What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is understanding and recognizing your emotions, and how they impact you and those around you. It also involves perspective taking, comprehending empathy, and having a real understanding of others’ emotions too. It is about building self-awareness and learning emotional self-regulation as well as gaining the social skills to connect and understand others.

How Is Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Different from Intelligence Quotient (IQ)?

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is intelligence specifically relating to emotions, how an individual can classify, evaluate, regulate and communicate emotions—people skills. Intelligence Quotient (IQ) refers to processing, applying, filtering, and retaining information, logical reasoning, and abstract and spatial thinking—book smart. It is a different skill set, both of which can be inherent and learned.

The Benefits of Emotional Intelligence for Your Child:

  • Enhances emotional regulation

  • Encourages positive conflict resolution skills

  • Helps your child absorb critical feedback and use it constructively to grow

  • Guides your child to be a team player and work cooperatively with success

  • Activates listening skills

Strengthen Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence through These 5 Actions:

1. Label your child’s emotions, give feelings a name. Acknowledging emotions by using simple language, “I see you are feeling (insert emotion),” provides validation and gives your child the affirmation that you are listening and understanding them at the moment.

2. Do simple breathing exercises to promote emotional self-regulation.

3. Be an active listener, especially if your child is harboring views that are different from yours. Ask questions to gain an understanding of why they may think a certain way and refrain from judgment.

4. Write it down or draw a picture. Sometimes when your child is experiencing a big emotion, the feeling gets trapped and swirls around their head and builds up to grow into something bigger than it may be in reality. Verbalising, writing, or drawing is a release valve.

5. Give your child a task with a goal (finishing a puzzle, getting dressed alone, putting on their shoes, etc.) this gives a sense of ownership over self-motivation. Encourage your child to follow through despite the outcome.

Research shows high levels of emotional intelligence are directly linked to academic achievement, better relationships, greater success for adulthood, and improved mental health. The most exciting thing about Emotional Intelligence is that it can be taught and learned. Nurturing your child’s Emotional Intelligence will give them a strong foundation in which to flourish.

RELATED:
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Hi! I am an author, founder and educator. I have a Bachelor of Media Communications, Bachelor of Elementary Education Degrees as well as an Early Childhood Montessori Certification and in the process of completing a Master of Education. I live between New York and Byron Bay. I'm the mama of Grace, Theodore and Little Dude! 

LEGO bricks are easily some of the best creative toys for kids of all ages, but they can be a pricey investment for those living on a tight budget. But thanks to an awesome initiative, LEGO Replay, all kids can get a chance to develop those important STEM skills, and not to mention enjoy hours of creative play with LEGO.

LEGO introduced a new give-back program called LEGO Replay back in Oct. 2019, which allows families to box up LEGO bricks they no longer want and send them to kids in need for free. The program has continued to run and give your LEGO bricks new life.

LEGO

All you have to do is visit www.lego.com/replay to print out a free UPS shipping label and ship it off for donation. Currently, the program only accepts: LEGO® System, DUPLO® and Technic™ Bricks and Elements from single or multiple sets, LEGO® Minifigures and Mini-dolls (no need to disassemble) and LEGO® Baseplates.

“We know people don’t throw away their LEGO bricks,” said Tim Brooks, Vice President, Environmental Responsibility at the LEGO Group. “The vast majority hand them down to their children or grandchildren. But others have asked us for a safe way to dispose of or to donate their bricks. With Replay, they have an easy option that’s both sustainable and socially impactful.”

LEGO

The bricks will be given to kids in need and distributed to Teach for America (nationwide) and Boys and Girls Club of Boston and Teach for America and currently, the program has received over 597,000 pounds!

“Learning through play can have a tremendous impact on a child’s cognitive development. Through play, children develop fine motor skills, think creatively, and can learn how to problem solve throughteamwork,” said Susan Asiyanbi, Teach For America’s chief operating and program officer. “But not everyone has access to such resources. LEGO Replay, and the instructional resources they provide educators, will help give more students access to this opportunity.”

—Shahrzad Warkentin& Karly Wood

All photos: Courtesy of LEGO

 

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If you’re new to the world of finding someone to watch your baby, read and bookmark these interview questions to ask a babysitter. From their experience and certifications to availability and flexibility, these nanny or babysitter interview questions will give you a better picture of whether this is the right babysitter for you. You’ll also find helpful tips on how to conduct a babysitter interview.

Personal Questions

iStock

These interview questions will help you learn more about the babysitter's personality and whether they meet your basic requirements.

1. How would you describe yourself?

2. What do you like to do in your free time?

3. Did you grow up around younger kids (siblings, cousins, neighbors)?

4. What is your availability? Do you have time constraints that would prevent you from staying later if necessary?

5. Do you have reliable transportation? What kind?

6. Do you smoke?

7. Would you be comfortable taking a drug test?

8. How much do you charge?

Experience Questions

PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay

These questions can help you determine whether this babysitter has the necessary experience.

9. Describe your babysitting experience. How long were you with each family? What ages were the children?

10. What are your favorite and least favorite parts about babysitting?

11. How comfortable are you with changing diapers?

12. What are your methods for putting a baby down to sleep?

13. What was your scariest/most challenging babysitting situation? How did you respond?

14. Do you check on babies while they sleep? Why or why not? If you do, how often?

15. Do you have first aid and CPR training? If so, when were you certified? If not, would you be willing to get it?

16. Do you have references I can contact?

Scenario Questions

PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay

These interview questions will give you an understanding of how well prepared this babysitter is to care for your child.

17. The baby starts choking; what do you do?

18. You are getting ready to give the baby a bath when you smell smoke; what is the first thing you do?

19. You and the baby have been playing when you notice that she starts rubbing her eyes and crying. What do you think that means, and how do you respond?

20. The baby just had a blowout in his diaper. Explain how you handle it.

Interview Tips

1. Call the references your babysitter gives you.

Ask them questions like:

  • How well do you know the sitter?
  • Has he/she worked for you specifically as a babysitter? If not, what was his/her role?
  • Is he/she punctual?
  • Is he/she dependable?
  • How did he/she handle a difficult situation while caring for your child?
  • Would you hire him/her again?
  • What three words would you use to describe him/her?

2. Check out the person on social media.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and other social media sites are great ways to find out if the persona your babysitter is portraying to you is the one they portray to everyone else. Google is also a handy tool to find out the inside scoop on your prospective babysitter.

3. Discuss your expectations.
Do you expect your babysitter to perform household tasks (folding laundry, doing dishes and taking care of light housework) while working for you? Do you have a strict eat & sleep schedule you want the sitter to follow? If so, communicate that during your interview. Having crystal-clear expectations will help you both as you gauge whether this is a match.

4. Request a trial run while you're home. 
Schedule a time for the babysitter to watch your baby while you're home. You can evaluate how the babysitter interacts with your baby, if they use common sense, how their diaper-changing and feeding skills are and their general demeanor and confidence with babies. It will also help you determine if your baby responds well to the sitter.

Sarah Blight

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In this day and age, many parents resort to technology in order to keep their kids entertained and occupied, completely forgetting the benefits of arts and crafts. True, technology is very useful, and kids should be introduced to it, but it should never come at the expense of them playing and making things with their own hands. There are many benefits of arts and crafts that go beyond simply allowing your kids to express themselves in a more creative way, and here are some of them.

It improves their coordination and fine motor skills.

Arts and crafts usually require kids to use both hands in a certain manner, which can help them develop fine motor skills and bilateral coordination. For example, drawing dots and lines, cutting with scissors, and even simply tearing a piece of paper are all quite demanding tasks in terms of dexterity – and kids enjoy doing them. This can help them develop faster and become more skilled in other daily activities such as tying their shoes, dressing, using kitchenware, etc.

It helps them express themselves.

Kids tend to be very visual about everything that happens around them, and they generally absorb a lot of information every day. However, there will always be kids who are naturally shyer and not that comfortable with expressing themselves in words. Those kids may look for different, more visual ways to express their emotions and thoughts – and arts and crafts can give them what they need. It is a safe environment that they can control and shape in any way they want by using any materials they like. This is why parents might get a better insight into how their child is feeling or what they are thinking by encouraging them to participate in arts and crafts activities.

It makes them more creative and productive.

There are no limits to children’s imagination, and arts and crafts are a great way for them to turn that endless imagination into something more productive. There are many materials, colors, shapes, and activities they can choose, which allows children to explore different options and pick those that they find the most enjoyable. And who knows, they might even discover a fun hobby, like drawing, that can later become a lucrative career, like graphic design.

It helps them develop other skills.

Young kids usually begin using pens by scribbling random things. However, the thing is, the more they scribble, the better they will be at controlling the pen and their movements across the paper. So, as they learn to control their own movements, they will also learn how to create different shapes, which will eventually lead to creating letters. In other words, the more they scribble, the faster they’ll master everything they need in order to write clearly. Also, you can encourage scribbling by giving them colorful gel pens—scribbling with such fun pens will make them want to do it all the time!

It inspires them to think critically.

Art comes with endless possibilities and choices—will their house have a red roof or black? Will they draw a dog or a cat? How will they draw the clouds and the birds? All these choices inspire kids to think critically, decide, and evaluate their own decisions so they can repeat them or change them the next time. This way, they will become more comfortable with thinking about different possibilities and more confident about making their choices. Plus, it will also make them more likely to try different combinations and come up with their own ideas, which is an extremely useful skill at all ages.

It helps them socialize.

Arts and crafts create a common ground for all the kids who may have different interests or simply haven’t met yet, because most of them will love creating things with their hands—and see what other kids have created. When it comes to creativity, it doesn’t matter how old they are or what race they are – the only thing that matters is what they can make. And since children are naturally curious, they will gladly approach another child if they like what that kid has drawn, built with Lego blocks, or colored.

There are many benefits of arts and crafts for kids, from helping them socialize and express themselves to helping them develop other skills and think more critically. So, if you want your child to have fun and experience all these benefits, encourage them to take part in such activities – they are both fun and useful, and your kid will definitely enjoy exploring their own imagination.

Featured Photo Courtesy: Raw Pixel via Unsplash
6 Fantastic Benefits of Arts and Crafts for Kids
Olivia Williams Jones
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Olivia is psychologist and entrepreneur from Brisbane and a mother of two beautiful children. She is a passionate writer, traveler and conscious consumer, seeking healthy and sustainable products to incorporate into the lives of her family. Her motto is “Be the change you want to see in the world." 

We are seven months into the pandemic and caregivers continue to be impacted by the increasing challenges of juggling work and family commitments. Recent labor statistics show that nearly 80% of the 1.1 million workers who dropped out of the workforce in September were women, and that number may continue to grow. A new study by Fidelity Investments finds that nearly 4-in-10 working women (39%) are actively considering leaving the workforce or reducing their hours due to increased remote schooling and caregiving responsibilities.

Woman working on laptop

“As more women and caregivers nationwide find themselves contemplating stepping away from their career or reducing hours at work, Fidelity is here to support them,” said Kathleen Murphy, president of personal investing at Fidelity Investments. “From providing financial planning support in the workplace, to working with women one-on-one to evaluate options to keep savings goals on track, to helping Fidelity’s own associates navigate these work and family challenges, we’re here to help.”

The study also found an increase in financial engagement among women since the onset of the pandemic. While women were already building good planning and savings habits, many have amped up those efforts in the last six months. 

Fidelity is collaborating with thousands of companies across the country to roll out Women Talk Money, a new program to help more women get financially engaged and connect with the guidance they need to address these pressing work and life decisions.

Fidelity_WomenSteppingOut_Infographic
Photo courtesy of Fidelity Investments

“Women and caregivers are being challenged like never before and are looking to become more informed and better prepared as they make financial choices for today and the future,” said Lorna Kapusta, head of women investors at Fidelity. “Women Talk Money delves into why women need to think differently about financial planning, how life choices may affect the growth of savings and future financial security, and how to create a financial road map to help reach individual goals and accommodate expected and unexpected detours along the way.”

The program’s flagship six-part video series provides an overview of the key factors that affect women differently and can have a significant impact on their financial futures. Each 10-minute segment is reinforced with a ‘What You Need to Know’ Resource Guide with key takeaways and actionable next steps to apply to personal planning.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

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Photo: Nathan Glenn

We traveled quite a bit before we had kids and now three kids later we haven’t really slowed down much. We just took my oldest daughter at age 8 to her 18th state and our five-year-old to her 17th. My husband and I are only on #25 and #23 so we’re not too far ahead of them. I always say my goal is to hit the main 48 states with them before they grow up. I can already see the love for travel and meet different people and see and trying different things taking shape in my daughters. I tell them after traveling the country in their childhood years they’ll be more than ready for the adventure of traveling the world as young adults.

I will often hear people say how they’d love to take their children “there” or wish they had more time or more money. Or that when their kids are older they’ll go. Trust me, I get all the reasons to not go. Let me evaluate and validate some of those reasons for you.

1. It is hard to make the time. Between the kids’ school and activity schedules and work it can be hard to find a time when everyone’s schedule is free. Even on a teacher’s schedule I occasionally think how it’d be nice to spend a week at home rather than on the road and out of a suitcase.

2. I totally get the money reason. I’m sure some that listen to me complain about money with the grocery budget or hear me starting to freak out that we’re getting into our August living savings (as teachers we have no pay for two months) wonder how I afford all this traveling. Everything is budgeted in my life. My husband sometimes hates this  but all tha travel expense is a top priority in that budget. Some people like to shop a lot, or get manis and pedis, or have their girls nights at the bar, but my money necessity is this. The travel budget gets saved and not touched. I’ll forego the kids’ college savings deposit for the month or cut corners on our grocery budget but the travel budget never gets cut or borrowed from. Everyone has their priorities; this has just always been mine. If you’re worried you’ll overspend your budget you probably will! That’s not what you’ll remember years later down the road though.

3. You’re worried the kids will be off their schedule? Totally! Will they be a hot mess in some moments? Oh my God yes!

4. Do you dread the work of preparing for a trip with kids. Oh, yeah it’s  work. The packing for a family is just ridiculous. The kids think they have to bring every damn lovie they own. They all need their own suitcase. Then when you stop for just one night it looks and feels like you’re moving in, and the thought of just sleeping in the car passes your mind.

5. Are there going to be annoyances of all of you spending so much time together in such close quarters? You will now know how long it takes for everyone to poop. And when you each poop at the same time of the day and there’s only  one bathroom just plan on being late.

6. Are you worried your car will be trashed like never before? Oh, yeah, it will without a doubt so as much as you want to get that newer, bigger reliable car for the next family vacation kiss it’s shiny newness and new car spell good bye. It will now smell like old spoiled milk, stale French fries, forgotten diapers, and maybe BO depending if you started skipping showers or not because the wait for the bathroom is just too long.

7. Are you thinking you couldn’t handle that much time packed in a small space with your fussy baby or fighting children. You’ll contemplate strangling them or leaving them on the side of the road with a “free to a good home” sign a few times but you’ll find you have amazing strength because somehow you’ll resist.

So I totally get all the reasons to not go, to just stay home. But if you really want to go quit waiting, just pack everyone up and just go. Take the days off, use your long anticipated long weekend, take the kids out of school, skip a game, and just go!

You’ll get more money later, but not this time with your children. Your kids will gain experiences they can’t in their norm. They will learn flexibility and tolerance. They will discover different parts of the world and history. They’ll gain geographical knowledge and cultural awareness. They’ll question the new things and adventures around them as they discover new places. And don’t forget to bring Siri along. She’ll know all the answers to their questions about history and places when you don’t. They will laugh and smile and you will stare in awe again at their childlike wonder.

When your children are sleeping peacefully in the backseat or when they’re not fighting and you all decide to turn the music up and just jam down the road you will rediscover yourself again in the journey.  Your worries and stress will drift out those open windows and scatter to the wind. Your hope and happiness will be reborn again with the beautiful scenery and the moments of joy with your family. The hours of music and self-reflection as you drift down the highway will reignite your purpose and dreams again.

Life is short; our kids’ childhoods are short. Traveling isn’t for everybody, and I get that. But even if it’s just one little trip you always wanted to take just go. Tell those difficult reasons of why you shouldn’t go now to take a hike and start planning that trip to wherever your heart has desired to go. Even though you may want to kill me for talking you into this at one point you’ll also have moments you’ll want to thank me. Happy travel season, my friends!

I am a teacher, wife, and mom to two daughters and a son. You can find more of my writing in Chicken Soup for the Soul's Multitasking Mom's Survival Guide and Curvy and Confident, on my blog Stepping into Motherhood, or in my book Moms, Monsters, Media, and Margaritas.

From medical costs to the safest car seats, parents-to-be make dozens of decisions about their family’s future every day. But when it comes to giving birth, what state is the best for new parents? WalletHub recently released their findings that compared 32 key measures, from cost to healthcare accessibility to baby- and family-friendliness. Read on for the findings and to see where your state falls on the list.

Photo: Jason Sung via Unsplash

WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia to evaluate four key components: 1. Cost, 2. Healthcare, 3. Baby-friendliness and 4. Family-friendliness. They broke it down further by evaluating each category using 32 relevant metrics like average insurance premiums, cost of newborn screening, quality of women’s hospitals, parental-leave policy score, and childcare centers per capita (check out all metrics here). Below are their findings:

Best States to Have a Baby:

1. Massachusetts

2. Minnesota

3. Vermont

4. North Dakota

5. Rhode Island

 

Worst States to Have a Baby:

1. Alabama

2. South Carolina

3. Mississippi

4. Louisiana

5. Georgia

 

Direct from WalletHub, here are some more interesting findings:

Mississippi has the lowest average annual cost for early child care, $4,060, which is 3.9 times lower than in the District of Columbia, the highest at $15,860.

Alaska has the lowest share of childbirths with low birth weight, 5.85 percent, which is 2.1 times lower than in Mississippi, the highest at 12.12 percent.

The District of Columbia has the most obstetricians and gynecologists (per 100,000 residents), 26, which is 13 times more than in Louisiana, the fewest at 2.

Massachusetts has the highest parental leave policy score, 160, while 9 states, such as Alabama, Michigan and South Dakota, tie for the lowest at 0.

 

—Erin Lem

 

 

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We frequently talk with our kids about making good choices. Evaluate the pros and cons, and make the good choice. But what if there isn’t one? What if all the choices just suck? Welcome to pandemic parenting.

Right now, it’s schools. I could send my kids to school for the sake of their mental health. I could keep them home to do virtual school for the sake of their physical health. If I send them to school, I get to have my job. I get my alone time back and my mental health. If I keep them home, we can still see our grandparents. I can reduce their exposure and, therefore, my anxiety. If I send them to school, we get to keep our community and whatever is left of the school activities we love. If they stay home, we are minimizing the effect on our family when schools are inevitably closed for weeks due to an exposure.

There is no good choice.

But it feels like this plays out in everything I do. My mind is flooded with options, and at the end of the list, there is no winner.

If I get a babysitter for a few hours, I can catch up on what is left of my job. If I get a babysitter, I can’t guarantee she isn’t exposing our family.

There is no good choice.

If I make the trip to Costco, I am adding another possible point of exposure. If I order Costco through Instacart, I am paying so much more for the same items.

There is no good choice.

If I let him go to the class birthday party, I am adding more risk of exposure. If I don’t let him go to the party, he misses out on quality time with new friends yet again.

There is no good choice.

If we take a planned beach vacation with safety precautions including masks and extreme distancing, we get to make memories during a season of endless disappointments. But then we have to quarantine for 14 days when we return and stay isolated from our friends.

There is no good choice.

If I keep all of our regular dentist, doctor, and therapy appointments, we are keeping up on important aspects of our health. But, we’re also adding more points of exposure.

There is no good choice.

If we play at the park, we get some much needed play time outside of our house. If we play at the playground and some kid gets too close, is it worth the risk?

There is no good choice.

COVID-19 has stripped me of my confidence as a parent. I question every decision, every potential risk and then sit with the guilt of the choice I made, wondering if the next 14 days will make me regret it. We are being asked to be socially responsible and community-focused, while still protecting our own kids’ physical and mental health. And don’t forget about your marriage. Oh, and take care of yourself, too.

All choices come with benefits and risks. But during pandemic parenting, the risks could mean a breakdown in mental health, serious financial consequences, or exposure to a virus that has killed more than half a million people worldwide.

We’re told to make the best decision for our family.

But what if there is no good choice?

 

This post originally appeared on Kansas City Mom Collective.

Sarah is a mama to three, Enneagram 1 and owner of Kansas City Mom Collective. She frequently finds herself in charge of things she doesn't remember signing up for like the school auction, Cub Scout leader, camp volunteer and neighborhood party coordinator. She loves running, sweet tea and traveling.

Photo: iStock

With all the recent protests, this raises many questions for our children and it’s some uncharted territory for parents to explain. Children are aware of ways we differ, but they aren’t born identifying people with a particular race. Children begin to notice racial differences between the ages of three and five. An innocent curiosity that isn’t yet linked to any positive or negative qualities about different groups of people. What starts to shift is that positive and negative qualities do come into the picture through their parents, significant others and media. Parents should be very careful about passing on their own biases and prejudices before kids even understand the concept of racism.

As parents, we may not have all the answers. But we we should also be ready to answer questions. With the protests and riots happening today. imagine you’re a 5-year-old noticing this on the news, you look worried and upset and no one is telling you why. Imagine how scary and worried you would be.

Tips


1. Be open and honest.
Some people get treated unfairly based on their skin color, culture or religion. By doing this, we help prepare them to challenge these issues when they arise.

2. Model it.Talking to your child about the importance of embracing differences and treating others with respect is essential, but it’s not enough. Acknowledge difference and emphasize the positive aspects of our differences. Encourage your child to talk about what makes them different, and discuss ways that may have helped or hurt them at times. Similarities become more powerful. Remember silence indicates acceptance

3. Do something. Take a stand when you witness injustice. This is the time to help our children grow into adults who value and honor diversity.

4. For teens—keep talking. Use current issues from the news, as a springboard for discussion. Ask your teen what they think about the issues. Discuss the importance of valuing differences is essential, but modeling this message is even more vital. Evaluate your own circle of friends or the beliefs you hold about certain groups of people.

5. Encourage activism. Promote ways for your family  to get involved in causes you care about.

6. Explain what protest means if developmentally appropriate for you child. Seven years and older is my recommendation. Everyone has a right to their own opinion and to voice it in America, but you also have to respect others’ opinions. A typical goals of non aggressive protest is to inspire positive social change and protection of human rights. Sometimes, people make poor choices and react with aggression because of the feelings they have. It is ok to protest in a friendly way.

photo: Reena Patel 

Reena B. Patel (LEP, BCBA) is a renowned parenting expert, guidance counselor, licensed educational psychologist, and board-certified behavior analyst. Patel has had the privilege of working with families and children, supporting all aspects of education and positive wellness; recently nominated for San Diego Magazine’s Woman of the Year

 

In October 2005, my middle son was born. In 2018, he graduated from college.

Today, I’m trying to figure out how time works.

Eons ago I had three kids in three and a half years. Life was abuzz. Now I have two college graduates and kid number three will walk across the college stage next May. Life is profoundly quiet.

But at one point my life was full of noise and chaos. I didn’t know which end was up.

As moms, ensuring the health, safety and well-being of our children is only one enormous responsibility we have in life. Other roles may include wife, volunteer, career person, caregiver, confidant, ministry leader, coach, etc. When so many moving parts vie for our attention, the load can be overwhelming. At any given moment, one or more of these areas can break down and leave us reeling.

If we don’t tend to the damage when the mishaps occur, before long our life as a whole can get out of hand. I’ve been there. When my house was full of littles, my husband traveled for work. Over time, my exhaustion turned to resentment, which gave birth to marital strife, which resulted in sleepless nights. During the teen years, the battles over independence left me frazzled, which morphed into eating stress for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which brewed up ulcers in my belly.

What I came to learn the hard way is the value and importance of slowing down. To pause long enough to take a step back and evaluate what’s going on. Sometimes this looks like getting away for a day by yourself, meeting up with supportive friends or making the time to attend a weekend spiritual retreat.

I don’t know whether you are in the throes of littles, the sweetness of the elementary years, the drama and heartache of middle school, the push and pull of teenager land or staring into the abyss of an empty nest. What I do know is these seasons fly by. Which is why with every passing year I’m reminded that right NOW is all that matters. This moment.

Regardless of the stage of motherhood we are in, the only way to bend time in our favor is to immerse ourselves in the present. In the messes, joys, trials, celebrations, painful moments and idyllic experiences.

To experience any of these scenarios means we are still here. Alive and breathing. Blessed.

Every second counts when time races by at the speed of light.

Although life sneaks up on us, LOVE is a constant.

God guarantees us this gift. It’s ours for the giving and receiving. Right now. In this moment.

This post originally appeared on Today Parents.

A self-described “sappy soul whisperer/sarcasm aficionado,” Shelby is a wife of 27 years & mom of three millennials. She co-authored How Are You Feeling, Momma? (You don't need to say, "I'm fine.") Her stories are in print at Guideposts, online at sites like Her View From Home and Parenting Teens & Tweens, and at shelbyspear.com. Get 3 FREE chapters of Shelby's book