We are well into the new year, and most of us have had a few starts and stops with our new year's resolutions. Most of us tend to beat ourselves up when we fail, and very few of us can experience a setback and jump right back on course. But what if you could...
Blog
Launching Well
A friend recently asked me to write about launching well. After I almost spewed my coffee, I confessed I am not doing this well. My 18-year-old son is doing GREAT, but me? Not so much. I find the contrast here striking. When we think about “launching well,” we think about sending our kids off...
Start a New Holiday Tradition
Every once a while here in the Parenting Pathway community, we come across a family activity that’s too good not to share. So with the new year just around the corner, we’re sharing a holiday tradition we love—family awards. Each year around New Year’s Eve, our friend Sarah, her husband, and her six kids...
Christmas Traditions vs Flexibility
The Christmas holidays bring yummy food and fun with family and friends, but when there is a lot of expectation, it can leave moms feeling tired, overwhelmed, and anxious. I’ve heard it said—Holidays are holidays. And traditions are traditions. But holidays are not traditions. This week on the blog, Parenting Pathway mom and videographer...
Our Journey in Foster Care
There is a great need for foster families, especially after the pandemic when domestic violence and substance abuse increased. This week, we asked Cameron and Shanni Pacheco, church planters and student vocational ministers in the San Diego area, to share their recent journey through the system with us. While not everyone is called to...
It’s Not Your Job to FIX Your Child’s Life!
How many times have we rushed in to fix the problems in our children’s lives? For each child in the world, there are at least 1,000 stories where we parents have stepped in to fix each situation. But you know what? It’s not our job to fix our children’s lives. I was recently...
Parenting with Love and Logic
In this recording of our latest Parenting Pathway class, you will hear from special guests, Director Kelley Wilkinson and Assistant Director Jenn Bollom, from Stonebriar Preschool Pals. Both are certified Love and Logic Trainers and advocates of a love and logic approach to education and parenting. In this two-part class, Parenting with Love and Logic...
Raising a Highly Sensitive Child
"My second child arrived after a miscarriage and was such a sweet answer to prayer. She never cried, never fussed, and was content wherever we put her. You guys, she was perfect. Except for one thing: my husband couldn’t hold her or speak to her without her bursting into tears. Try as he may,...
Where to Find Jesus in a Spooky Season
I adore the autumn season. A sweet crispness fills the air, leaves display their glorious colors, ovens are busy baking pumpkin treats, and festivals are spreading joy throughout our communities. But the one thing I can also count on every year is that my two little boys will see something that completely terrifies them...
Parenting A Child with Special Needs
When you are a parent of a child with special medical or developmental needs, necessary decisions can come with high stakes and so many unknowns. We can find ourselves downright terrified. Terrified for our child’s future. Terrified that we can’t be enough. Terrified of all the “what-ifs” and things that could go horribly wrong....
Giving Appropriate Affirmations
There are plenty of studies that show that parents today “over praise” and “over encourage” their children. After all, not everyone can be the best player on the team, or the brightest in the class. There is a fine line between hollow encouragement and affirming God’s unique design of our children. This week Michelle...
Little People, Big Emotions
Some days have all the ingredients in place for a big emotional meltdown. Emotional Regulation is a fancy term, but refers to our ability to, recognize and name our emotions, identify how those emotions make us feel, and what we need to do to come back to our center. Sounds easy, but for a...