Mom to Mom:

Last weekend, in honor of Mothers’ Day, we asked the women in our Facebook and Instagram communities what advice, encouragement, or insight they would give to moms just starting out on their parenting journey.

One consistent theme emerged: GRACE – both for yourself and your child.

Here is some insight* we trust will encourage and equip you today:

Give yourself more grace. You won’t get it right every time and you will fail time and time again. Allow grace to cover you and let it be a time of growth. God gave you your kids for a reason and He will help you along the way – Priscilla
Care about your child’s heart more than their behavior. The behavior is an indication or symptom of the heart. Be gentle to your child’s soul and your own. Slow down and love deeply…and be in prayer always, asking the Holy Spirit to guide your parenting…don’t go it alone. Enjoy and delight in your children! – Brenda
It is going to be hard, really hard. Your parenting is an eye-opening journey. You are going to grow with each and every step. You’ll experience the most beautiful touching and unexplainable moments. You will meet grace in ways you have never imagined possible as you learn about God and His love for you in new ways. – Nina
Being a mom of littles is exhausting! It’s ok to say no to good things to keep peace in your life. Also we can’t control our children, only our response to them. (same goes with spouses!) Grace for yourself, it’s an example to your children of how you handle messing up! – Deb
My advice is to be patient and listen to the child’s perspective. – Bonnie
Your children’s behavior is not a measure of your parenting ability. Your self esteem or measure of your worth as a parent can NOT be based on their actions. Their behavior is communication back to you that tells you all about them. Your child’s actions are their own. – Heather
Parenting is all about connecting. When I’m connected to God I’m way less stressed. When I’m less stressed I connect better with our boys and life is better for everyone. – Kerryn
My son is just two years old at this point, so I’m a newbie, but already Connected Families has dramatically helped with navigating tantrums. My most used tool from CF is to give two good options. He loves being given some control over a situation. It also gives him something constructive to focus on rather than the tantrum. – mrschantaleckhardt
Take a deep breath, step back, pray, and then walk into the situation. Ask questions, get on their level, point them back to God and His grace and goodness. – rscrib
Go on dates with your kids. Ask them what they think. Stay curious and affirm them in what they love. Make messes together. Confess your mistakes. Ask forgiveness. Be generous. Take care of your heart so you can stay in touch with theirs. – christinahubs

*edited for length and clarity

On Friday evening, the mom of Lynne Jackson (Connected Families co-founder) transitioned into eternity. We both grieve and celebrate with Lynne and family this week. In Lynne’s words, “The waves of grief I feel are overshadowed by the tsunami of gratitude I have for her life and the many ways she showed me the love of Christ. “

If you have the book Discipline That Connects With Your Child’s Heart, read a short story Lynne shared about her mother on pages 101 & 102. It’ll give you a glimpse into the special relationship they shared. Here they are together at “Nonna’s” 100th birthday celebration.