It can get really complicated parenting a teenage girl. That's why parenting techniques often feel insufficient and ineffective. It was definitely easier to discipline when she was little. If your little princess didn't want to clean her room you could give her a choice. "Sweetie, I'm...
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I am taking an online defensive driving course. I could say I am taking the course because I wanted to lower my car insurance, which is partially true. But the truth is, I was speeding and got a ticket. There you have it. The secret...
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You are just trying to be helpful and you say, "You aren't going to learn anything if you are on facebook, texting, and watching You Tube videos while you are trying to study for your test." You go on to say, "If you want to...
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I am not a morning person. It's 7:30 am and I am getting my annual Mammogram at the Woman's Hospital. Babs was giving me my Mammogram and she was very talkative. She definitely did her job and kept me completely distracted with her philosophy of life. It was...
Read MoreMy daughter is so stubborn. She argues about everything She won't listen to anything I say If I say one thing, she blows a gasket I'll ask her about her day and all she says is fine. She's so disrespectful. It's like she's in her own little world Do any of these...
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Mothers have an amazing skill. Since your daughter was a baby you have learned how to tune in to her every look, movement and sound she's ever made. By the time your daughter is a teenager, your 'tuning in' skill is highly developed. Now, it...
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What do you do when you have had 'one of those weeks'? You know the kind of week I am talking about. It's the kind of week where you thought you had it figured out. You thought you were ahead of the game. It was...
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Lights are twinkling in our neighborhoods and holiday music is playing everywhere. The holiday season is here. I was reminded of one of my favorite Christmas songs when I was little, "All I want for my Christmas is my two front teeth...
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Get prepared for the Holidays. The shopping malls have been ready since October with decorations of shiny tinsel, red bows, gigantic wreaths, and white lights. Thanksgiving is almost here and then the busy season hits. If you are not intentional you will be swept away in the...
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(What the hec does that mean?) My family loves to tell stories. One of these stories is about my sister when she was 13. My dad, sister and I were down at Memorial Park in Houston. We had hiked down to Buffalo Bayou. The bayou is...
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I was talking to Chelsea a 15 year old girl a few days ago. She's gorgeous and tall, yet she looked small sitting on my office couch. I asked her what was going on. She looked out the window and said, "Everyone hates me at school....
Read MoreSometimes the answer is no. It has to be, if we are going to protect our daughters. This is not the fun part of being a parent. There she is standing in front of you in her mature grown up body. She tells you, she can handle...
Read MoreHave you ever complained, "My husband won't stop and ask for directions." Then you go on to say, "We wasted an hour driving all over town. If we had stopped-it would have taken us 5 minutes and we'd been there on time." But moms, we're guilty...
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I love the ocean. I enjoy the smell of the ocean, the song of the seagulls and the sound of waves crashing upon the shore. Nothing feeds my soul like the ocean. Last week I took one last trip to the beach before school starts. I...
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'A Mother's Heart' is not talked about in the parenting books. Most parenting books focus on giving you tools and techniques to get through the teenage issues. These books are very helpful but there is more. The more is about mom as a person. Mothers are...
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I don't think the hardest part of being a mom is the physical tasks like running a household, helping with homework, or making sure your daughter is on track. I think the hardest part of being a mom is how it affects our mind, heart and...
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You love your teenage daughter--but do you like her? It's common for moms to worry, obsess, and do their best to love their daughters. But if they're honest, what with the entitled attitude, defiant actions, and impulsive tongue, it's often hard to like them. Bottom line:...
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I remember when I was 8 months pregnant when an acquaintance came up me and said, Is this your first? I said "YES" in a happy voice. With a smirky grin she said "You just wait!!!!!!!!!" A few years ago someone asked me how old my daughter was...
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Do you remember driving with your kids on the family vacation? It seemed like a good idea, but 30 minutes into the trip the kids are bored and they start bugging you with 2 questions; "Mom, how much longer?" and "Are we there yet?" You...
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Is your happiness dependent on your daughter's happiness? Here's why I asked you this question. Last week a mom told me with a big smile on her face, "I guess it's time to go back to my recovery meeting," I asked her, "Why?" She told me that...
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