So what is the BEST Mother’s Day Gift idea? Instinctively, without reading any farther, you probably already know the answer to this. If you think back to your own experience as a child, when you inevitably posed this question to your own mother, she replied with something like: “I just want to spend time together […]
How important is it for my kids to fit in?
And how much should I sacrifice to make it happen? I clearly remember the day my older daughter learned to climb the ladder of the play set in our back yard. She had just turned two, and I remember thinking, “There she goes!” It was another step on her road to independence, and I realized […]
A Day in the life of a Special Needs Mom
About seven hours after our son David was born, we learned that he has Down syndrome. We received a packet of information for parents in our situation, including the famous essay by Emily Perl Kingsley, “Welcome to Holland.” The gist of her composition is that entering the world of special-needs parenting can feel like landing […]
What to say to a friend considering divorce
Note from the editor: This is in no way meant to be a judgment on anyone who has gotten a divorce or who is considering one. It is simply answering a question posed by a reader and is the opinion of the author. So what should you say to a friend who is considering getting […]
How to deal with difficult family during the holidays
There’s no place like home for the holidays……and isn’t that a relief? No, really—I think almost everyone can relate to the inevitable stress that comes from gathering with relatives during the holidays. Even those we’re glad to see can be a source of discomfort and even conflict. How to approach this challenge with difficult family […]
How to comfort a grieving friend who has lost a close loved one
In my job as a pastoral minister, I often work with families who are grieving. So when I consider the title of this post, I’m moved to comment—first of all—on what NOT to say to a friend who’s lost a loved one. So I’ll begin there and move on to some helpful things to say. […]