Tag Archives: responsibility

Dodging Responsibility

The other day, while chatting with a friend, she asked if working at my home based business wasn’t a way of “dodging responsibility”? I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what she meant but it sure did provide for a stimulating conversation! She was assuming that working from home was like “not really working”—not having to face a boss or take the risks of starting a “real” business. I took advantage of the opportunity to let her know just how much risk and headache there are with a home business, as well as how much it is a … Continue reading →

We’re ALL Parenting the Kitten

I had not realized that letting the little abandoned kitten my daughter brought home from downtown live with us would be such a lesson in caretaking, parenting and responsibility for my teenagers. I think we often think of how great pets can be for younger children, but it isn’t always something we think of for the older set. I am here to tell you, however, that I have witnessed all sorts of development and maturity going down in my house–all centered around Toby, the tuxedo kitten… Since Toby came to us when he was only a few weeks old, he … Continue reading →

7 Helpful Prayers for Our Children

Prayer is such an important part of life and not just our lives but of those around us. The most important thing any of us can do for our children is to pray for them daily. Yes it’s good to pray for their safety (especially when they do things like ours have been with sky diving and other adventurous activities recently,) but even more important than praying for their physical safety is praying about the safety of their souls and their spiritual well being. Here is a list of helpful prayers we can pray for our children 1. Pray that … Continue reading →

“What do YOU Think About That?”

I am not someone who is normally at a loss for an opinion, and I confess that my children have heard plenty about what I think should happen, or my opinion about this or that, or even what my value system is. I think they have been pretty well indoctrinated with the “theories of mom.” I have had to learn as they have gotten older, however, to let up a little on my opinion and theories and invite them to share some of their own. Okay, so I probably have permanent scarring all over my tongue from where I have … Continue reading →

Respectful Stewardship

Have you ever wondered how rich people get their wealth? If you ask, they’ll tell you that they learned to take care of the money they had. They invested it or they spent it wisely, and their research and hard work helped them to acquire more. One millionaire I’ve heard speak doesn’t even go to the full-service line at the gas station – he pumps his own gas because it saves him a little bit of money, and he uses that savings wisely. When we are good stewards over our belongings, we show that we are grateful for the things … Continue reading →

Duty Doesn’t Have to Be Painful

For most of us, there are things in our home businesses we enjoy and that we think are fun, and then are those things we do because we have to. Some words like “duty” and “obligation” have become synonymous with pain and suffering. While once using a word like “duty” made a person feel proud and competent, now it tends to make us think of punishment and painful drudgery. It’s all in how we look at things… Think of what the word “duty” means to you? Do you think of unpleasant chores or details in your business? Do you think … Continue reading →

Do We Expect More Responsibility From Our Kids?

One of the stereotypes of the single parent household is that the children are expected to take on more responsibility and at an earlier age than in the “traditional” two-parent household. While I haven’t conducted an official study, I have looked around at the other single parent families I know and made my own observations about whether this might be true…or not… I think that there is definitely the opportunity for kids to take on more responsibility in a single parent home. In my own home, my kids have more of a say and more influence on how the household … Continue reading →

Friends and Money

Do your friends influence your money decisions? You may be surprised at how much they really do. Your friends are not necessarily a bad influence, and you may be surprised at the decisions that you are making on a subconscious level because of your friends. I have seen groups of friends that spend a great deal of time shopping together. If this is the way you spend time with your friends then your money decisions, the places that you shop and how much you spend may be directly influenced by your friends. If your friends are the type that love … Continue reading →

Will They Ever Be Responsible Enough for My Taste?

I am hyper-responsible. I suppose if there was a recovery or 12-step group for oldest children/single parents who have developed into incredibly responsible adults, I would attend and hope that I could learn how to ease up a little. The truth is, I am the way I am—whether due to temperament or life circumstances–and it definitely influences the way I parent my three children. I cannot help but compare them to me and wonder if they will ever reach the same level of responsibility? Maybe they don’t HAVE to reach the same level but I entertain plenty of stress fussing … Continue reading →

Doing What You Need to Do (Even When You’re Scared)

I know that feeling immobilized by fear and concern is not the sole plight of a single parent–but, let’s face it, for many of us solo parents, it can take some getting used to taking care of a family on our own. Add to that the reality that we may be going through a messy divorce, facing a funeral, or need to relocated, go back to work or school, etc. and it can be a recipe for feeling fearful and insecure. Acknowledging this insecurity and fear, however, does not mean that we cannot still do what needs to be done… … Continue reading →