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Effective Parenting Strategies: How To Raise Firstborn Children The Right Way

     When it comes to parenting, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Each child is unique and requires different parenting styles to thrive. However, firstborns often have a special place in the family dynamic, and their upbringing can have a significant impact on they turn out in future. In this post, we will explore the unique challenges and opportunities that come with being the firstborn in a family. We will provide practical tips and strategies for parents to help their firstborns develop into confident, responsible, and successful individuals. Whether you are a first-time parent or have several children, we will provide valuable insights into raising firstborns right. From setting clear expectations to avoiding common pitfalls, this article will equip you with the tools you need to help your firstborn thrive.  Have you read Parenting and the Curse of the Firstborn? Understanding Firstborns Firstborn children hold a unique position in the family dynamic. They are often the fi
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Staying Close to God As A New Mom

A mom on her knees with her hands clasped together in prayer

     Being new to motherhood comes with its unique challenges that need getting used to and finding a way to get through. Most of the time, before you have developed a coping mechanism for a certain stage, your baby is on to the next stage! If you are reading this post as a new mom,  congratulations on your new baby! On top of everything else that you have to manage on your own, you can easily find your relationship with God going downhill. Before the baby came along, you had time to bask in God's presence but now you find yourself struggling to get some time alone for yourself to talk less about spending time with God. 

     Having young kids and spending time seeking God can feel like an uphill task. It is a blessing to have children and God knows the demands of motherhood on every one of us yet, we must draw close to him every day. Staying close to God takes commitment and practical steps that can be incorporated into our daily tasks. The season has changed for us and we have to develop new ways of having intimacy with Jesus instead of allowing our hearts to be pervaded by guilt. Isaiah 40:11 says, 'He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young (emphasis, mine). This should give you some comfort that God is in your corner.

Practical Tips For Staying Close To God

  • See the need to stay focused on God. When you know how much you need him and rely on him, you will always have the hunger for more of his presence as you go about your daily activities.
  • Practice the presence of God, imagine him with you from the moment you get up from your bed in the morning. It makes it easier to talk to Him throughout the day.
  • Don't wait to have an hour where you can sit down and have some quiet time. You can pray even in your heart as you cook, clean, do the laundry or bathe the kids. 
  • Listen to Gospel music or messages as you work.
  • Download a Bible app with devotion and read through it as you breastfeed your baby.
  • Have a plan for the day from the moment your feet hit the floor and you begin your tasks for the day. Granted, every day will not always go according to plan but it will take discipline and consistency to achieve this.
  • Offer up thanks as often as you achieve your tasks during the day.
  • Ask for help, lots of patience and wisdom to get you through the day without yelling at your children. God will help you with every situation you ask him to.
  • Tell your children Bible stories and ask questions that will lead to opening the Bible and reading from it.
  • Pray with your kids and teach them to pray also.
  • Read and meditate on a Bible verse as you prepare to sleep at night.
  • As much as you can, get involved in church activities be it Bible studies or prayer groups to help you keep your focus.
  • Sing praise and worship songs with your kids even if it is the ones meant for their age.
  • Pray before and after meals.
  • Pray over your little ones as you put them to sleep during the day and at night.
  • Turn thoughts of negativity and overwhelm into praise and thanks. They will stop coming after a while.
  • Ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit in your home, God promised us a comforter after all!
     Don't try to do everything at once. Pick one tip and focus on it until you get the hang of it before you add another one to it. This will prevent overwhelm from stopping you in your tracks before you even get started. As you make it a daily habit, the desire for God will also grow.

Five Bible Verses That Remind You To Draw Near To God

Psalms 145:18 - The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Hebrews 12:1 - Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

John 14:16-17 - And I will pray for the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Hebrews 4:16 - Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

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I'm Rachael, a wife, mom and an entrepreneur and I love to share my experiences with other young moms as we navigate this sometimes turbulent waters of family life and raising children, learning to be financially independent while also anchoring our faith in God.

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