parenting Archives - HOPEFUL MOM

April 20, 2026April 11, 2026

When Life Disrupts: How Families Learn to Adapt and Heal

Only 1 in 7 married parents meet the criteria for resilience.

When an email about a 2024 study conducted by Barna [i] landed in my inbox a few weeks ago, I was intrigued. And encouraged. Resilience can be measured. It can also be learned. Good news for parents, especially those of us dealing with a child’s unhealthy behavior.

What is resilience? “The process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.”[ii]

Flexibility. Adjustment. Adapting. Bouncebackability. All qualities of resiliency.

March 16, 2026March 14, 2026

Teaching Teens Healthy Boundaries in Dating

“Will you go with me?” the boy asked. I was in fifth grade and didn’t recognize the phrase used at the time to ask someone to be his girlfriend. (Think 1980s.)

Wide-eyed, I said, “Go where?”

As his real question dawned on me, I regretted my reactionary response but was too shy to backpedal and say, “Yes.”

This interaction started my dating era.

January 19, 2026January 6, 2026

The Angry Parent’s Path to Peace

Anger. We’ve all fallen victim to it. A burning sensation lit quickly or simmering under other emotions, slowly escalating. Sometimes we’re so overwhelmed by anger, we teeter on the edge of sanity. And sometimes we don’t realize we’re angry until we explode.

Anger surprises us with irrational behavior and unintentional insults.

But anger also propels us to stand up for an underdog or speak out against an injustice.

Anger is a natural response to a life event. But left unattended, anger festers and permeates our well-being, like an untreated infection.

December 1, 2025December 6, 2025

5 Digital Safety Traditions to Nurture Family Joy and Peace This Holiday Season

I’m thrilled to welcome Julia Daniels of Ever Accountable back to Hopeful Mom. Julia lists some practical digital safety tips for us this holiday season. Check out Ever Accountable and use this link for 20% off.

Who can forget the iconic scenes in Home Alone when young Kevin finds himself all alone in the house while the rest of the family is traveling internationally for Christmas? He’s only eight – vulnerable, mischievous, and obviously relishing zero adult supervision.

When Kevin’s mom suddenly realizes her young son is not on the plane with the family, I feel her wide-eyed panic in the pit of my stomach (Every. Single. Year.) as she exclaims, “KEVINNN!”

Meanwhile Kevin’s reckless enjoyment of his freedom (and sheer ingenuity) while he’s home alone reminds us all why kids need parents!

In the midst of the holiday bustle, our children can quietly become “home alone” in their own secret digital lives. But the online dangers that lurk are far more serious and subtle than the larger-than-life robbery heist Kevin thwarted.

November 18, 2025November 18, 2025

It’s Not About You: Understanding Teens and Their Choices

“I can’t believe he’s doing this to me. He knows I hate when he watches porn.”

“She purposefully went behind my back and purchased a burner phone after I explicitly forbid any more screen time. She’s trying to drive me crazy.”

“My son ignored everything I told him and watched pornography even after I warned him about the dangers. He just wants to hurt me.”

Many parents have thoughts like these when they discover a child’s unwanted behavior—whether it’s watching inappropriate videos, ignoring screen time limits, or interacting with strangers online. We feel, at some point, as if our child stabbed us in the back.

October 20, 2025September 27, 2025

Porn vs. Healthy Sex: A Parent’s Guide

porn vs healthy sex banner at Hopeful Mom

The average age of first exposure to pornography is 8 to 12 years old. Many preteens and teens watch porn for their sex education. They are curious and wander into unknown territory they don’t comprehend.

Our job as parents is to educate our children about the harms of pornography, just as we would discuss the dangers of running in the street, touching a hot stove, or taking someone else’s prescription drugs. Yet, it’s not as effective to simply forbid certain behaviors; we should also explain benefits of healthy sexual activity.

I often tell students, “We want you to have a healthy, thriving sex life . . . Not today. At the right time with the right person.”

September 15, 2025September 7, 2025

The Advocate Every Child Needs

“In 2022, my just turned 15-year-old daughter met someone on an app who posed as a 16-year-old.” I read this on Facebook. This mom continued explaining her story which lasted over two years. Her daughter had an eight-month long “relationship” with this poser before breaking it off. From that point, he exploited, stalked, harassed, and bullied the daughter and family.

When the daughter told her mother about this “friend,” this mom went into “mom mode.” You know what I mean—some Mama Bear action, defending, plotting, advocating, and all-out persisting.

Mom spent over a year trying to protect her daughter from this relentless person. He “used at least four social media platforms and 130 social media display names to pose as a minor and interact with minors on social media.” [i] This man, who was actually 21, not 16, repeatedly contacted and threatened the daughter and her family, even after her mother had called the police and Attorney General and filed a restraining order against him.

A mom fights for her child to protect her from a predator. As parents, we are called to protect and advocate for our children. The Advocate Every Child Needs #hopefulmom #parenting Share on X Continue reading

August 18, 2025August 27, 2025

Beyond Words: Body Language in Teens and Parents

“Do you need a minute?” I asked my daughter. I saw she was upset and on the verge of tears. She struggled to articulate her problem and the emotions it evoked.

“Yes.” Her shoulders relaxed, and the tears flowed.

I put my arm around her and waited quietly. I knew from experience that sitting with her while she cried would help her work through her emotions and communicate more effectively.

After a few minutes, it all came tumbling out. Her car was acting up again, and she’d nearly been in an accident. A valid reason for the emotional turmoil.

A day later the car was fixed, and my daughter’s emotions were normalized. I’m grateful I’d been available, sensed her need, and responded appropriately.

Constant Communication

“We send and receive messages all day: a look, a sound, a gesture, the way we walk, the way we pause mid-sentence, the way our voices rise and fall, a text, a post, a note, laughing, crying, smiling, frowning. These are all messages. Whether intentional or unintentional, whether perceived or real, we transmit ideas and opinions throughout the day to those in our vicinity.” (excerpt from Sexpectations: Helping the Next Generation Navigate Healthy Relationships, p. 120)

July 21, 2025July 22, 2025

How to Help Teens Beat Perfectionism Fueled by Social Media

I’m a perfectionist by nature. My get-it-right attitude seeps into work, family, and social interactions. My kids, husband, and co-workers expect me to correct grammatical errors on social media posts and in books I’m reading.

I can’t help it. I desperately want the tasks I’m performing to be perfect. And if they aren’t, well … my self-talk reflects my defeated mentality. If I missed a dish while loading the dishwasher, I think, You idiot. If I eat more than I should have, I ruminate on the misstep over and over. And if I snap at someone, when my head hits the pillow, my brain stews. Why were you like that? Why can’t you be kind? That person won’t like you anymore.

July 7, 2025June 21, 2025

Through My Daughter’s Eyes: Understanding the Anger of the Forgotten

I’ve never been more excited or proud to introduce a guest author at Hopeful Mom. My daughter Melinda Winters, a substance abuse counselor, is here to explain how pornography, neglect, abuse, and anger affect a child well into their adult years. Melinda is nurturing, patient, and loving. She treats everyone she meets with kindness and shows honor and respect to her clients. Every day, I’m impressed with her strength and resilience, even while she is tenderhearted toward those she interacts with. Melinda is passionate about helping women understand the importance of finding self-worth and valuing the person they can be. She has a powerful message for parents.

Walking into a room full of women filled with anger can often be challenging to navigate, especially when the room is inside a women’s correctional facility. Their faces and body language range from visibly angry and tense with arms crossed to masking their anger and pretending they are okay with a small smile and constantly moving hands. They avoid talking and making eye contact. Many of these women do not want to admit something traumatic happened to them. They do not want to admit they’ve been used and they have no self-worth. Or they repress memories of being used in their life. They want to be happy but instead find themselves constantly frustrated.