Month: December 2018

Dating Culture and the Taboo “No”

Dating Culture and the Taboo “No”

You know the drill.  You’ve just been asked out by someone that you don’t really know; and frankly, you’re not interested.  So, what do you say?  Dare you say, “no”? Disclaimer:  I realize that not everyone adheres to the trends that I’ll discuss in this 

Book of Mormon Challenge

Book of Mormon Challenge

By: Elizabeth Hansen For all the women who were able to watch, read, or hear about General Women’s Conference this past October, probably heard  President Nelson’s Book of Mormon challenge. He challenged all the women to read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover 

Parenting for All

Parenting for All

By: Elizabeth Hansen

Whether you are single, married and not ready for kids, don’t want children, struggling with infertility, or more, you can still be a parent—mother or father—in many ways.

There are many relationships we have in our lives where we can step into the role of a parent figure. Maybe you have nieces, nephews, young cousins, close friends with kids, a church position working with kids, and more. We have opportunities in these places and more to be a parent to others. A lot, if not everything, a parent does boils down to love. Because we love someone, we give them good advice. Because we love someone, we set appropriate boundaries. Because we love someone, we learn their fears, dreams, strengths, and weaknesses. Because we love someone, we check up on them. Because we love someone, . . .

We can do all the above and more for those who may not be our own flesh and blood, but that we love all the same. Kids need a lot of great role models, not just their mom and dad. Mom and dad cannot be with their kids 24/7. Kids go to school, sports events, church, clubs, Uncles Joe’s house for the week, etc. All it takes is a change of perspective to see that we can all be parents in various places. We just have to keep our actions rooted in love and treat these kids how we would our own children.

There are even ways to reach out to children in a less direct manner. If you don’t have a lot of natural interaction with kids, you can always volunteer to work with kids. There are many after school programs like the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Volunteer with Children, local day cares, day care for children with special needs, and more. We can be more than a babysitter in all of these capacities. We can make a difference and be a parent to those around us.

Of course, I am not saying that we need to be these children’s parents. They have parents. It’s not our place to argue or teach against their family values or something their parents have taught them. But, when they are in our temporary care, we can lead and guide them in the right ways and let them know they are loved.

Use Your Words!

Use Your Words!

“I’ll come play with you really soon!” Yeah, we’ve heard that one before. I’m currently studying the English language in one of my classes, and we discussed a property of language known as cultural transmission. This means you learn and define words as you hear 

Home Improvement – Interior Design Beginners Tips

Home Improvement – Interior Design Beginners Tips

As college students, newly weds, young parents, or even veterans in the marriage arena, your home can be a place of refuge that you can call your own and also personalize to your own tastes and desires. However, it can sometimes be tricky to know