KEEPING THE JOY IN MOTHERHOOD
BECAUSE HAPPY MOMS MAKE HAPPY FAMILIES
Welcome to The Heart of Motherhood--A Parenting Magazine for remembering the joys of being a mom. This site is dedicated to the only parenting advice you really need, and that is:
When you love and nurture yourself, your family will get the very best you have to give.
Motherhood is like nothing else. It is the most difficult, draining, exhausting and humbling thing we will ever do. It is the most important job we will ever have and, most likely, the richest experience of our lives. So let’s make it a joyful one, for ourselves and our families. Throughout these pages I will encourage you to:
- Celebrate all the experiences of being a mom (expected and unexpected, good and not so good).
- Accept, appreciate and love who you are.
- Take very special care of yourself.
- Take good care of your adult relationships.
- Use your own parenting style.
- Be a less-than-perfect mom.
- Have fun every day.
If you like what you see here and want to spend more time at this site, here are my promises to you:
I will focus on successes. We cannot build on failures. Guilt does nothing for you or your family. It keeps us trapped in past mistakes. Let’s learn from all of our experiences and move forward.
No scare tactics. There are lots of websites that will tell you all about the latest threats to your children and your family. This is not one of them. If I have to scare you into reading this website, then it is not interesting enough to be worth your time.
I will remember that no one loves your children more than you do. You have your own parenting style and I will honor it.
I will remember that you are the expert when it comes to your children, your family and your life. I may offer you parenting ideas, but do not intend to offer much in the way of parenting advice.
So, sit back, take a deep breath and enjoy this website, knowing that you are exactly the perfect mom for your children.
About me: I am the mother of five and have been parenting for a long time. I am also a marriage and family therapist and have been doing that for a long time, too. This does not make me an expert (you are the only expert here). The only thing this really means is that I know what I am talking about when I say, “Happy moms make happy families!”
Family Fun for the Joy of Motherhood
Family fun ideas for every budget and schedule. Strengthen family relationships with fun kids activities and get the most joy out of motherhood.
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Emotional Health for Moms
A mom’s emotional health lays the foundation for her family’s well being. Learning about mental health issues and treatments helps you take good care of yourself and good care of your family.
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Anxiety Symptoms: they are not always bad.
Although our anxiety symptoms can interfere with our life, their real purpose is to keep us safe. Out fight or flight response is a well organized and highly adaptive system of bodily reactions.
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Tend and Befriend: A Woman's Response to Stress
Tend and Befriend is a concept that is helping women understand and reduce their own stress levels in a way that the traditionally accepted Fight of Flight never could.
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Anxiety Disorders. What is Going On?
Anxiety disorders occur when our natural survival reactions become over-active and interfere with life. Anxiety disorders do not make you "crazy" and are treatable, but do require a doctor's care..
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The DEAR MAN Techniqe. Help for Women in Communication Skills and Assertiveness
The DEAR MAN techniqe for assertiveness makes it easier to develop the communications skills to get what you want and will have huge benefits for you and your family.
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Depression in Women. The Symptoms and Treatment
Knowing the symptoms of depression in women is important for all moms. Learn what to look for and where to start for treatment.
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Marriage Help Through Active Listening
True marriage help comes with real work and good intentions. The active listening skills in Harville Hendrix’s “Couple (Imago) Dialogue” lays the groundwork for creating a happy marriage.
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Bug Science for Kids. Squirmy Family Fun
Learning becomes family fun with these simple, at home activities to teach kids about insect life cycles. Kids and moms can discover the fascinating world of bug science and share in the excitement
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Take Your Kids Hiking. Easy Walking Adventures
Discover lots of ideas for easy hassle free kids hiking. Plus spur-of-the-moment walking adventures to squeeze the most family fun out of each day.
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Easy, Enjoyable ways to Improve Your Mood
There is evidence that these activities cause some (small) changes in our body that can actually improve our mood.
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Science Museums for Year Round Family Fun
Science for kids is never more exciting than at science museums. Learn how these amazing children’s museums can be a cheap source of family fun. Join your children in the pure joy of discovery!
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Rainbow Science and Rainbow Joy
In the study of rainbows, the scientist and the artist both have something meaningful to teach us. Rainbow Science can be taught at any level from preschool to college physics.
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Discovering Your Own Parenting Advice
Effective parenting requires that you get in touch with your own values. Find and honor your own parenting style. The best source of parenting advice is you.
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Ways to Discipline Children Without Spanking
It is best for our family that we find ways of disciplining children we can feel good about. Finding your own parenting style is important. Explore ways to discipline children without spanking.
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Active Listening for Moms: Helping Children to Express Themselves
Active listening skills are very helpful in parenting, because when children are free to express themselves, without judgment, they can look more clearly at situations and then make better decisions.
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Homekeeping and The Perfect Mom
Effective home keeping creates a home environment for your family that YOU feel good about. Give up your efforts to do things the “right way” and give up your efforts to be the perfect mom.
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Homekeeping and the Not-So-Perfect-Mom
What makes homekeeping most effective is giving up the idea of being a perfect mom learning to be you. Take a closer look at what you want, what you value and what you have to figure this out.
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Housecleaning for the Less-than-Perfect Mom
Homekeeping, for me, means cutting corners and taking shortcuts in every area of my homes upkeep. Here is a partial list of ways that I have found to get away with doing less housecleaning.
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The Cleaning and Scrubbing Will Wait
The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow… For those of us who would rather play with our children than clean our house, Ruth Hulburt Hamilton’s stunning poem states our case very nicely.
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