Ideas for Intentionality 40/52: How To Build a Relationship with Your Kids, Getting Unstuck in Motherhood, and Fall Coffee Hack

Happy Friday,

I went to a parenting night at my church this week and wow did I laugh and did I cry!

It touched my heart in so many ways! I wanted to share my biggest takeaways with you!

They said that from all the data they have collected the one thing that teens deeply desire and that makes the biggest difference is to have a good relationship with their parents.

I could hardly believe that since teens seem to developmentally push parents away!

But they shared that if we can build a common interest with our kids (top tip was coming into an interest they have vs expecting them to come into our interests) it will be the bridge that kids will use to cross when they need to talk to us about something hard.

Translation for young moms: relationships with our young kids is something we can do something about! That was great news for me!

For me in this season it looks like intentionally showing interest in baseball cards, pokemon cards, rubber band bracelets, barbies, reading books/snuggling together and being open to board games. They are tiny but mighty ways to show my kids:

I love you, I delight in you, and I see you!

I love that God turns the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. (Mal 4:6)

Here are my Ideas for Intentionality for this week – can you believe it is the 40th week of the year!!! (Yes, with a baby due at Christmas I am starting to do some prep for the end of the year!)

IDEAS FOR INTENTIONALITY

Got My Laundry Detergent This Week: I was out of my Truly Free Laundry Detergent so I just ordered more! Here is the deal I used to get 150 free loads of laundry! If you prefer the unscented version, you can still get 150 loads for free, but use this link instead.

Favorite Maternity Clothes Items Lately: I have been enjoying this skirt so much, I have these yoga pants on now (feels good on the bump) and I like to wear these little biker shorts under all my dresses.

Smart Non-Smart Phone: I am still really enjoying my Wise phone. It has been so nice to have Waze, Venmo, Audible, and Spotify back on my phone, but zero access to scrolling anything! But I am also hearing great things about the new Light phone if you want to go a step further into taking that phone dopamine temptation away.

Cutie Outfits I Got for My Toddler: I really like these outfits I got for my toddler. They are fairly neutral and simple, made of mostly cotton, and are from Amazon! It is so cute to see how excited my girls get about getting a special outfit in the mail. I got a pink ribbed set, a pretty fall flowers set, this cute big sister t-shirt, and some white ruffle socks.

My Latest Reading: I picked up a copy of Teatime Discipleship at the Wild + Free Conference and ahhh it is so lovely and inspiring to read through at night! I think you, or any woman in your life, would love it! Such a well done, giftable book!

NEW ON YOUTUBE

Overcoming “I Just Don’t Feel Like It” – Are you ready to unstuck and move past that “I just don’t feel like it feeling?” especially in motherhood? I get that so much! I have been there and get there still, but here is my secret for moving past our feelings to do what we need to and ought to.

Homeschooling with Toddlers Around – As a mom of 6 kids (6th due at Christmas ❤️), I understand the struggle of trying to get homeschool done with a toddler or baby in tow. And I want to share the ideas that have been a help and that I have gleaned from older, wiser women over the years.