Monday, October 17, 2011

A Whole Bunch of MomSense!


    There have been many times I’ve left the park, grocery store, and several other public places with my tail tucked between my legs, ashamed of how I failed to parent; wondering what God ever saw in me to make me fit as a mother. Have you had those days? You know the kind where you put your foot down, set a boundary, which results in your children smelling your fear and pushing the envelope because they know you will cave? Have you had other moments when you unsure how to parent your child; teetering between seemingly sound advice from a friend and your inner voice screaming it won’t work? Guess what mom, you aren’t alone, I’m right there with you!
   Frustrated I would read books, parenting articles, or ask advice only to have it backfire in ways I never expected. The ironic part is deep down I knew it would.  After twelve years of trying everybody else’s advice and parenting methods, did I finally decide to trust my own instincts. I had an epiphany late one night after winning a standoff with my daughter. I realized I needed to have confidence in my skills as a mom. After all, if the God of the universe thinks I can mother my children, then just maybe I can! It also helped (immensely) that I had the opportunity to read and apply Jean Blackmer’s book, MomSense throughout the summer.  ‘Mom-huh,' you might be asking? MomSense is trusting your own mothering instincts and applying common sense, creating MomSense.
    If you’re a mom overwhelmed with articles, blogs, magazines and mountains of books on the how-to’s of parenting, then it’s time to take a step back and zero in on what Jean had to say about mothering. What I loved about Jean's insight is that she suggests we embrace our mothering instincts and stand on the confidence that God created us with the right tools to mother our children.  When we tune out all the types of parenting methods, and tune into our heavenly father while trusting our instincts, we find ourselves mothering with confidence.
    Granted we may not always have the answers and it’s helpful to know we aren’t alone while we navigate the territories of motherhood. Once we feel like we’ve found a groove, the rhythm is interrupted by a new skill or behavior our kids have learned. As Jean writes, we need to grow our Momsense and trust it with each new stage, not being afraid to ask for advice when needed. She also reveals that we are not alone in the questions we have or the stages we face. Using answers and comments from moms all across the country, she not only gives us insight and advice to mothering; it strengthens confidence in ourselves. We find that we are not alone in our questions and wanting to be the best we can be for our children.
    Now days when I venture into public with my children, I’ve come to expect that they will act like monkeys instead of children; however I’m not afraid to mother them with the MomSense that I’ve developed in areas like patience, consistency, and calling their bluff when needed. 
     If you are a mom full of questions about mothering, this book is perfect to read at leisure or in a small group. It's packed full of insight and encouragement to be the mother God created you to be. So, my fellow blogger moms, here are a few questions to get the discussion on today's post started:


  •  As a mother, what areas in mothering do you feel like you have no clue how to parent?
  •  What mommy issues make it difficult for you to keep in perspective?
  •  If you could ask the author one question about mothering, what would you ask?
  •  How has the book, MomSense grown your confidence as a mom?


20 comments:

  1. Don't forget to leave a comment and tell us about your MomSense insight. Your comment will put you in a drawing to win one of three free copies of MomSense. It's a great resource to have on hand!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Had to post a comment from Audra on Facebook: "Good article.. and excellent summary of why we should read her book. Trust in God.. follow who He made you to be. Listen to those who went before you.. Develope your own style of mothering and be confident in it. Yep!"

    ReplyDelete
  3. Motherhood has taught me that I don't have to be perfect. I like Jean's book because she reminds us of that! Lisa from Mombloggers club.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Heather- So very often your blog speaks right to my heart! I love the Momsense theme - it helps to know that other moms share some of my parenting struggles!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have a 13 and 2 year old. I always enjoyed parenting my eldest even though sometimes I didn't know what I was doing and had to ask for help and even take a few classes. I didnt understand until just recently that even when asking for help, I was using my momsense. It has been with me from the moment he was conceived.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lisa, Toni and Lauren:
    That is so true. God has given us MomSense in more ways then we could have ever imagined! Stay tuned to the blog, Monday will be another day of comments and dicussion of MomSense. We will annouce our winners on Tuesday morning!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you for your blog and for highlighting MomSense. I know there are many times I make choices for my family only to end up feeling condemned by those around me. I am trying to be more confident in my choices and myself and it helps me knowing that others feel like this too!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have a medically fragile special needs child. If it wasn't for Gods intervention and my Momsense. My child wouldn't be here today. There are days I wonder if the doctors know more about my child than I do, but then God reminds me (sometimes not so gently) that He put our son with us for a reason, and that reason is that we are the best people to fight for him.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I was just on my knees begging God to help me parent my 12 year old son who has severe adhd. I was crying and felt hopeless in that situation. I would love to read Mom sense!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I pray all the time. I cry a lot too. I love the post it is great

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am excited to read this book! Loved her other book Boysterous Living. Books like this one and programs like MoPS show mom's you don't have to do it alone!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Good afternoon MomSense Mama's, from what I've read so far, Jean's book has given you all the confidence that God created you to specifically mother your children. Jean's book reminds us that we do have the tools and a foundation of faith to build on, especially in the toughest moments of motherhood. Stayed tuned for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  13. RE: Michelle~ Momma of 5...

    Using your MomSense with a child facing ADHD challenges can be tough, but don't give up!

    I remember days when it seemed my younger sis w/ADHD might not get through 2nd grade, then jr. high, then high school, or SURVIVE to adulthood with her poor choices and risky behavior... It was a struggle for mom, dad, and my older sis & myself to live through the challenges...

    She is now 28, mom of 3, strong marriage, strong faith, regular church attender- and I am so proud of the woman she has become. God was shaping her all along, but it was sure tough to connect the dots in the meantime.

    Every mothering relationship is different, just like every child is different. That's what I love about MomSense- it meets you where you are and gives you confidence as a mother no matter what challenges you are facing!

    Liz in Colorado

    ReplyDelete
  14. I often doubt my Momsense but I find as my girls (3&1) get older and I talk with other moms, I gain confidence in myself. Also I like to read and find if I really believe something will work then I have better success! LaNae Cronk

    ReplyDelete
  15. The impatience of a 3 year old makes me doubt that my patience is good enough. But, as you said, if God thinks I can do this, then I guess I can...with His help!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Christy, Lauren, and Toni:
    Thank you for sharing your MomSense with us. Please email me your mailing address for your copy of MomSense.
    Email me at Riggleman5@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. As the author of MomSense I'm so excited to hear the book is helping! God doesn't make mistakes and He created you to be the mom of the children He's given you. Keep encouraging each other!

    Jean

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi Jean,
    Thanks so much for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete
  19. MomSense sounds like a very useful book for the unsure mom. Sometimes, it is difficult to face the ups and downs of working with children. Believe me, I know - I'm a nursery school teacher! We all just need to have a little faith in ourselves and our abilities.

    ReplyDelete
  20. @Heather, it is a great book, I love how it opened my eyes to the fact that all we need is a confidence in ourselves and faith in God that we can raise our children how He intended!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...