THE AWKWARD MOM

because uncomfortable conversations are the ones worth having

Tag: culture (page 1 of 3)

31 Conversation Starters for Teens, to Talk About What’s Real

Reading Time: 4 minutes

conversation starters for teens

Last week, I rubbed shoulders with an old friend:

Guilt. read more

When Anger’s Hot: Raising Self-Controlled Kids in Outrage Culture

Reading Time: 2 minutes

outrage letting off steam

I admit to being comfortably removed from a lot of social media’s ANGRY CAPITALIZATION and #%$^& words for longer than is normal.

An overseas cocoon, removed from a lot of news, swaddled me. It was a happy place where celebs were just famous people. Where yet to come was the U.S. 2016 election–when it would feel like the whole country was getting a nasty divorce. read more

Girl, You’re Strong: The Allure of Rachel Hollis

Reading Time: 2 minutes

fierce women Hollis

I’ve thought about it a lot lately–as a woman, as an author.  What is it about Rachel Hollis that makes her the dark chocolate of hundreds of thousands of women?

For most of 2018, her Girl, Wash Your Face was among the top 10 bestselling books in America. It now sports over 10,000 Amazon reviews (80% are over 5 stars)…and her sequel’s Amazon’s #13. read more

Guest Post: Bill Cosby–And Our Secret Selves

Reading Time: 2 minutes

My 9-year-old was ready to spend his screen time. But you know that feeling, stumbling around to find quality television for an elementary schooler?

In a blast from my ‘80s past, I delighted to find The Cosby Show on Amazon. (I mean, sort of. Now there’s this niggling in my mind, as if I missed something in those eight years of regular Thursday nights, my chin propped on my palms as I lay on the shag carpet.) In a few minutes, I could hear my son giggling from the next room. “Mom! You’ve gotta come see this part!” We chuckled together over Theo and Rudy, and over Dr. Huxtable imitating a woman in labor.

My son’s enthrallment was only three weeks before Mr. Cosby was led somberly in handcuffs from a Pennsylvania courthouse, prison-bound following his conviction of sexual assault. Like so many, I groaned at the disparity: Perfect, hilarious TV family. Lurid, devastating real life. read more

Guest post: Why Do We Love “This is Us?”

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Am I the only one who admits to slyly checking NBC.com to know when This is Us would restart after the summer? I keep waiting for an episode that won’t bring tears to my eyes, dagnabbit. Completely, 100% sucked in.

I’m a Christian. Not all of any show’s values will align with mine. All of life doesn’t align with my values. So there’s that. But honestly, I’m not easily hooked by TV shows. As a writer, I’m always analyzing: What’s the animal magnetism of this show? What’s timeless here? Why can’t we swivel our heads away from the Pearson family? Why do we love this messy (though typically non-crass) brood that could be any one of us?

Could it be there’s more here than some modern soap opera? What if there’s something of what we’re all gunning for? read more

Beware the Now

Reading Time: 3 minutes

So this week, my eldest son’s chores have included assembling a bookshelf from Ikea (a true test of manhood), raking and bagging part of the yard, and mowing at the neighbor’s. I admit to a small degree of happiness when he asked, “Mom, where’s a hex wrench?”

See, he’s 14 now. And that means it’s T minus four years till a vast assortment of his advice will come from college students just as clueless as he will be. So this morning, before he crawled out of bed, I sent this list of life skills for teens to my husband for printing.

Playing mom-of-teenager (plus any other hats, like, oh, working mom) can get a little cray-cray. Sometimes I feel like to live in this century is to live within in a blur, like we’re on a merry-go-round that’s too fast, yanking us off-center. As Westerners (and I lump myself into that), when asked how life is, half of us will answer “busy”. But what if the tyranny of the urgent keeps me from the critical?

Guest Post: There She Is: Miss America, Swimsuits, and #UsToo

Reading Time: 2 minutes

I remember watching the pageant on my stomach on the carpet: One of my favorite television events of the year. There was the talent portion, the interview, the evening gown. Your ideal, they sang. And sure enough–girls around the nation wondered just like I did: Could I ever do that?

Four kids later, I no longer aspire to Miss America. Sometimes I just aspire to satisfy my clients, get my kids showered and all wearing underwear at the same time, keep the house from burning down.

But for other little girls? Things just got easier. read more

Compassion–and What We Step Over (or, the Good Samaritan who Wasn’t)

Reading Time: 4 minutes

It was a handful of years ago now. Our family was hauling around the States on a trip back from Uganda. I stood at a gas station in Arkansas, an eye on the climbing digital numbers of my gas purchase. I was deliberately attempting not to look at the car parked two lanes over, whose car alarm was freaking out at what looked to be its owner.

I didn’t want to embarrass the woman. Poor thing. It didn’t help that her lapdogs were going bananas behind the glass.

I looked up at my oldest son climbing out of the car. Blonde, blue-eyed, and nearly eleven, he spoke in a low voice so that I inclined my head. read more

Talking to Our Kids about Yet Another School Shooting: “Is my school safe?”

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The horrific news from Florida has all of us reeling. It’s leaving far more questions than answers in its wake. And it’s possible your kids are contending with some of the same questions we as parents are: “Is my school safe?” (If it helps, Keys for Kids just posted this devotional story to read with your kids.)

A few thoughts as you consider what to say to them.

How would Jesus tweet? Social media as love, Part III–FREE GIVEAWAY

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Missed the first two posts? Get Part I here and Part II here.

6.  Love = Telling the truth.In love. Is a status update artfully alighting upon all my strengths the same as telling the truth? Like a camera, we all choose what we zoom in on. But is it possible we’re airbrushing our lives, and creating a climate of unnatural expectations? (Check out this post on perfectionism vs. pursuing excellence.) Though we may look for sympathy when our kid smears poop on the wall or throws a fit in Target’s housewares aisle, our lives on social media generally lean toward the photoshopped side of things.

how-would-jesus-tweet-meme-3

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