THE AWKWARD MOM

because uncomfortable conversations are the ones worth having

Category: Parenting (page 1 of 23)

When Your Child is Deconstructing Faith

Reading Time: 6 minutes

child deconstructing faith

My daughter was highlighting my hair (yes, from a box. Yes, to cover the gray that’s laying siege to my scalp) when she told me about a friend who’s not sure if she identifies herself as a Christian anymore.

As when I hear about anyone who’s deconstructing faith, my chest tightened at the sternum. It’s painful for the person, and it’s painful for those who love them. read more

“Am I a controlling parent?”

Reading Time: 5 minutes

controlling parent

I still remember where I stood that Sunday. I must have been three or at the oldest four. The church’s smell of coffee drifted above the part in my hair, crisply pleated lines of men’s suit trousers at my level.

I reached up to take again my dad’s hand, callused and rough from years of farm chores. Yet the chuckle I heard wasn’t his. read more

9 Ideas to Parent with More Emotional Health This Week

Reading Time: 2 minutes

ways to parent with emotional health

Looking for ways to parent with more emotional health?

Here’s nine. (Start with, like, two.) read more

Writing a Year-end Note to Your Child: 4 Simple Steps

Reading Time: 6 minutes

note to your child

The dog licked me awake early this morning. Well, early for my slumbering house of teenagers house. And I stayed awake for the quiet.

As I type to you, snow layers the landscape out my window like fondant. I love its muting effect–on schedules, on sound. My life craves more quiet, for the love of Mike. And the end of the year always seems to hush my own soul into a more contemplative place. read more

16 Fun, No-Screen Ideas to Occupy Kids on Winter Break

Reading Time: 5 minutes

kids on winter break

Missed the first list for kids on winter break? Grab it here.

My kids are getting older, which means winter break looks different here. Sniff.

Of course, we’ll still be decorating cookies and mushing together the family clam dip. (It’s a Breitenstein thing.)

But Christmas Eve, we’ll have three different pickups of three different kids: two teenagers have gone for more fun with relatives this week, and my oldest–the Marine–arrives from Camp Pendleton. read more

How to Talk with Kids about the Israel-Palestine Conflict

Reading Time: 8 minutes

how to talk to kids about the israel palestine conflict

A note from Janel: 

This week, I’m welcoming guest authors Donna Kushner and Amy Schulte, a mother-daughter team who, in Amy’s childhood, served as missionaries in Palestine. Both currently work with refugees in professional and personal capacities. (I personally worked with Donna on a free resource to guide immigrant and refugee families into healing.) read more

What the World Needs More Than Our Perfect Kids

Reading Time: 4 minutes

perfect kids

Can I tell you something embarrassing? …I’ve been working up to this.

When I was a super-young mom, I was thinking about writing a novel. (I have a different one on my hard drive that will likely never see the light of day.) read more

Focus on the Family Broadcast on Permanent Markers

Reading Time: 2 minutes

I confess delaying on this post a bit because I never know how to talk about stuff like this. Like, ever.

But yes, this past month, I was on the  podcast/radio broadcast of Focus on the Family to talk about my book with Harvest House, Permanent Markers: Spiritual Life Skills to Write on Your Kids’ Hearts.

Despite my severe imposter’s syndrome, it was a cool life experience, guys. (If you like this kind of stuff, you might like this post from my FamilyLife Today interviews.) read more

Overfunctioning at Home? Here’s One Way to Stop

Reading Time: 3 minutes

overfunctioning at home

Ever wonder if you’re doing too much for your kids?

Personality-wise, this is my reality. I am a helper, an empath to a point that it arcs others’ eyebrows. read more

When It’s Hard to Enjoy Your Child

Reading Time: 4 minutes

enjoy your child

A friend asked me a good question in a roundabout way. Let’s say my child is in one of those seasons when they’re hard to love.

…Or even being a jerk.  read more

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