-
Previewing
Today isn’t going to be super deep, just celebrating getting something right and seeing the fruits of my preparation blossom, and I wanted to share this skill because I know I’ve seen how this improves our lives time and time again. Something I have seen as a teacher is the importance of previewing activities. As a teacher, we preview to help students understand the objectives in a new lesson, to tie in previous learning to the new skills, and to clarify the purpose and procedure of the activity. Previewing is literally the best tool in my parenting toolbox because it prevents issues. Rather than be reactive to a crisis, previewing…
-
Seriously Harvard!? How I reset my parenting expectations
My parenting expectations were WAY out of whack. I realized this after a harmless Facebook post almost sent me into a tizzy. A mom friend posted on Facebook. “My 6 yo daughter is so smart! Harvard should get ready.” She was being quippy. (Heaven not Harvard is as a participant in affiliate programs including the Amazon Associates Program. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.) But my mommy radar sounded an alarm, seeking some measuring stick by which to gauge if my daughter might also be in this very elite kindergarten predestined for Harvard group. I began to type a long comment, but paused. She was being funny. Her…
-
Understanding How to Pray Ceaselessly as a Mom
Understanding how to pray ceaselessly was a lesson God had waiting for me as a mom. I had always known that prayer was important, but it was something we did at church, before meals, during difficult times. I didn’t really know how to pray ceaselessly, yet. One night, when my daughter was just three years old, her bedtime had slid backwards a few minutes because her glow stick bubble bath ran a little long. She had played until the water was cold, her fingers tiny raisins. By the time I was finishing her bedtime story, sleepiness had turned her into a tiny ball of hysterical giggles. Letting her laughter rise…
-
Heaven Not Harvard: Faith Focused Parenting & Living
Heaven not Harvard was a cute blog name brainstorm, but now, it means so much more. Parenting with a Kingdom mindset, focusing on Heaven not Harvard has become the definition for more than my parenting journey. God is encouraging me to strip away more and more worldly fluff and focus on Him. As I went from full-time teacher to staying at home to home-schooling, God is changing my focus and my heart. As a teacher transitioning to SAHM, I thought I understood what staying at home entailed since I had been home weekends and vacations. I thought I was prepared. I thought it would be easy. Well, um, yeah. Best…
