THE AWKWARD MOM

because uncomfortable conversations are the ones worth having

Category: helping others (page 1 of 7)

Helping the Powerless: That Time it Saved His Family

Reading Time: 5 minutes

If someone ever asked me what surprised me about living in Africa, I’d have a million answers. Nearly every day held in its ebony hands something to learn or figure out or shake my head over: a motorcycle carrying a coffin. A girl made to sell banana pancakes for a dime in a dangerous neighborhood rather than go to school. Birds the color of the sky.

But I could never have known how working and living among and helping the powerless would change me–to the point it’s now a vital spiritual discipline in my book–and quite arguably, in God’s.

helping the powerless read more

End-of-Summer Boredom Bingo (FREE PRINTABLE)

Reading Time: 3 minutes

A few months ago around the dinner table, the topic of conversation landed on what Disney character best described each of us.

My husband was Mufasa from the Lion King; my oldest has always born a resemblance to Cars’ Lightning McQueen, while my second son makes us laugh like Tow Mater (and happens to be going through a Duck Dynasty phase? I digress.) I may have had some references to Mary Poppins, or Ms. Potts from Beauty and the Beast. (Sigh.) The jury’s still out on my daughter (maybe Belle, maybe Lilo).

But my youngest son is a whole lot like Dash from The Incredibles–often seen merely in a blur. Friends have likened him to a cartoon character before, so this isn’t new. He’s also my two-sports-at-a-time kid nearly every season. read more

11 Thanksgiving Printables: Kids’ Activities & Scripture Art!

Reading Time: 3 minutes

kids thanksgiving activities

Confession: My heavenly intentions for Thanksgiving are often clobbered by my oh-so-real life.

I would love to be preparing our hearts all month for gratitude, but I find myself picking up someone else’s rank gym socks. I would love to be stuffing a jar with slips of paper declaring our thankfulness, but can tend to stave off a little more teenage complaining instead…?  read more

Raising Kids Who Move Toward

Reading Time: 4 minutes

move toward

So this past weekend was the community garage sale in my small town. Though I’m really aspiring to greater simplicity, a community garage sale is my kryptonite.

I was super-excited about a necklace I found. But when I paired the necklace with a bracelet I’d nabbed for $.50, my husband’s eyebrow cocked. Not a good sign. read more

Grieving After Divorce: How to Help a Friend

Reading Time: 6 minutes

grieving after divorce

Genevieve’s voice poured through the phone to me. She’s a former pastor’s wife still wading through court proceedings following a horrific, jarring divorce. That’s not to mention the affair, the pregnant mistress, the mental disorders and gaslighting.  Her descriptions called to mind a life upturned, shaken violently, spilled. How do you help a friend grieving after divorce?

Some pieces of her former life had temporarily skittered beyond vision: Her ally in the world’s onslaught. Financial security. A co-parent and advocate for their boys. Her helper to pick up the kids or fix the washing machine. A calm presence after a nightmare. Someone to process the day with. A lover of her body. read more

New Year 2021: Ideas to Put the “New” Back In

Reading Time: 4 minutes

New Year 2021

While living in Uganda, my language acquisition developed to an equivalent of that drunken-sailor lurch of a new toddler. That is, my ability to speak resembled lurching, grinning, and occasionally falling on my rear.

And of course just because you can speak a language doesn’t mean you use it in the same ways. I’d occasionally get weird looks for wishing someone Merry Christmas (Seku Kulu enungi!) in December. Apparently Ugandans keep this phrase pretty much for Christmas day. read more

Free Printable Postcards for Kids!

Reading Time: 3 minutes

free printable postcards for kids

Anyone else–after Thanksgiving away from family–feeling a little sad?

My kids have cousins and grandparents they won’t have seen for a year. Though I obviously hate this pain on a number of levels–I love that my kids (including three teenagers!) were visibly bummed when Thanksgiving was canceled with their grandparents, and cousins half their age.  read more

13 Kids’ Thanksgiving Activities (with Printables!)

Reading Time: 3 minutes

kids thanksgiving activities

Like so much of 2020, there are parts of Thanksgiving this year that are a bit sad. We’ve canceled our family trip for reasons you can probably guess (thank you, COVID).

But this year continues to fling doors wide open in raising resilient kids. read more

Ethical Clothing for Your Family: 4 (Easy-ish) Steps

Reading Time: 5 minutes

ethical clothing

My husband and I recently slipped through the mountains on the way home from a soccer game, the sun at our foreheads. The conversation meandered toward politics, then toward economic issues.

I confessed to him that as a buyer, correcting ethical issues through my purchases feels challenging without shifting some of my life priorities. (Yikes. Maybe I’ll make you overwhelmed with me.) read more

Is Your Friend Considering Divorce? Ways to Help

Reading Time: 2 minutes

divorce

Heartrending news landed in the New York Post this week: Divorce rates spiked 34% between March and June this year.

According to the article, 31% admitted quarantine caused “irreparable damage” to their relationships. read more

« Older posts

© 2024 THE AWKWARD MOM

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑

Show Buttons
Hide Buttons