Tag: moms

When I was writing my first book, Father to Daughter, Life Lessons on Raising a Girl, there were a number of questions from dads expressing frustration with their wives about raising children. Over the years, I’ve had a chance to talk to hundreds and hundreds of dads and generally all have said the same thing. We’re either all married to the same woman, or women tend to think alike. So, as my gift to mothers everywhere, here’s a short explanation on being a dad.

To-do lists are how many of us get through the days and weeks. But do we have clarity on what needs to be done when? This is true for most, but none more than for mothers. We have taken multitasking and turned it into an art form. In the long run, we need to ask if that skill is really serving us well or has it become a fragmented way to do many things with a mediocre outcome?

As a mom, when was the last time you really did something for yourself? Odds are, you probably don’t remember. Or if you do remember, it was quite a long time ago. The problem with motherhood is that we have a tendency to put our children’s, husbands, and everyone else’s needs before our own. It often feels like that’s what we were meant to do.

Moms have the natural ability to nurture everyone around them, but the problem with motherhood is that we spend so much time nurturing everyone else that we forget to take care of ourselves. A mom simply has to take care of herself and continue to grow in her own life, or it’s only a matter of time before she finds herself unable to help her children grow.

What do parents fight more about than sex or money? Ask any parent: It’s how to raise their children. The dilemma is that while both parents love their children, while they may even have agreed beforehand how to raise their children, and while they may have read every parenting book ever published since 1950, nobody really knows what kind of parent they’re going to be until they are actually confronted with a smiling, gurgling baby; or a thirteen-year-old daughter who is demanding a $1,700 Burberry purse; or a fifteen-year-old son who, at 2 a.m., is standing intoxicated at the front door… with a police officer.

(REUTERS HEALTH) - While talks with parents may be one important factor in helping youth make safer choices, it is clearly not the only factor, because the link between parent communication and teen sexual behavior was relatively small, said lead author Laura Widman of North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

Parents could talk about other topics that impact risky sexual choices, such as substance use, peer pressure, and a lack of communication about safety between dating partners prior to engaging in sex, Widman told Reuters Health by e-mail.

Are you one of those women who have always dreamed of the perfect Mother’s Day, while each year is sorely disappointing? Instead of blaming your husband and family for not taking the lead, be gently proactive and call the shots yourself this year.

It’s important to remember that husbands (and children) cannot read your mind without a few subtle hints. Many moms don’t care what the day brings as long as her family remembers. Others may have a very specific idea in mind.

Moms, are you enjoying the summer?  What plans have you made for your family?  I’d like to give you some ideas of how to make this the best summer ever for your family.

Here are my seven strategies for making the most of S.U.M.M.E.R.:

Send out invitations to arrange play dates for the children and social get-togethers. The summer provides terrific opportunities to catch up with long lost friends or family members.