While I'm cleaning them (again), I chant something my mom told me years ago, "You will miss this when they are gone"¦ you will miss this when they are gone"¦"¯

One particular wall-wiping occasion took a bit longer than usual thanks to our 3-year-old who, by the looks of the walls, was afraid he would forget how to find his way back up from the basement, so made himself a little chocolate hand trail to follow. I started thinking, "Really? Really?! Will I really miss this when they are all gone?"¯

Then, just when I was about to give in to the thought that my main motherhood role lately has been more of an "eraser"¯ than a "builder of nations,"¯ I started thinking about how in today's society the actual role of mother is so knocked down.

Sure, people give it the lip service like, "motherhood is the hardest job of all"¯ or "every mother is a working woman,"¯ but, unless one has truly been in the trenches, day in and day out, reorganizing your schedule for the 97th time because you suddenly find yourself cleaning the dumped bottle of sunscreen all over the floor, or fabric softener pool in your purse, or get all the kids loaded into the car only to find the last one has a major diaper blow-out, I don't think those lip service phrases mean anything.

There really is no way you can describe the role of a mother with any clichƩ or catchy phrase.

Motherhood is simply indescribable, in both good and bad ways. It's tough. It's awesome. It's sweet. It's stinky. It's fun. It's depressing. It's enchanting. It's lonely. It's pretty much every emotion, every day, changing minute by minute.

In this particular moment of time (of wiping down the chocolate trail), somehow, somewhere, I found great satisfaction in knowing that I was (I hoped!) making my mark in the hearts ofĀ five little souls that have gingerly been placed in my care. Though I couldn't put any tangible name to the mark, I became acutely aware of just how important the "Mother's Mark"¯ is on the heart of every child who enters this world.

Will I be able to create the "mother's mark"¯ in my own children?"ØI may never know in this lifetime, but one thing I do know is they have left marks in my heart that will last much, much longer than a chocolate hand print on the wall. And yes, I think I will miss those tiny prints guiding my kids back from their basement adventures once their adventures lead them outside the walls of my home and the grasp of my arms."ØSo for now, I will be content to wipe off the wall marks, and try to etch my own marks on their tiny precious hearts.

So what mark have you made on the world?

The post On your mark appeared first on FamilyToday.

But reading offers many benefits, from encouraging imagination to relieving stress. In fact, those who read books frequently experience improved vocabularies, enhanced memory and even a healthier self-esteem. All of these benefits can go a long way toward positively impacting your child's life. So how can you instill your love of reading in your child?

The challenge to get kids reading and enjoy it is one most parents are bound to face at some point.

Here are six tips that can help children learn to love reading:

1. Start early

. Your child is more likely to enjoy reading if you start reading to him or her at a young age. It's never too early to start reading! Even in their infancy, children who are read to are greatly benefited. Infants learn speech patterns - rather than actual words - and communications skills from their experiences. By reading to your child early, you are providing more opportunities to develop beginning communication skills. Besides, kids love the attention, and you'll provide additional bonding time.

2. Set the example

If your children see you reading in your spare time, they are more likely to read themselves. Talk about the books you are reading and what makes them interesting.

3. Read together

This goes back to the bonding time between children and parents mentioned previously. Children yearn for more time with their parents. If they understand that they get more mom-and-dad-time through reading they will develop a fondness for it that becomes a powerful motivational tool.

4. Help children choose books in which they are interested and to which they can relate

Reading should be a choice not a coercion. Let their interest be their guide. If your child is a 12-year-old boy, he's not likely interested in books full of princesses and ponies. Instead, provide him a variety of reading material on subjects to which he expresses interest. Even better, help him choose books that contain characters near his same age.

5. Reward achievement

Some children are motivated by achievement; others are motivated by a reward for the achievement. Create a visual chart with which your child can track their reading accomplishments. Make sure there is a clear objective at the end (number of books or pages read, or minutes spent). Once they reach their goal, celebrate their accomplishment with something special.

6. Set aside time for reading

Dedicate a specific amount of time for your child to read each day. After a few weeks of reading consistently, it will become a habit.

Many parents who love to read automatically assume that reading should be naturally enjoyable for their kids. But reading is often an acquired taste - something at which children have to work in order to treasure. If you will be persistent in reading to your kids, setting an example for them, and rewarding their achievements, your children WILL discover the joy that comes from reading and value it throughout their life - eventually receiving the many benefits that come with being a habitual reader. This week, pick one of the six tips listed in this article and begin doing it with your kids. Happy reading!

The post How to encourage your child to enjoy reading appeared first on FamilyToday.

Parents certainly can't ground their kids in a situation like this. The kids will simply sneak out their windows in the middle of the night to get together. They may even choose to move out, or run away from home rather than live apart from the person they love. We can't force our teenagers to do anything. They are free agents and will fight tenaciously to make their own choices. Does that mean a parent should just sit back and catalog the teenager's demise?

While it's tempting to throw up one's arms and do nothing, clearly the risks to the young people are far too great. The more serious they get, the more likely they are to be devastated when the relationship ends. The more serious they get, the more likely they are to become sexually active, often resulting in unwanted pregnancies. With such grave risks, a conscientious parent feels obligated to intervene. But how?

1. Keep talking

Don't let your teen shut down and shut you out. Make sure you talk about all kinds of things, besides her or his relationship. Talk about your child's job, classes, sports, hobbies, interests. Then your teen will be comfortable sharing when it comes time to talk about his or her relationship.

2. Respect the power of puppy love

. Even though it's naive and uninformed, perhaps because it's naive and uninformed, puppy love is powerful. Be careful not to put down your child's beloved. They will become defensive, clam up and refuse to talk to you anymore. Rather than scrutinize the person, scrutinize the relationship. Although both young people may be excellent human beings, the relationship may not be excellent, simply because of the timing.

3. Prepare them for the end

Warn your teen. As much as they don't want to admit it, the relationship willend. Statistics are dismal for successful high school romances. You know, and everybody else knows, their relationship won't last. They are the only ones who don't know. Even if the couple marries, their chances of staying married are slim. They may have stayed married 50 years ago, but it's exceedingly unlikely today.

4. Get serious

. Remind your teen that a serious relationship requires serious responsibility. Are they really prepared to make the commitments, to be faithful, to be selfless, to make the sacrifices required in a serious relationship? Help them recognize that both people in a relationship need to make commitments, be faithful, be selfless and make sacrifices. Do they really want this in high school?

5. Mix it up

. The most common reason for a high school relationship to end is because the student feels "cheated on"¯ because their beloved is "talking to"¯ someone else. Introduce your son or daughter to other interesting and exciting young people and let the excitement of playing the field, lure them out of an exclusive relationship. Then they will end it and you won't have to.

The post Too serious too soon? appeared first on FamilyToday.