Not a week that goes by that I don’t remind my son to be kind to his sister and play with her. When he looks at her, he sees an annoying two-year-old girl who steals his toys and 
ruins all his fun. For him, she is simply too hard to love. While few of us can relate to the irritation of dealing with a two-year-old sister, many of us can relate to the experience of living with a difficult family member. Continue reading
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3 Psalms for When You Worry About Your Children’s Future
I’ve only been a mom for four years—but that doesn’t stop me from worrying about my children’s future. I constantly wonder what the next decade, or even the next year, will hold for them. What profession will they pursue? Will they be able to sustain themselves financially? Will they make good decisions? Will they find the right spouse? Continue reading
BABY GOT CLASS!
Under Her Brim wishes all students an amazing school year. We salute and thank our unsung heroes who are dedicated to educating or babies…. our Teachers for all that you do. Parents get your dance on and celebrate from Under your Brim….#babygotclass
GFQ: Did Baltimore Mom Go Too Far or Not Far Enough
Unless you have been living under a rock, we have all seen the image of the Baltimore Mom Toya Grahm publically reprimanding (slapping the stoop-id out of) her son when she spots him in the riots following Freddy Grey’s death. What I saw was not “Angry Mom beats her son for participating in riot” I saw “Scared and Desperate Mom beats son out of fear that he’ll become the next victim of police brutality.” Some say she was right on time, others say she was out of line. Before you answer, consider the 16 year old young man who was being transported from Tennessee to Philadelphia when he escaped the ‘prison transport agency’. The very first thing that the first person the news reporter interviewed said was “Where is this boy’s mother that he would be a 16 year old in prison.”
What do you say, too far…or not far enough when you look at this situation as a parent afraid for the life of your children….from Under Your Brim.
The Mommy Wars
….like we don’t have enough to do
Mom VS MOM – By Ralph Gardner Jr.
- “The pressure to be thin is brutal,” says a stay-at-home mom. (Photo: Ben Baker)
Ann approached another mother at a school function recently and happily introduced herself. Not only were their younger kids in kindergarten together, she explained, but their older sons played in the same weekend soccer league. “She said, ‘Oh,’ and just walked away,” Ann remembers. “That was it. ‘Oh.’ It was a school event. It wasn’t like it was the steam room at Bliss where she was naked.”
Ann is certain she knows why her fellow mom dissed her, if in fact she did. It has nothing to do with Ann’s confusing on-again-off-again marriage, or the disparity in their net worths. (Ann is middle-class; the other woman is profoundly wealthy.) No, as far as Ann is concerned, the reason the other woman turned tail is that Ann works full-time. Her adversary, on the other hand, is a gloriously full-time stay-at-home mom — with all the attendant benefits that implies not only to her youngsters but also to the life of the school. A stamp licker, an envelope stuffer, an active member of the parents association, a person who can always be counted on to bring not one but two or three dishes to the annual potluck dinner — even if, as Ann suspects, she buys them and passes them off as her own. “In the school directory, you can see who has a job and who doesn’t,” Ann says, imagining the woman taking a black marker and banishing her to oblivion. Continue reading
SOMEBODY SHAVE ME!!
“mommy”….”Mooohhhhmmmmeeee”…..”MOHHHMMMMEEEEEE”!!!
were the increasingly loud whispers that (to my horror) were coming out of the mouth of my little angel…..in church. My almost 3 year old had seen enough, heard enough and was getting restless. Can’t say that I blame him and I really don’t expect his undivided attention to last for so long, but there were certain rules to Sunday Service that he and I had come to understand. Tapping my leg and ignoring my wide-eyed-lifted-eyebrow-teeth-bared-tight-lipped stare…was a violation of our agreement.
He could quietly color in his Sunday Book, draw on his tablet, reconfigure his Power Rangers…. shoot he could build a house if he was quite. For his quietness (even though I didn’t believe in food in the sanctuary, I would reward him with an occasional fruit snack or two. Continue reading
THIS GIRL IS ON FIRE (MOMS VERSION)
THIS GIRL IS ON FIRE (MOM VERSION)
Do You Feel Guilty as a Working Mom? Scripture provides encouragement as you work and raise a family
Do You Feel Guilty as a Working Mom?
Source: Blog | American Bible Society News
My alarm rings and I get out of bed, grab both kids and head downstairs for breakfast (juice and a cereal bar for myself). After I feed the kids, I turn the TV on, hoping 20 minutes of cartoons will give me enough time to shower and get dressed.
It doesn’t. I have to mediate an argument between my 3-year-old son and my 13-month-old daughter, get them dressed, in the car, (big sigh!) and off to school. Both kids settle in their classrooms, and I even manage to bring the diapers, wipes and sunscreen permission slip!
Now off to work. I arrive at my cubicle in time to send out an email with the agenda and PowerPoint presentation for tomorrow’s meeting. And it’s only 9:47 am!
If this sounds like a typical morning to you, then you probably have the dual responsibility of maintaining a busy career while raising children. Yes, you’re a working mom.
And for whatever reason–whether you need the income or you love what you do—raising a family and having a career is not easy. On any given day, you may feel frustrated, exhausted, stressed.
One emotion I feel is GUILT.
Even after months of doing the get-the-kids-off-to-school-then-go-to-work routine, I continually question myself: Am I making the right choice? Will my kids be OK? Am I spending too much time away from them? Will they recognize me when I pick them up?
After several melt downs and many tears in the ladies’ room, I turn to the Bible. The words of Isaiah 40:11 strike me: “He carries the lambs in his arms while gently leading the mother sheep.”Whoa! This is the comfort I need–to know that he, the Great I Am, leads me today and every day. As I consider this verse, other thoughts come to mind:
He loves me.
He loves my children.
He’s helping me.
He’s guiding our futures.
He’s GENTLE with me as I work my way through this phase of life.
So whenever you’re feeling guilty about working, remember this: You may never master the art of balancing career while raising children, but you have a God who fills in the gaps. He will hold your hand and gently lead you through each day.
As for your children, commit them into his hands, open the Bible and claim these promises:
- “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) - “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”
John: 10:27-28 (NIV) - “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.”
Acts 16:31 (NIV) - “All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.”
Isaiah 54:13 (NIV)
Nena Podbury is a project associate at American Bible Society. Originally from the Bronx, she served in children’s ministry for 12 years doing Sidewalk Sunday School. She has co-authored children’s curriculum called “Transformation Station” and is a contributing author to Reach Up Magazine which seeks to empower and enrich today’s inner city woman. Nena is married with two children, Noah and Emilia.
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