Discipline vs. Punishment
Do you remember how you felt after your first child arrived? If you were like me, you felt a mixture of bliss and fear. Not only was I happy to finally have this baby, but I was also quite afraid. Afraid of not doing it right. Everything was... Read More
Unexpected Parenting Lessons from the NCAA Championship Game
National sporting events are always jam packed with good parenting lessons. From the need to focus on your goal to what can be accomplished when you have discipline, there’s something special about seeing athletes excel. Sometimes though, the lessons are rather unexpected. Case in point, the 2018 NCAA... Read More
Character and Values | Imagine The End
Passing Down Patience
Let’s begin with a confession; patience is a virtue I aspire to, not one I’ve mastered. I hate to wait, I hate to wait in line, I hate to wait for people, and I hate to wait for a surprise. When I was a child I became a... Read More
Birth - 5 years | Family Life | Imagine The End
What It Takes to Raise a Strong-Willed Blessing
One of my most favorite things about being a parent is picking up my little one, Dylan, from school. I mean, it’s like it’s Christmas and I’m Santa. When I open her classroom door, she drops whatever she’s doing, busts into a full sprint towards me, wraps her... Read More
High School (9th-12th) | Imagine The End | Mental Health
5 Simple Strategies to Help Teens Cope with Anxiety
Spring can be a tough time in the world of a teenager. Yes, the flowers are blooming, the trees are getting greener and the air is filled with the sweet scent of spring flowers. But many high schoolers are experiencing the stress of finals, sitting for AP exams,... Read More
Character and Values | Imagine The End | Social Life
In Defense of Anger
This one isn’t easy. I’m going to come right out and say that. Some of my other blog posts are way easier to write. This one is a bit of a challenge though because it means confronting some long-held beliefs. I’ll just jump into it. I think we... Read More
You Bet Life Isn’t Fair, Kid!
Your kids have likely screamed 862 different versions of “That’s not fair!!!!” from their small lungs before their fifth birthday. Whether it’s the attention you gave her sister but not her, why her friend could get a new Elsa doll but she couldn’t, or why the your son’s... Read More
Fight For The Heart | Imagine The End
Making Peace with Your Kids
Have your kids ever hurt your feelings? I don’t mean their critique of your clothes, cooking, or stupid jokes. I mean the thing they say that just cuts to the quick. A couple of weeks ago, one of my boys said something and it hurt so much, it... Read More
College and Young Adult | Imagine The End
Fast Forward and Looking Back: Parenting Adults
Parenting is not for the faint of heart. It’s a marathon of endurance to parent through each age and phase. Just a few decades ago I had the pleasure of being called “Mom” to four kids, ages six and under. I quickly learned that this parenting had questions... Read More