over and over again the importance of getting to the root ... View Post

4 Simple Ways to Help Your Kids Manage School Stress

29 Sep

Backpacks, lunch boxes and earrrrly mornings—oh yes, the school year is in full swing! In our house, there has been a little bit of excitement about this new year with new teachers and classmates; but our kids also sense a palpable anxiety over things they know are coming. Namely, the load of stress ... View Post

The Creative Mom’s Guide to Blending Life and Art

27 Sep

Yesterday, my daughter asked me to paint with her. My first inclination was to say, "No." There are a lot of things I love to do with my children, but sitting down and painting ranks pretty low on the list. It's down there next to playing dolls and building with LEGOs. I looked around my house, and ... View Post

To The Moms Who Have Gone Before

21 Sep

In the season of raising young children when we are reminded time and time again to cherish the season, to enjoy every moment, well-meaning unsolicited advice and self-inflicted guilt is overwhelming to me. As a widowed single parent, the glaring absence of my other half makes the stress and guilt ... View Post