It's Holiday Time

What Gift Will You Give To Your Child This Year? 

When it comes to the things children want, there always seems to be an endless list. No matter how many times we get them something off that list, they always add new things to replace it.

Ms. Single Moms, you can certainly torment yourselves with their wanting, especially when they want something you can't afford at the time or can't find.

It's in cases like these that it might be fruitful to entertain the idea that maybe they should be happy with what is right in front of them. Maybe when you're so busy trying to give them more things it distracts them from truly engaging the blessings they already have. It may seem like that doesn't make sense, yet we do it all the time.

Don't let your children get caught up in the chase of constantly adding more stuff and forget to enjoy the beauty of what they already have right in front of them—like a child who never wants the toy in their hand but always the one just out of their reach.

Take a moment today to consider the many things you child already is holding in the palm of their hand and how they might best play with them.... Don't let yourself get caught up in the holiday media blitz of spend, spend, spend!

Spreading Joy

The power of joy is awesome at this time of year, especially for children... To have joy in your child's life is pretty simple - just give joy to your child's world. 

The opportunities to express new joy are everywhere. Don't wait until conditions are perfect because it's doubtful that will ever happen. Marvel at the big things, and find delight in the small things.

You can add joy to almost every experience... Begin with feeling how truly fortunate you are to be living at this moment with that incredible little person known as your child... Give joy and live joy, just because you can!

Ms. Single Moms, please take a moment to share some of the ways in which you add joy to your child's world, especially during the holidays...

Reflections

Your Child Reflects the Beauty Within You

Within you there is now peace... know it, feel it, and let it grow. Throughout you, there is a new love for life's beauty and goodness. Keep that love at the front of your thoughts and let it guide your perceptions and choices.

Around you are endless possibilities. You now realize that life changes with every moment so pick the possibilities that will enable those changes to uplift your world.

At the heart of you is a unique and beautiful purpose... 
Surrounding you, is a universe overflowing with magnificent beauty...
Let yourself be amazed and sincerely thankful for this endless wonder...

Flowing through you, is the energy to live, to love, to make a purposeful difference and to experience unique fulfillment in the possibilities that your child represents. Ms. Single Mom, make this your most beautiful day yet!

Why Not Today?

The kids are all settled back in school now and the holidays are not quite here yet. There is something you've always wanted to do. There is some desire that you've always told yourself you would someday pursue. Well, why not today?

Today is the perfect day for you to begin. Of all the days you have available to choose from, today will give you the eatrliest start and the best advantage.

There is an ideal version of you that you've always dreamed of becoming. You can start right now toward becoming that person, toward living that life you've always wanted. Taking the first step is not difficult. It is well within your reach.

It's your life we're talking about here. Don't you want to do everything possible to make it as great as it can be? Why should you want to spend even another minute waiting to get started? Get up and go for it!

Why Not Start Today?

Play Dates

Summer Play Dates

The long days of summer are usually filled with small children who are full of energy and looking for something to do. Don't let this cause you to pull your hair out - arrange a play date!

Play dates for small children can be so much fun and they don't require a lot of extensive planning or large amounts of money. There is absolutely no reason for you to make this complicated or stressful because small children are much simpler and more creative than most adults give them credit for.

Choose entertainment activities that will utilize whatever resources you already have available. For example, ask each child to bring a couple of their their favorite toys and games to share. Now, suddenly the toys and games that each child took for granted becomes a lot more fun, when shared with their friends.

And, keep the snacks simple too. Some peanut butter & jelly or grilled cheese sandwiches are always a big hit. Add some milk or juice to drink and now you have a tasty treat when those small hungry stomachs begin to growl for lunch.

• If you have a safe back yard - then use it for their playground that day.
• If you have a "child-friendly" family room - then use it for the playroom that day.

The children can play together, entertain each other, and free up your time to do other things around the house. Play dates are really so much easier to do than most moms think - now let the fun and games begin!



Treasure Hunt

HIDDEN TREASURE

Wow, can you believe it's Summer 2011 already?

It seem's like we were just getting ready to start school and now school is out, again! Well, that means it's time for more tips on what to do with your children and how to keep them entertained for the next three months - without spending a lot of money.

Children are remarkably easy; it's usually the parents that make the process complicated. Okay, have you ever considered a treasure hunt? Yes, a game of hunting for hidden treasure is easy, inexpensive, and loads of fun. And, the discovery process often gives a whole new perspective on how your children see the world.

Use the natural resources that you already have and keep the rules simple and straight forward. Let the hunt for treasure begin!

1. Look at the ocean from the shore, then look at the ocean while swimming beneath the waves. What will your child find - What would your child keep?
2. Watching a spider spinning a web in a corner may seem drab, frightening, and mysterious. Looking closer your child can see a weave of silver snowflakes between the branches of a tree that actually resemble colored jewels.
3. Let your child bury his/her face in the grass and look at the world from a bug's vantage point. Water drops left over from the sprinkler become lakes and pools - rocks become mountains to climb and conquer.

Kneeling down sometimes helps your child to see more closely when looking for lost treasure and standing back can help your child to appreciate the broader picture of what they are looking at.

When you encourage your children to see the world differently they'll discover all types of hidden treasures.

FORGIVE, RELEASE & BE FREE

Choose to forgive and free yourself to move forward...

The act of forgiveness is a conscious choice to let go, to move past feelings of resentment and to move forward in light and love. Holding on to unforgiveness is like carrying a bucket of stones - with each step the bucket becomes heavier and heavier until it is exhausting to bear.

Find a quiet place... examine the stones of unforgiveness that fill your bucket. One by one, take them out, lay them aside... now, release them!

... forgive, release and remain free of resentment as you gather peace.

Struggle, Stress, Strain

As you take on the responsibilty of dependents - whether young or old - it can create varying times of great STRUGGLE.

In the middle of your Struggle - whether financial, mental or physical - there is certain to be an unexpected amount of STRESS.

How you handle the Struggle and the Stress - partially or completely - will determine if your life experiences or manages to eliminate the crippling STRAIN.

(to be continued)

It's A New Year & I'm Back with Some New Dependents!

I apologize for being silent these past few months but I had to do what many of you may have to do one day...

Go from raising your young children to assisting with your elderly parents.

My parents are each disabled senior citizens and I've been busy helping them manage so many of the day to day activities that most of us take our ability to do for granted.

That includes running their errands, getting them to the doctor, writing their checks to pay bills, hiring & firing nurses, etc., etc. After years of living exciting, vibrant, independent lives, they now face life using walking canes, having in-home care workers, and being pushed in wheelchairs.

If you are fortunate enough to still have your parents alive, don't begrudge them the time & care they need from you, just be thankful that you can provide it.

After all, remember that it was your parent(s) who took care of you first... and hopefully your children will take care of you one day, too (our children do watch how we treat our parents!).