Mama Opportunities

What has surprised you in parenting with your spouse? How have you come to a decision or resolution? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

Merry Christmas, Mamas! I hope you get moments this season to experience the gift of Motherhood. mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

Do you enjoy playing board/card games? Was it part of your growing up experience? Are there games that hold special memories? In addition to all the fun they hold, what can we learn about our children from playing board games together? Think Fun Roll and Play for toddlers and preschoolers Sussed? The game of wacky choices mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Church...

What if we made decluttering with our children a regular rhythm in our homes? How can we help our children see the value of de-cluttering? In what ways can we empower them to make choices about what to keep and what to pass on to someone else? It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff by Peter Walsh The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself...

In this busy Christmas season, we are doing many things.  How can we be present and alive to what is actually going on in our homes? Felt Christmas Tree for Toddlers Luke 2  from The Bible O Holy Night mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

When it comes to building relationships--efficiency is not king. Meal Planning Episode, Ep. 27 Plan to Eat mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

Two sides of the same coin. I think of this metaphor when parenting a lot. We can express basically the same thing in a negative or positive way. In this episode, I discuss my frustration at finding my kitchen messy after going to bed early one night. I want to move in my mind from "Can we not do better?" to the other side of the coin which is "Do One Better." mamaopportunities...

In this season of Thanksgiving, we often consider things that we are thankful for. How can we cultivate thankfulness that extends throughout the year? Article I mentioned: An Attitude of Gratitude mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

How do you view family traditions? Do you look forward to some things you do every year? Do you feel weighted down by them? In this episode, I discuss the benefits of family traditions and the variety of traditions that we can have. Christmas Devotional I mentioned: The Advent Jesse Tree mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "Ther...

What did Christmas morning look like when you were a child? How do you decide on gifts now that you are a parent? The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

Birthday parties are a lot to plan! Who, what, when? In this episode, I offer thoughts that I've had over the years of planning parties. mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

Do you have any birthday traditions that you do each year to celebrate a child's birthday? How can we make birthday traditions a practice that communicates to our children that they are seen and valued? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

How do we help our children create margin in their lives? How can we model it? How do we talk about it? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

How do you celebrate your birthday? Has that changed throughout your motherhood journey? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

How can we encourage our children by pointing out the good qualities that we see in them? How can we influence what they hear when the tapes play in their heads? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

Most people tend to think of intelligence as something a person has or does not have. In this episode, I share developmental psychologist Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences that he put forth in his 1983 book called Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. I think this information is another useful tool in our Mama "toolbox" which we have to encourage our...

How can we be kind to ourselves? What does that look like in a Mama's life? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one."

Is there something that frustrates you on a daily basis? What if you made a change for a season to tone down or eliminate that "bee in your bonnet"? Is there a small physical change you need to make in order to pursue a greater goal you have for your kids? Article I mentioned: 41 Positive Quotes About Change and Growth mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill...

I love Labor Day! It feels like a little gift of a day at the final end of summer. How will you spend Labor Day? To focus your thoughts...think about this: what do you need this year? In this episode, I give some ideas and examples of ways to spend this day. mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfec...

What comes to mind when you think of meal planning? How can we take some mental load off of us and develop a framework that is sustainable? Questions for Reflection: How often do you want to meal plan? What framework can you set up as a template for meal planning? Can you chose a main protein for each night which will limit the endless recipe options? How will you organize your recipes? My favorit...

This is a time of year where many of us (and/or our kids) are beginning new things. I created this episode to examine what one thing would we like to prepare or do to make a time of transition easier? And is there any practice that we would like to incorporate into our daily life as we desire to grow and change? mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an Am...

In this episode, I give three of my favorite phrases that we use at our house related to school. The beginning of school is so exciting! And it is full of transitions. So we want to be aware that emotions may come out sideways, so that we can be calm and present to our child's needs. mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "The...

As Moms, we have a heavy mental load. How do you lighten your mental load? What systems or decisions have you put in place to make room in your brain? What could you put in place to lighten your mental load? The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a...

In this episode my hope is to share my experience with cell phones and my kids without offering too many opinions but to describe our experience as a starting point as you consider cell phones and your kids. Gabb Phones & Watches Bark Monitoring The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Bla...

Have you ever started a home project only to leave it unfinished? Have you had the satisfaction of a job well done? Have you felt the weight of project overload? In this episode, I explore the benefits and pitfalls of home projects. mamaopportunities.com The quote at the end of each episode is by Jill Churchill, an American author. "There's no way to be a perfect mother and a million way...