Mama J on September 30th, 2008

Your turn:  Inspire us with some ways you’ve found to talk about life issues with your tween/teen. Time and time again I have heard parents say they think it’s more important than ever to be available for their kids when they’re tweens and teens.  Having helped raise two to young adulthood, I have to whole […]

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Mama J on September 25th, 2008

“Most people know that problems can arise with the sense of hearing and the sense of sight, but few people realize that problems can also arise with the sense of touch.”  –Hardy Brain Training As I’ve watched my daughter make the transition to third grade this fall, I’ve noticed that many, many of the girls […]

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Mama J on September 24th, 2008

There are several reasons that I’m writing a book about stepparenting children who have lost a parent.  A huge one is because I believe that this type of grief changes a lot of dynamics in the stepfamily as compared to a divorce situation.  There is no book dedicated to the topic of stepparenting grieving children. […]

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Mama J on September 23rd, 2008

This post is a reminder about the beauty of brevity with the young ladies in our lives.  I know. I didn’t keep this post to 25 words.  But you’re adults. : ) Many times (a day) we want to get across a message, request, or teaching point with our girls.  Here’s the scoop: avoid crossing […]

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Mama J on September 18th, 2008

One of the many things I appreciate about my 8-year-old is that she is a good communicator.  Lately she’s been expressing to me that she just doesn’t understand the Bible.  She thinks this is part of the reason “church services are boring.” I spent a little bit of time stressing about how I don’t make […]

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Mama J on September 17th, 2008

Your turn:  Are you a believer in texting teens and young adults? Why or why not?  Leave your comment at the end of this post. Usually Wednesday’s posts are devoted to stepparenting discussions, but since I covered National Stepfamily Day yesterday I thought I’d pick a topic that could apply to parents and stepparents alike. […]

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Mama J on September 16th, 2008

Did you know that every September 16 has officially been designated National Stepfamily Day by most of the states in the United States?  Today represents the 11th Annual Stepfamily Day. The inaugural issue of reMarriage magazine reports that “…one in three Americans is now part of a stepfamily – that is, a stepparent, stepchild, or […]

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Mama J on September 11th, 2008

It seems fitting to write about this topic on the anniversary of 9/11.  I grew up in New York City and vividly remember the Twin Towers being built.  On the fateful day of the crashes in 2001, I wrestled with how to discuss the events of the day with my children.  I felt the need for some […]

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Mama J on September 10th, 2008

Your turn:  What topic areas or skills give you an anchor in your stepfamily?  Leave a comment at the end of this post. In the early years of developing a relationship with my stepdaughter Brittany, a youngster named Shayla played an important role.  Shayla was an intelligent, curious, and playful individual on my side of […]

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Mama J on September 8th, 2008

Dorothy said it best during her time travel from Oz:  “There’s no place like home.”  A recent vacation to New York City, where I grew up, was such a relaxing and rejuvenating experience that it sparked me to think about the significance of home.  Home may be where you actually grew up.  Or, it may […]

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