Tell your truth

Remember the peer pressures of adolescence?
Some teens would do anything to fit in with
the crowd. Even as an adult, it's a game
that's all too easy to play. What a relief
it is to take off the mask of conformity
and admit who you really are inside.

Make your life simpler by choosing authenticity
over conformity. Trust your heart's wisdom
and be brave enough to stand up for what
you believe. Instead of working so hard
to be who you think others want to be,
relax and be yourself.

Look for reason's to say thanks

You don't need the IRS to tell you that your
children are dependents. Your children depend
on you for food, shelter, transportation,
guidance, you name it. They have so many reasons
to be thankful for you. Your reasons for voicing
gratitude toward them may be less obvious, but
they are no less worthy of thanks.

When children are young and dependent on others
for so much, words of gratitude are often reserved
for times when they do what they're told. Be
creative with your gratitude. Voice your thanks
for their doing acts of kindness, for their
making you laugh.

Discipline with love

Parenthood can be frustrating. Consider how well
you explain to your children the right thing to do,
and yet children frequently choose not to do it.

The exact methods you choose to encourage your
children to go the right way, can be as diverse
as the children themselves. However, if you discipline
your children out of love rather than out of anger
born of frustration, embarrassment, or impatience,
then your doing good. You're choosing to be an
obedient child-and a great mom.

Take your vitamins

Getting the right nutrition into your body
is important for dealing with stress. Eating
well everyday, along with finding and taking
the right combination of vitamins and minerals,
helps your body recover from the effects of
stress more quickly.

Just as you fuel your body with vitamins, so
also you need to fuel your faith with spiritual
nutrients. Long walks also nourish the soul and
calm in the midst of a busy life.

Be the grownup

Throwing tantrums, showing off, and being
unwilling to share are just a few of the
childish tendencies moms often have to
face in their own lives. It's true that
becoming an adult happens naturally. Acting
like one, however, takes both help and
personal preseverance.

To be the kind of mom your children can
look up to and learn from, you need to
continue to mature every day of your life.
There's always some area you can grow up in.
Consider how you react when nothing goes
right and time is running out. Are you calm
or out of sorts? Just look to the life to
see how balanced, loving adult acts. Then
imitate your own way of life.

Make Mealtimes Fun

Presentation is important at fine restaurants.
The family dinner table shouldn't be any
different. It takes only a moment or two to
transform old family favorites into something
new that will delight your children and
encourage picky eaters.

Make a smiling face out of the food you put
on your children's plates. Cut sandwiches into
shapes with cookie cutters. Eat with your fingers
even if it's spaghetti. Have a picnic by the
fireplace. Add a bit of food color to the
mashed potatoes. Let your children choose the
menu and help prepare the meal.