Teaching Kids to Be Neighborly

Being neighborly seems to be a lost art—a part of our heritage and social behavior that is fast disappearing in our modern world where we often don’t even know who our neighbors are! While some of us are blessed to live in established neighborhoods where we come to know and cherish our neighbors, others of us live in more transient areas or are so busy that we may live in a home for months or years before ever crossing paths with our neighbors! There are little things we can do, however, to give our children a taste of those neighborly … Continue reading →

How About Donating Your Kids’ Old Stuff to the Foster Care System?

It seems when it’s time to get rid of our children’s old clothes, outgrown toys and equipment and other paraphernalia, we may just think of taking it all to the Goodwill or other thrift store, or having a garage sale. But, you may not realize that you can donate these items to your local Department of Human Services or Child Welfare office to be used by foster families. Many foster care agencies keep equipment and furniture on hand like car seats, baby gates, cribs, strollers, bedding, and other furniture for foster families to use and have access to. This saves … Continue reading →

Holding Grudges or Letting Go—Teaching our Kids about Forgiveness

In the world I grew up in, holding grudges was the rule. If someone did something hurtful or unacceptable (like any of us hasn’t done that?), the adults in my world modeled more of a zero-tolerance policy than teaching me any lessons of forgiveness. While I’m now seasoned enough to look back and see the fear and insecurity that caused all that grudge-holding, I also know that I’m not going to give in to that legacy and I want my own children to learn one of life’s great challenging lessons—forgiveness. I have saying that I’ve noticed my kids are starting … Continue reading →