In this closing post of my parenting series, I want to reiterate again that these opinions and perspectives spring from my specific experiences and goals. They are not intended as the be all end all in parenting, nor to imply that Mennonite parenting is better than other parenting. As parents, we all do the best we can with the knowledge and circumstances given us. My dad used to say that his most important child-raising tool was dependence on God, and I think at the end of the day, that’s the best place for a clueless, can-you-believe-I-have-this-thing-and-how-on-earth-am-I-going-to-parent-her parent to be.

Recently Annalise’s pediatrician said something interesting about boundaries. We were talking about the increased number of autism cases, and he said he believes in many cases children diagnosed as “autistic” are actually just children who haven’t learned boundaries. Don’t get me wrong–he confirmed he sees many cases of legitimate autism as well. But a school gets more government aid for an autistic child than for a child acting out, he said. And from his observation, rather than being autistic, some children haven’t been given boundaries at home and so haven’t developed the ability to control themselves in social situations.

I have been accustomed to thinking about “discipline” in conjunction with raising a child, not so much about boundaries, although the two words could in some ways coincide.

In conservative Mennonites culture, discipline for children is considered important. A well-disciplined child should obey a parent or authority figure right away when given a command, know how to sit quiet in church, and not throw a fit when something doesn’t go her way. Like my peers, I consider disciplining my child an important part of her development, so she won’t grow up “spoiled” or self-willed. And I have discovered in myself (I suspect also like many of my peers) the not-so-good tendency to worry more about how Annalise’s behavior will make me look than to worry about effects of the behavior on the child herself. I have considered over and over again the proper use of discipline, how much is too much, how much is too little. But before my conversation with the doctor, I never thought of discipline in conjunction with boundaries.

For me, discipline has gathered a semi-negative connotation. Discipline means punishing a child who does something wrong or inappropriate, in the interest of teaching them habits of morality and self-control. Boundaries, though. Thinking of child training not just as discipline, but as teaching a child boundaries, makes so much sense. Boundaries may at times be taught through punishment, but they are more often taught through modeling respect and small consistent behaviors every day.

For example, when Annalise and I pick up her toys at bedtime (and lest you think she’s a paragon, at this point I’m still doing most of the work), this is teaching a boundary. Toys belong in the toybox. When she throws food from her highchair and we tell her “No,” and show her where to put the discarded food in the pocket of her bib, this is teaching a boundary through positive reinforcement (so much more effective, we’ve discovered, than just saying “No” and snapping her fingers). These things are baby-sized boundaries, but as she gets older, she will need to learn other boundaries: not using unkind words toward another human being, not taking what does not belong to her, not intruding into someone’s personal space.

One way that Ivan and I are trying to help Annalise understand boundaries is by allowing her the power of choice rather than snatching “no-no’s” away from her. We only use one child lock on one kitchen cupboard that stores cleaning supplies. For the rest of the child level cupboards, I keep an eye on things and tell her “No” if she gets into something she shouldn’t. I expect her to listen and punish her if she doesn’t (and yes, obedience is also a work in progress).

Along with that, I try to create boundaries only for things that really matter. For example, I let her pull books off the shelf because I can easily help her pick them up again later. But I don’t let her empty the cupboard of my kettles or my good glass dishes, both because she might hurt herself and because it makes a lot of clean-up work for mom later. I want her to understand boundaries, but I also want her to feel like this is her world and her house, with plenty of room to explore.

Another word for boundaries might be respect. Respect for other people. Respect for creation. Respect for oneself.

I remember attending a college creative writing class when I was in my early twenties and realizing the value of the boundaries that were a part of my life and my culture. Some of the boundaries, like wearing cape dresses or wearing dark hose to church, may have seemed nonessential or even silly. But my dad had taught me those boundaries were important in order to respect the feelings and preferences of other people in my church group. The reasons for other boundaries, like not reading books or watching movies high in graphic violence or sex, seemed fairly self-evident for a Christian. Whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, the apostle Paul writes, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think about these things.

In my creative writing class–out in a world where, to my sheltered eyes, there seemed few boundaries about what people could say, do, or write about–I saw so much sadness and loss of innocence it shocked me. I realized for the first time how my boundaries had protected me, how they had preserved within me a space for joy, innocence, and wonder.

We may know we should set boundaries for children, but along with that, I think we should also consider setting boundaries for ourselves. Yes, maybe we are old enough to know there’s terrible violence in the world, but that doesn’t mean we should take the liberty of watching graphic violence on television or in movies. There may be a time and place to watch such things, but not as an everyday diet. Our spirits, like our children’s, can be hardened, deadened, or made afraid. I believe we will be healthier and happier as persons and as parents if we set boundaries on what we allow into our own lives as well as our children’s.

Your turn! What are your tips, insights and experiences regarding boundaries?

This is the end of my series on how my Plain Mennonite background impacts my parenting. Flip back through the series to read posts on children as normal, self-reliance, and family togetherness.

P.S. I want to do a special 3-day Christmas sale on all my books, so check back tomorrow if you’re interested in hearing about that.

The post My Plain Mennonite Heritage and Boundaries appeared first on Lucinda J Kinsinger.

I couldn’t say this better than one mommy from my church mommy group: “I think it’s a rich blessing to be a part of a social group where children are both treasured and a normal, expected part of events.” She gave the example of taking her children along to sewing circle and having the older ladies welcome them and accept the extra noise and encourage her as a mother. “I think it’s evidence that we Anabaptists see it as a cycle of life; there will always be children around, you have your turn receiving support, then after a while you turn around and support others.”

I have also begun to notice how integral children are to Anabaptist culture and institutions since having a child of my own. This summer, when I attended the Writers and Artists Conference put on by Christian Light Publications, a conservative Mennonite organization, I saw quite a few couples there together with their children. Perhaps the wife had come to support the husband or the husband to support the wife. I asked about a room where I could care for Annalise and was pointed to a room off the reception area with several chairs and doors that stayed closed for privacy. Nothing fancy, but it worked. I met other writer moms who had come with their babies, and we chatted while we breastfed. Our babies added complications to our conference experience, but they were normal, and we were normal.

This summer I also attended the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association conference, which I blogged about in an earlier post. When I asked ahead of time about bringing Annalise along, sweet Linda, the conference organizer, did not discourage me. Annalise was still breastfed at that point, so I didn’t want to leave her behind, but I knew from past experience at other writers’ conferences that babies were just not done, and I might find it hard to find a private space for napping and breastfeeding. In the end, Ivan came along and hung out in Louisville with Annalise while I attended the conference. This conference was different than other non-Anabaptist writing conferences I have attended because it was intended for women writers only. However, in many other aspects it was the same. Held in a downtown, high-end motel where meals and beds felt cost prohibitive. Breakable dinnerware, gourmet meals, dressy casual attire except for the banquets, when sparkle and sleek dresses appeared. Spouses rare and children nonexistent.

I felt myself unfairly annoyed at the differing culture. WHY shouldn’t children be normal at a conference? WHY must everything be so fancy and expensive? WHY couldn’t it be made easier for a “common” (as my dad would say) person like myself to attend? WHY should there be what seemed to me an unnecessary number of layers between a profession and a family?

In the Anabaptist world, provision is almost always made for children. It’s normal for babies to cry in church. It’s normal for mothers to gather in the nursery around breastfeeding babies. It’s normal for young children to play and make noise at sewing circle while old grandmas quilt, middle-aged moms prepare food, and teenage girls knot comforters. Mixing gifts and expertise among the different seasons of life is normal and valued.

Interestingly, I have learned since Ivan got into the storage shed building business, that a huge percentage of storage shed builders, haulers, and suppliers are conservative Anabaptist. When Ivan and I go to the Shed Expo convention, I would guestimate the proportion of Ans to Nons as maybe half and half. And wherever Anabaptists go, there go children. Couples stroll the display booths together with children in strollers or walking beside them. A “family room” is provided where moms can nurse and nap their babies, and little ones can play.

This makes sense to me. I don’t understand a world where everything is separated, where old grandmas meet at bridge clubs (or whatever it is old grandmas do nowadays), mommies plan play dates, teens rock to music in locked bedrooms, and children grow up grouped with other children exactly their age.

I remember at the CLP writer’s conference, when Annalise was stirring up a fuss during a workshop, the bonneted ladies on either side of me pulled pencils and things from their purses and engaged in the business of helping to entertain. I loved the relaxed, comfortable way they went about it, as though they loved children, as though they knew exactly how the embarrassed and uneasy mother must feel, as though providing childcare for a restless baby is a perfectly normal part of sitting through a workshop.

Don’t get me wrong. I think non-bonneted ladies might well have done the same thing. Non-Anabaptists love children as much as anyone. But it does feel relaxing to raise a child in a setting where children are considered a normal, everyday part of institutions and culture.

Another benefit I see to the normalcy of children in Plain Anabaptist culture is that while children are valued and loved, children are not the only one. Many children grow up in big families, and even an only child is usually surrounded by cousins within their extended families and various ages of playmates at church. I think this is healthy, because all attention is not fixed on any one child. Any child can see, “Now that toddler is getting all sorts of giggles and attention, and now that one is. It’s not because they’re extra special; it’s because all children are special.” So a child can grow up in an atmosphere of being valued without being a prima donna.

I hope and pray the Lord will give Ivan and I more children, both because I love children and because I think it’s healthy for a child to have siblings. If he does not, I will still try to give Annalise opportunities to interact with other children of varying ages and to feel surrounded by community. And I guess that’s my parenting tip for today. Whatever our background or setting, we can deliberately befriend, mix with, and learn from a variety of age groups. Both we and our children will be richer for it.

Your turn! How normal are children in your setting? How easily have you been able to integrate them into a shared community? And what tips and insights do you have for the rest of us?

This post joins a series that started here.

Check back tomorrow to hear my thoughts on boundaries.

The post My Plain Mennonite Heritage and Children as Normal appeared first on Lucinda J Kinsinger.

While togetherness is the thing that first comes to mind when I think of what I want to give my child, I think for Ivan it may be independence. At least I know he’s commented more than once that he wants Annalise to learn to think and do for herself.

When Ivan and I talk about teaching Annalise independence, we don’t mean handing her a mentality that says, “Me first. I need to be myself and do what I like, so make room for me.” We are talking about a sturdy mentality that is able to meet the issues of life with clear-thinking and self-reliance. We are talking about her being willing to try new things and to work hard for the things she wants to achieve. We are talking about her thinking for herself rather than just accepting the status quo.

Maybe it’s odd to talk about self-reliance as a conservative Mennonite value, since we are known for valuing unity and community. And it may be that an ability to think outside the box is an Ivan-and-Luci value more than a Plain-person value. But I think there is a sense where self-reliance is embedded into Plain culture. Plain people value their ability to care for themselves in community, whether that’s growing their own gardens or caring for their elderly. They tend to be suspicious of government meddling and the more traditional or conservative of the Plain people refuse to accept government aid.

I remember saying to one mom at Mountain View Mennonite Church, where Ivan and Annalise and I attend, that it scared me when Annalise tried to open and close a drawer because she could so easily pinch her fingers. And that mom said she knew how I felt, but she tried to save her worry for the things where the child could be seriously hurt and allow the child to find out on their own that a drawer could pinch their fingers.

This is HARD for a mama to do! But I do think it’s good advice. While I have never deliberately allowed Annalise to hurt herself and have prevented it when able, I HAVE deliberately allowed her to play in situations that were not without their hazards. By opening and closing drawers, she has discovered on her own that fingers can get pinched and knows how to hold her fingers at the right angle to prevent that. She has had many minor falls—off low chairs and couches, off the golf cart and–when she races ahead of me toward the house at top speed–onto our blacktop driveway. I have deliberately refrained from guarding her every move unless she is in a situation where she could seriously be hurt, like near fire or our long cement staircase. Annalise has had many bumps and tears, but she is also learning to take care of herself, and I think that is valuable for both of us. For her, it leads to a lifetime of self-reliance, for me an easier job as a mother because while she is learning to care for herself, I am learning to trust that she will.

Another way I attempt to build both her self-reliance and her sense of freedom is by keeping my “No’s” to a minimum and encouraging her to explore. I let her empty drawers to play, if it’s something that won’t be damaged, that won’t damage her, and that we can easily pick up afterward without needing to rewash. If I am ready to come inside and she wants to stay out, I let her play alone in a place where I can easily see her from the window. I don’t say anything when she is outside with her daddy and he lets her play with things I am skeptical of, and I smile when I see her trotting along behind him at a speedy pace while her mama might linger, encourage her onward, and hold her hand.

To foster her intellect, I read to her. Now, the sentences will linger in her brain and teach her rhythm and the flow of words. Later, they will teach her to think. As she grows older, I think that we will watch movies only occasionally. But we will read lots and lots of books.

YOUR TURN! How much do you value self-reliance? What are your tips and insights to foster it in a healthy way?

This post is part of a series, and you can read the introductory post here.

Check back tomorrow to hear my thoughts about children as normal in Plain Anabaptist culture.

The post My Plain Mennonite Heritage and Self Reliance appeared first on Lucinda J Kinsinger.

Often, from mainstream culture, I hear references to adolescents and teens who “hate” their parents or don’t want to be seen with them. Then I think of how it was in my family growing up. We experienced none of the antagonistic “You-have-your-life-I-have-mine” attitude that seems to be a sort of normal in contemporary parent-teen relationships. I wonder what the difference is, and the main difference I can think of is that from the time we were tiny, we did everything together as a family. There was no inhabiting separate universes because there was no separate universe.

As children, we went to elementary school, but there was no day care for the Miller toddlers, and there were no afterschool programs that scattered the family in different directions. After school, we came home and joined in the family work and play, just like any other day. In the evenings we read or played, or when we got older, watched movies together as a family. As we got older and got jobs of our own and then smart phones, our evenings diverged more. But I deeply treasure the earlier memories, when almost every evening was spent together.

For Ivan and me, togetherness looks different. My parents worked together on the farm all their married life, but we have very separate job interests. I spend much of my time writing. Ivan farms, hauls things, and manages a mini barn shop. He works from home some days, but more often away. In the evenings, he often works at his computer until past Annalise’s bedtime and, after spending my morning writing, I am often scrambling to finish up dishes or laundry until her 8:00 bedtime. I am still trying to figure out what together should look like for us.

One thing I have realized is that together can come in the small moments. We may not spend every evening actively doing something together, but we do eat almost every breakfast and every supper together. While Ivan works at his computer after supper, Annalise either plays beside him or sits in his lap or stands on a chair at the sink to “help” me wash the dishes. Now and then, I call out a remembered bit of something I wanted to tell Ivan. Sometimes in the mornings he calls me to come out and look at a sunrise, or in the evenings at a moon, and the few moments standing together on the lawn are precious. When leaves piled on the lawn this autumn, Ivan lay down in them with Annalise and buried her in them, and I went out and lay beside them.

So while our evenings don’t often look like the ideal I earlier pictured in my mind–of a family sitting around reading, relaxing, and playing together–we have created a feeling of comfortable togetherness nevertheless. And even though neither Ivan nor I have jobs that crouch within carefully constrained hours, I like that I can usually rearrange my work to ride with him when he does a site check, or that he can rearrange his schedule to come with me to a writing conference or babysit Annalise for a few hours while I meet an appointment.

We don’t plan to put Annalise in daycare. But unlike my mom, I do utilize babysitters at times…for chiropractor appointments or at times I need to focus to meet a writing deadline. But I have also learned to work with her schedule. She plays most happily in the morning, so I work on writing in the morning and save housework, which I can involve her in, for afternoon. In this way, I waylay feelings of frustration over never having focus time to write and I am still able to care for Annalise most of the time myself without the help of a babysitter. Parenting is a continual negotiation, and if the Lord gives us more children, I am sure that routine will continue to change.

Another thing I consciously do is make Annalise a part of my work routine. When I am cooking or baking in the kitchen, I often set her on the cupboard to watch and I let her lick the beaters when I’m done. When I am washing dishes, I stand her on a chair beside me and let her dip her hands or spoon in the dishwater and play with the bubbles. Sometimes I hand her dishes to put in the dish drainer for me. When I am folding laundry and she hands me a piece, I encourage her by telling her “Thank you!” and “Good job.” When I am combing my hair, she hands me hairpins. When I am putting eggs from our chickens into a carton, I hand her the eggs, one at a time, and she places them in the carton. Although I could do all these things just as easily or more easily myself, I am trying to make her a part of my life by working with her and am hopeful that in time she will become a genuine help.

I remember when I was a young person and wanted to talk to my mom, she always had time to sit down and talk, even if it was a very busy day and she was trying to get ready for company. I want to grow toward that level of love and maturity. Even though I have a long way to go, one choice I consciously make is whenever Annalise wants to sit on my lap when I am at my computer, I don’t turn her away or try to distract her with other things. I pick her up and hold her, even though it makes writing more difficult. Even if I only hold her for a short time and then offer her something to play with on the floor, I try to pick her up and hold her when she asks.

Another thing I want to grow in is taking time to enjoy and play with my child. I think Ivan is good at this. I’ve noticed that when he spends time with Annalise, he enjoys observing her, watching her tiny motions, her picking up and putting down. He’ll take videos of her, say, dumping imaginary lotion from a bottle and rubbing it into her hands, while I tend to think, “Oh, that’s cute,” and hurry on by. The other day I read that love is spelled T-I-M-E, along with the story of a father who chose to give his teenage son thirty minutes a day for his birthday. Thirty minutes soon changed to a couple of hours a day as they deeply enjoyed their time together, and when the son’s birthday rolled around next year and his mom asked him what he wanted, he said, “I have everything I could want” (Just Jesus Them, Stahl). The story inspired me to start deliberately taking time in the evenings to play with and enjoy Annalise before bedtime, rather than hurrying to get my work done so I can put her to bed and have the evening to myself.

Togetherness and time go hand in hand. Togetherness is something that doesn’t need to take a lot of extra time, because you incorporate the child into your day. On the other hand, time–like the times my mom set aside from her busy day to talk to me when I wanted to talk–is equally important because it says, “You are more important than my work and my routine.” Togetherness and time go hand in hand to create a strong base of love and security for a child. Togetherness and time make it possible for a child to reach their adolescent and teen years without hating their parents. They make it possible, later on, for parents and teenagers to share conversation, trust, and mutual understanding.

Your turn! What insights or tips do you have on family togetherness? What have you learned from your own experiences?

Check back tomorrow to hear my thoughts on self-reliance.

The post My Plain Mennonite Heritage and Family Togetherness appeared first on Lucinda J Kinsinger.

A couple of months ago, I received the following letter (edited slightly) from a blog reader. It was titled, “Would love to hear about parenting in the Plain Mennonite community” and reads in part:

I have overlapped significantly with the Plain Mennonite communities through farm work and church experiences back in Pennsylvania and sometimes wish my grandparents had remained part of that community. This feeling is especially strong as I see my friends and sisters become mothers, struggling to adapt to parenting, adopting instead the North American capitalistic (buying toys and gadgets and snacks, etc.)  and entertainment-centered (just watch the iPad and stop whining!) parenting style. In many instances this is also a lonely parenting style where kids have limited interactions with other people and the brunt of the pressure is on ‘mom’ to be all things to the child(ren) at once. 

I’m curious and interested to learn about your perspective and experiences with parenting/child rearing, especially since my husband and I hope to have kids soon and we are discerning how we want to raise our kids. My sense from interacting with Plain Mennonites is that children are not placed at the center of attention the way they tend to be in mainstream cultures. There’s not constant ‘Oh-ing’ and ‘Ah-ing’ at everything the child does, or constant “No, stop! Listen! Wait…do this. No, do that…” Instead, children are brought into a family ecosystem where they play a role and share responsibilities (from a young age), helping them feel secure and valued while also helping the family system to work (and relieving some of the work for the adults!) It also seems like children are also allowed to be children and spend a lot of time independently being children. Additionally, there seems to be a strong community culture in which older women mentor younger women, families come together to support one another, and the parents are not the only caretakers or adult role-models for the children. 

I am not saying that parenting is ‘easier’ for the Plain Mennonites, and I don’t think I’m romanticizing it — I realize that raising children in any corner of the world is a challenging endeavor. I’m simply looking to hear your stories on the topic and about the conscious choices you and Ivan are making about raising Annalise. How does your lifestyle and culture impact the way you choose to parent, and what are the challenges/joys of your parent journey?

Peace and Blessings,

Adrienne

Adrienne says a lot of things well, and to be honest, I’m not sure I can improve on her concise but astute observations. But the subject really intrigues me and gives body to some vague ideas that have been percolating in my brain since having a child of my own and moving with her between my Anabaptist world and the parts of my life that intersect other cultures, either professionally or personally.

I would like to explore Adrienne’s question in a series of blog posts. I wanted to expand this discussion to more people than just me, so in this first introductory post, I will share input gleaned from my church mommy group about how they feel their Plain Mennonite background has impacted their parenting. I want to hear from all of you readers as well! Whether you are Anabaptist or not, single or married, you can still speak to this question: what values were passed on to you from your parents and/or culture that you would like to change or emulate?

In my next four posts, I then want to get personal and talk about 4 topics that are especially potent for me:

• My Plain Mennonite Heritage and Family Togetherness
• My Plain Mennonite Heritage and Self Reliance
• My Plain Mennonite Heritage and Children as Normal
• My Plain Mennonite Heritage and Boundaries

As an upfront disclaimer, I am a new and often uncertain parent myself. I often feel inadequate (especially when I start comparing myself to the amazing and dedicated mommies around me). If anything I say sounds wise or wonderful, take it as a goal I’m working toward, not as something I have all figured out and taped up in a box.

In addition, conservative Mennonites don’t get everything right about parenting. Sometimes, as in all people groups, wrong or hurtful things happen in a home. Family relationships come in a huge variety, and all of us, no matter our home, have things to learn from other cultures and people groups about how to parent well. The purpose of these posts is not to pat Mennonites on the back. I know of many strong and loving families in other settings and backgrounds.

With that being said, I do treasure the strong home I grew up in and admire the strong family dynamics I see modeled in many homes around me. Plain Anabaptists place a high value on strong families, and that atmosphere shapes my own approach to parenting. I want to explore in these posts some things I deeply value when I think of raising my own children, values I believe spring from my own upbringing. I do this with a two-fold purpose:

1. So that all of us, Anabaptist or non-Anabaptist, can think about our own parenting values. What are we working toward and why?
2. So that all of us, Anabaptist or non-Anabaptist, can work to preserve or create a godly family culture. If I didn’t see a certain value modeled in the home I grew up in, or if I do not see it modeled around me, that doesn’t mean that value cannot become a part of my culture, a part of my family. An inheritance is so much more than dollars in a bank account.

When I asked my mommy group from church how they thought their conservative Anabaptist background has affected their parenting, here’s what they told me.

Mothers as homemakers: Homemaking for mothers is normal and expected. A mom doesn’t hold the double pressure of working outside the home plus keeping up with housework. One mom said, “I couldn’t handle needing to work outside the home all the time and keep up with the housework as well.”

Strong support network: “We have a strong network of support, if not from local family, from other mothers or older mothers in the church group. We also have peers who parent alongside us with the same goals/similar worldview.”

Simple lifestyle: Technology has not infiltrated conservative Anabaptist culture to as great a degree as mainstream culture. One mom said, “It’s not normal for our first grader to have devices; neither is it expected that our a 12-year-olds will have iPhones. Our simpler lifestyle by default teaches our children some values…stewardship, contentment, imagination.”

Family valued in culture: Most of us have grown up with good parent models around us. One mom said, “My deep desire for a close family and for my children to feel safe with me is what motivates me to respond patiently.” And another said, “It’s a rich blessing to be a part of a social group where children are both treasured and a normal, expected part of events.”

Stable marriages and teamwork: Because conservative Anabaptists have taken such a strong stand against divorce and remarriage, the divorce rate is very low. One mom said, “I hardly know couples that are separated. That isn’t to say that all marriages are healthy and thriving but overall having couples stay together brings a vast amount of stability.” And another mom said, “The father and mother are both involved in parenting. In his absence, she tries to uphold his preferences, but he also backs her up. The parents’ stable, healthy relationship gives children great security.”

Biblical values passed on: One mom said, “We experience a lot of stability from having generations before us following biblical principles, in a similar way that your days run more smoothly when you do more of your tasks by habit rather than thinking through everything…We can spend less time deciding WHAT to teach and put our energy into HOW to teach our children.”

And, on the negative side…

A tendency toward insularity and judginess: One mom said, “It seems like Mennonites can tend to be judgy.” She gave the example of a woman who felt uncomfortable visiting a conservative Mennonite church because the children stared at her pants and added, “We certainly need to teach our kids to follow biblical principles, but also to not judge those who choose to do things differently.” And another mom said she grew up not interacting much outside Mennonite culture and wanted to raise her own daughter differently. “I desire to raise her with a strong family culture, but then have her go and pass that blessing on and not keep it to herself.

Like I said, my purpose in sharing these is so all of us can think about the family culture we are creating. What choices can we make in our everyday moments that builds the kind of heritage we want to pass on to our children?

Your turn! What values did you grow up with that impact your parenting? What values are you consciously choosing now?

Check back tomorrow to hear my thoughts on family togetherness.

The post How my Plain Mennonite Heritage Impacts my Parenting appeared first on Lucinda J Kinsinger.