Tag Archives: responsibility

Who is Responsible?

Children’s ministry – is it the responsibility of the church or the parents? When we consult God’s word on the matter, parents are told to ‘train up a child in the way he should go’ Proverbs 22:6. The Israelites were told to teach their children about God and His laws. ‘You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up,’ Deuteronomy 11:19 NASB. Surely this command applies equally to God’s people today. In other words every part … Continue reading →

Trust Me, Mom! – Angela McAllister

It happens to all of us – at some point, we become old enough to start doing things by ourselves. But that transition from young child to older child can be rough, especially on moms. In “Trust Me, Mom!” we meet Ollie. Today he is going to cross the street all by himself and go to the store. His mother has prepared him in every way she can think of. She even put on glasses and a fake nose to teach him about avoiding strangers. She warned him of every eventuality. And, she reminds him to only buy cheese. She … Continue reading →

Keeping OUT of the middle

Part of the nature of motherhood seems to be that we often find ourselves in the middle—running interference between our children and teachers, other children, partners and spouses, other family members and adults, etc. We start out as protector when they are very tiny, and then serve as translator making sure that others understand them so they can get what they need and want, and then it all just continues. With e-mails from the teachers, phone calls, and the continued expectations that parents will be the ones to make things happen—parents often find themselves stretched and pulled and very solidly … Continue reading →

Teaching Kids the Responsibilities That Come With Freedom

Growing children have a natural tendency to believe that they are the center of the universe and that they have natural entitlements. I recently heard someone referring to my teenager’s generation as the generation of entitlements. With so much opportunity and stuff so readily available, it can be incredibly hard for modern parents to convey the responsibilities and sense of duty that go hand-in-hand with freedom, privileges and rights. Privileges and freedoms definitely come with responsibility and the need to have an understanding and appreciation for the realities of such freedom. For example, teaching our children the histories and reasons … Continue reading →

The Responsibilities of Homeschoolers

I have struggled with the fact that homeschoolers have responsibilities just due to the fact that they homeschool. After all, I have always been a “me against the world” kind of girl, and since I married and had children, I have been an “us against the world” woman. If it were not for my “take care of my own” attitude, I probably would not have started homeschooling to begin with. I would have bent to the camp that says, “It is more responsible to help at the school than to homeschool your own”. So how did an individualist like myself … Continue reading →

Stop Doing For Your Kids What They Can Do For Themselves

“Don’t do for your kids what they can do for themselves.” I read this profound yet simple statement several months ago and it has been echoing in my head every since. Tyler is good at taking care of his own needs but there are times when he will feign incompetence to get me to do something for him because he does not want to do it himself. Most of the time this happens when doing the “thing” would be inconvenient for him. During these times, he will whine, shed crocodile tears or really try to turn on the charm by … Continue reading →

Tips for Caretakers

Taking care of a loved one or family member can be incredibly difficult and unrewarding. The stress of being a caretaker can be incredible, and seemingly unending. First and foremost, you need to make sure you get some time for yourself. You can’t neglect your own needs just because you are taking care of someone else. Stress and frustration levels will just keep going up unless you take a little time alone to recharge your batteries. What else can you do to make caretaker duties a little easier? Have realistic expectations. You aren’t perfect. The person you are taking care … Continue reading →

Caretakers: Role Reversal

Serving as a caretaker is a difficult and often unrewarding task. But have you ever tried to put yourself in the shoes of the person you are taking care of? I haven’t. For the last two years, I have been living with my grandmother and serving as one of her primary caretakers. Since I was about eight years old, she has been living with Type 2 diabetes. Within the last few years, she’s had to start taking insulin injections to help manage her blood sugar levels. The last few years have also seen a mental decline. My grandmother has changed … Continue reading →

Television is NOT a Good Babysitter

I know after my divorce, the television quickly became my best friend. I found that I was letting the kids watch more and more television so I could get things done without being distracted. After all, when I came home, I had to fix dinner, get clothes ready for the next day, finish work on occasions, pick up the house, pay bills, and so on. Soon, I was plopping my kids down in front of the television set so I could get everything done. However, I began to find that my kids were asking to watch television instead of playing … Continue reading →

The Reasons Why I Am Against Debt

If you have been reading this blog you may have noticed that many of the articles I write speak about getting out of and avoiding debt. These are issues that I feel very strongly about, and thought that I should write a blog about why I feel that way. I grew up in an average American home. My parents had credit card debt, and spent money. However, I never really felt like they were extravagant. We learned to do without a lot in our family, but we always had what we needed. When I moved out to go to college … Continue reading →