Mothering By Instinct
by Marion Fernandez-Cueto in Family on Friday, July 31, 2009 6:00 AM
It was Saturday at Starbucks, and my fiancé and I were working our way down a long list of “topics-to-discuss-before-marriage.”
“You’re awfully relaxed about the parenting thing,” Andres observed. “Aren’t you worried how clueless we are?”
I remember shrugging. “We’ll figure it out. Besides, I’ve got my Mum.”
Indeed, I’d been blessed with a comprehensive, interactive parenting manual just a phonecall away. My Mum, nearing 70, was something of a local legend. Faithful... READ MORE
Hooked on Fishing
by Kate Wicker in Family on Monday, July 27, 2009 6:00 AM
My preschooler has what I refer to as “outdoor legs.” They’re as bumpy as avocados, covered in bug bites, bumps, and bruises and visible proof that we spend plenty of time outside, hunting wily bugs and seeking shapes in the clouds.
Currently, 4-year-old Madeline’s favorite outdoor activity involves a nearby pond, a fistful of worms, fishing rod, and her grandpa (AKA Pop).
To Madeline, there’s nothing quite as exciting as waiting for the next big catch.
In reality, Madeline and her younger sister... READ MORE
Just Say No?
by Melanie Bettinelli in Family on Wednesday, July 22, 2009 6:00 AM
One of the books my daughter Bella found in my doctor’s waiting room was one of those overly-didactic lessons on disobedience.
A little girl sneaks cookies from the jar and is reprimanded by her father for ruining her dinner. She chases a ball into the street, burns her finger on the stove, refuses to pick up her toys, and bristles at her parents for being arbitrary, mean, and unfair.
The intention of the book was to show children that adults have reasons for their rules and decrees, that they aren’t... READ MORE
What the Meek Inherit
by Danielle Bean in Family on Friday, July 17, 2009 6:00 AM
Sometimes, looking like a crazy woman with a few kids more than she can handle has its privileges.
Last week, I took some of the kids shopping at one of those mega-store Super Centers. I won’t tell you the name of the chain. Let’s just say it starts with “Wal” and ends with a headache. Every time.
I do not relish spending time in these places. But when you live where I do and every last member of your household needs socks, you don’t have much of a choice. As every country bumpkin knows, when it... READ MORE
How Not to Impress a Girl
by Heather Vacca Voccola in Family on Monday, July 13, 2009 6:00 AM
Among the most daunting experiences in a young man’s life is “meeting the parents.” This event is inevitable if you ever hope to escape the exciting life of the single man. Why eating beans out of the can on a nightly basis is considered exciting is something I’ve never quite understood.
Upon meeting the girl of your dreams, and slowly discovering that she might be willing to settle for you, you begin to realize that happiness is within grasp; you envision a blissful future involving a picket... READ MORE
Unlimited Blessings
by Tom and April Hoopes in Family on Saturday, July 11, 2009 6:00 AM
(Tom and April Hoopes are co-editorial directors of Faith and Family magazine. In this weekly column, they share family-friendly ways of observing the liturgical year and celebrating the Sunday readings.)
July 12 Readings
Amos 7:12-15; Psalm 85: 9-14; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:7-13
Our Take
Today’s second reading describes God’s unique relationship with us.
1. In Christ we have “every spiritual blessing in the heavens.” That’s a lot of blessing. It is, in fact, limitless blessing, limited only by... READ MORE
Just Mommy and Me
by Karen Edmisten in Family on Wednesday, July 08, 2009 6:00 AM
“Mom,” my daughter recently complained, “we haven’t had our special time for awhile! When can we do it?”
“Special time” conjures thoughts of exhilarating new activities or exotic adventures, doesn’t it? But, at our house, “special time” just might involve buying toilet paper.
My older daughters were nine and six when my youngest was born. After several miscarriages, no one thought another baby was possible and my girls and I had settled comfortably into our routine. Life was relatively quiet and... READ MORE
Why Homeschool?
by Tim Drake in Family on Tuesday, July 07, 2009 6:00 AM
Three years ago, Dean and Kim Walz, of St. Cloud, Minn., began homeschooling their youngest of three daughters because of health issues. At the time, they didn’t know a single homeschooling parent, and thought the effort would be temporary until their daughter’s health improved.
However, the following year, their eldest daughter, Tricia, a sophomore at a local public high school began getting harassed by fellow students and teachers. It came to a head over a test question in health class.
Right... READ MORE
Babies Make Me Feel Close to God
by Simcha Fisher in Family on Wednesday, July 01, 2009 6:00 AM
Have you heard someone coo, “Oooh, babies make me feel so close to God”?
Bleahh.
What the heck is that supposed to mean? Being with a baby makes you feel warm, cozy, gooey, and sentimental—and that’s what divinity means to you? Nuh-uh, as we used to say in second grade.
Don’t get me wrong: I have always liked babies. Even back when I hated everyone, including myself, I could see that being with a baby was a pretty good deal, at least in small doses. They’re adorable, they love you, and you can... READ MORE
Does Motherhood Make You Stupid?
by Kate Wicker in Family on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 6:00 AM
Shortly after the birth of my second daughter, I nearly brushed my teeth with diaper ointment, put a carton of eggs in the pantry and spelled my own last name wrong on an envelope (Wiker instead of Wicker) – and that was a good day.
And I’m not alone in my spacey plight either. I know countless mothers who lament their brain cells exponentially die off as their waistlines widen with pregnancy and that they continue perishing after their babies have arrived on the scene.
But even though diapers... READ MORE
