Your Child's Journey

wisdom for the big steps little children take

You are here: Home / Archives for Diane Constantine

We’re LATE!

By

Tension rises! We’re late! Kids dawdle! The phone rings! I stub my toe! We’re late! Move it!

Your darling child wants to tell you a long story. The sink gets stopped up and runs over. You suddenly realize you haven’t had time to . . .

How can you stop the volcano from erupting?

Take a deep breath and think. What is the worst case scenario if we are late? Will it really matter in 6 months? Will they have permanent scars for not being on time? No. No. No.

There may be some minor consequence. But is that worth being so upset? Could my shouting and irritability actually be doing more harm than our being late?

Defusing the Eruption

Slow down and deal with the obstacles one at a time?

Dial down the tension. Everyone is likely to have a better start to the day if the tension is less and a few more smiles and hugs are shared.

If you find you are always late getting out the door, you should look at how to better prepare ahead of time. Realize it takes kids longer than it does you to do most tasks.

  • So plan for more time. Choosing clothes and filling book bags can be a chore before bedtime.
  • An earlier bedtime so everyone can wake up earlier and be fully rested can make the morning easier.
  • Find some humor in the situation. A chuckle or a silly song can relieve a lot of tension.

What do you do to dial down the stress of getting out the door? Comment  here or on the Facebook post.

 

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Delayed Head Control

By Leave a Comment

At birth, your baby has little control over his head because his motor skills and neck muscles are fairly weak. He’ll develop this crucial skill, which is the foundation for all later movement – such as sitting up and walking – little by little during the first year of life.

When it develops

Your baby will probably be able to lift her head when she’s about a month old, and hold it up when placed in a sitting position at around 4 months. Her neck muscles and head control should be strong and steady by 6 months.

Highlights from BabyCenter.com

To read more go go: BabyCenter.com

Crying Baby

By

Why is your baby is wailing? Hungry? Sleepy? Hurting? Need a diaper change? Or is he Angry? Frustrated? Overwhelmed? Or just plain sad?

After you’ve dealt with the obvious, and that bundle of joy is still crying, what are some things you can try?

  • Sometimes distraction is the only available tool. Often it works. But sometimes you can’t get their attention long enough to distract them.
  • A bear hug often works. If they were overstimulated or frustrated or sad or even in some tantrums, eliminating all the other stimuli and making them stop moving can end the crying.
  • Taking them away from the scene of the event, will give them the time and space to regroup.
  • Sometimes they just need to be by themselves and finish crying. Let them know when they call you, you will come, Stay where they can’t see you. Many children will self-soothe when they don’t have an audience.

Moms all have stories of taking the wrong action when their baby cried. My son was crying and it was lunch time, so I put him in his highchair. I KNEW he was hungry. I fixed his lunch. I noticed he had stopped crying. It was then I discovered he had laid his head on the highchair tray and had fallen sound asleep. I stood there and cried because I thought, “Only a horrible mother doesn’t know her baby is sleepy and thinks he is hungry.”

Just know that you are NOT the worst parent in the world when your baby cries and you cannot figure out why. It happens to all of us sometimes. Try to learn what signs your baby gives you for different needs and remember what worked last time. Try that first. If it doesn’t work try something else. That’s what good moms do!

5 Truths that will Transform Your Parenting

By

Transform-Parenting-croppedI found Sarah Ann’s web site some years ago and was blessed by what she had written. Sarah gave me permission to reprint this article in this web site. YourChildsJourney.com.

These are truths that are so freeing when we believe them. I have shared these same ideas in parenting seminars before. But Sarah wrote this so well, I wanted to share these in her words. I hope you are as blessed by this as I have been.

5 Truths that will Transform Your Parenting

Motherhood.

It’s the greatest blessing wrapped into one messy and sleep-deprived adventure. From reading books to bandaging knees, motherhood is filled with moments of pure joy and precious memories to treasure for a lifetime.

But I found out early in my parenting, after my daughter was diagnosed with Autism, that I was making motherhood more difficult than it needed to be.

In my desire to be a “good mom”, I was wrapping myself in a cocoon of stress rather than savoring those sweet memories of her childhood.

It was then, wondering how my role as mom would change as we charted this new territory, that my view of parenting shifted and was changed forever. The gift of clarity that came from learning about my child’s condition lifted the fog from my eyes and I learned to savor what motherhood was about.

These simple truths can transform your parenting, too. When you view parenting through these truths, your perspective will shift forever!

  1. You’re not perfect.

As moms, we try to feign some resemblance of perfection. We are so desperate for other women to think we excel at motherhood, and we put on a mask of perfection that prohibits others from seeing our true selves.

When we take off the mask and expose ourselves for who we are, moms that fumble through life and sometimes struggle to stay afloat, we create unity and transparency with others. Our fellow moms who watch us juggle life from the outside, will be thrilled to see the reality of our parenting woes. Not ruled by mean ambition or ill-will, others will be relieved that we’re human and that we struggle at times, too.

Underneath our shrouds of perfection, we’re terrified of messing up our kids and praying that our best will be good enough in the end, even though as moms, sometimes we struggle with managing our own feelings, including mom anger.

  1. Parenthood is not a competition or a Pinterest post.

From over-the-top birthday parties to elaborate vacation plans, moms unknowingly compete to be the best and have the best. Instead of building others up, moms tend to disdainfully judge every aspect of another family’s life.

Yet that’s not what wants God from us.

He calls us to show love by being respectful, no matter how another chooses to parent or whether or not she feeds her family an all organic diet.

What is right for your family may not be right for another, so call off the cavalry and stop competing with each other!

  1. A season of difficulty does not define your child or your parenting.

When in a season where your child has let you down {if they haven’t yet- they will!}, remember that this does not define your child or your ability to parent. There will be moments and seasons of struggle, disobedience, and rebellion as he/she finds their way in the world.

  • Hit your knees and pray for guidance; trusting that God will be faithful to reveal your next steps on your journey through parenthood.
  • Draw strength and peace from His Word alone, trusting that He is working in the heart and life of your child.
  • Allow yourself to grow as a parent and for God to refine your character through this trial as well.

These truths will change your parenting, even on the hard days.

  1. Give more grace to your child than they deserve.

It’s human nature to want to hold a grudge and to turn a cold shoulder to those who have hurt or wronged us in some way. Parenting is no different, and it can be tempting to carry around anger and resentment against a child who has consistently done wrong.

Instead of acting in the flesh, give more grace to your little offender than he/she deserves. Be gracious to your child when they stumble, modeling the grace offered freely at the cross to you. After all, your child is a sinner, too, and it’s your job to point them to Jesus in action and in words.

  1. God gave your child to YOU for a reason.

In those times your parenting journey is tough and overwhelming, it can be easy to question what God is doing.

Remember, He hand-picked YOU to be your child’s parent and has equipped YOU to thrive in that role.

Grab your Bible, the greatest parenting book of all, and pray specifically for strength, wisdom, and grace to penetrate every fiber of your being.

May you learn to radiate the love of Jesus to your child, and to be an example of the hands and feet of Jesus as you trust that God does not make mistakes.

May He who placed you with your family members lavish you with joy on the journey of parenthood, today and always.

____________________________

Thank you, Sarah Ann for sharing this wonderful article with us.

Blessings!

Diane

Save