I just happened to be invited to an Angela Thomas conference a few years ago, so I went, having no idea who this lady was. Emily was about 2 and my goal at the time was just to survive motherhood another day, the best I knew how. At the time, Angela Thomas was a single mother of 4 children and she had all the words I needed to hear... everything from the encouraging to the not so easy to hear stuff. Through Angela's books My Single Mom Life and Beautiful Offering, I have been extremely inspired in my life as a mother and as a person in general. She has several other books, but these are the only ones I've had the privilege of reading so far.
I have recently began reading her newest book: 52 Things Kids Need From A Mom: What Mothers Can Do to Make a Lifelong Difference. I love the book because it's a super easy read (3 page chapters) and suggests very practical ways to pour into your children. Some of these things I already do, and may just need to emphasize them more, and others, I've never really thought about.
Being the start of the New Year, I'm always looking for ways to grow and improve... especially as a mom. I want to share the 52 things Angela suggests with you, and I'd highly suggest reading the book, as she expands on each thing individually. Enjoy!
KIDS NEED THEIR MOM TO...
1. pray in secret with the door open
2. never stop touching them
3. hang hearts of love over their lives
4. watch them go out of sight
5. keep a date night with dad
6. make them sit around the table...and linger
7. let her yes be yes and her no be no
8. be delayed, rerouted, and canceled with poise
9. make them wait to take a bite
10. take Christmas to people who have nothing
11. miss a few things they do wrong
12. put down the phone
13. learn their unique love language
14. occasionally be a supermom
15. turn their beds down at night
16. ride a roller coaster...for the first time
17. talk to them like they are fascinating
18. treat their friends like family
19. cheer wildly from the stands
20 give grace-filled consequences
21. be a passionate, alive, spiritual love of God
22. to indulge their silly
23. have a hallelujah party
24. keep a family blog
25. become physically and emotionally healthy
26. become spiritually healthy
27. believe they will not grunt forever
28. make a big deal out of God
29. keep her promise
30. wait on them hand and food...when they are sick
31. tell them to buy another token and keep swinging
32. pray them home and for the will of God
33. be a "groovy" mom
34. teach them how to know the voice of God
35. believe in their strengths and speak life into their gifts
36. make a home where grace lives
37. throw down the "MOM Card"
38. tell them what she'd do differently
39. make a big deal out of grandparents and extended family
40. teach them how to keep their money straight, in order, facing the same direction
41. be patient about things like thumb-sucking and pacifiers
42. let them make really dumb mistakes without condemnation
43. introduce them to her friend named Jesus
44. set the tone for the family
45. teach them to genuinely respect all people, cultures, denominations, and creeds
46. teach the boys how to love a wife
47. teach the girls how to love a husband
48. identify the characteristics of a fool and tell them what to do when they meet one
49. train them to listen to her
50. teach them not to be easily offended
51. live as single moms with amazing lives
52. teach them a gracious and generous hospitality
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