• NEW Solving Relationship Problems (pdf document)
• The Many Ways of Being A Mother (Annie's Mailbox) (pdf document)
• Parents! Do you have something to say? (pdf document)

• Be a Better Parent - Take the Pledge! (pdf document)
• Memo from Your Child (pdf document)
• Don't Quit (pdf document)

Letting Go

to let go does not mean to stop caring, it means I can't do it for someone else.
to let go is not to cut myself off, it's the realization I can't control another.
to let go is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences.
to let go is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands.
to let go is not to try to change or blame another, it's to make the most of myself.
to let go is not to care for, but to care about
to let go is not to fix, but to be supportive
to let go is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.
to let go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes but to allow others to affect their destinies.
to let go is not to be protective, it's to permit another to face reality.
to let go is not to deny, but to accept.
to let go is not to nag, scold or argue, but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.
to let go is not to adjust everything to my desires but to take each day as it comes, and cherish myself in it.
to let go is not to criticize and regulate anybody but to try to become what I dream I can be.
to let go is not to regret the past, but to grow and live for the future.
to let go is to fear less, and love more.

Carrot, Egg and Coffee

A young woman complained to her mother that life was hard for her. She was tired of fighting and struggling, and she felt like giving up. Her mother took her to the kitchen and filled three pots with water, then turned the burners to high. When the water boiled, she placed carrots in the first pot, eggs in the second, and ground coffee beans in the last. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

Twenty minutes later, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out, pulled the eggs out, and ladled the coffee out, and placed each in a bowl. "Tell me, what do you see?" she asked her daughter.

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. Her mother asked her to feel the carrots, which were soft. The daughter took an egg and broke it, pulling off its shell. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter then asked, "What does all this mean?"

The mother said, “Each of these objects had faced the same adversity ... boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting but became weak. The egg had been fragile but, after sitting in the boiling water, its inside became hardened. But the coffee beans were unique. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. Which are you?"

So, which are you? Do you seem strong, but lose your strength when faced with adversity? Do you start with a soft heart and fluid spirit, but become hardened and tough inside after trials? Or are you like a coffee bean - changing the bad circumstances, releasing flavor and goodness, and elevating yourself to the highest level?

I LOVED YOU ENOUGH
By Erma Bombeck

Some day when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a mother, I will tell them:

I loved you enough to ask about where you were going, with whom at what time you would get home.

I loved you enough to insist that you save your money to buy a bike, even though we could afford to give it you.

I loved you enough to make you return a Milky Way - with a bite out of it - to the drug store to confess “I stole this.”

I loved you enough to be silent while you found out your new best friend was a creep.

I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that would have taken me 15 minutes.

I loved you enough to let you take responsibility for your actions even when the penalties almost broke my heart.

I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, disgust and tears in my eyes.

I loved you enough to admit I was wrong and ask for your forgiveness.

I loved you enough to let you stumble, fall and get hurt.

But most of all, I loved you enough to say NO when you hated me for it. That was the hardest part of all. I'm glad I won those battles, because in the end, you won too.

An Alphabet of Affirmations for Parents

• Affirmation. Affirm your child daily whether it is a calm or stormy day.
  
• Belief. Believe in your child and help him believe in his dreams.
  
• Commitment. Stand by your child no mater what.
  
• Discipline. Let your child face the natural consequences of his actions whenever possible.
  
• Encouragement. Be your child's biggest fan and head cheerleader.
  
• Faith. Instill your valuesand beliefs in your child. Help your child work through his doubts without judging.
  
• Generosity. Teach your child to give of his time, money, and talent by example.
  
• Happiness. Your child will be happiest when he know his boundaries.
  
• Imagination. Help your child learn to dream, create, and imagine.
  
• Joy. Look for fun and joy in the everyday things of life.
  
• Kindness. Speak a kind word even in the midst of an argument. Soft words help diffuse a disagreement.
  
• Laughter. It makes the heart merry and the day brighter. A sense of humor adds sanity to the childhood years.
  
• Money. Provide an allowance and help your child learn to control his money.
  
• Nurturing. Your child may have been out of diapers and able to read for many years, but he hasn't outgrown the need for nurturing.
  
• Opportunities. Provide opportunities for your child to experience the arts, sports, employment, short term missions, and so on. Help him develop a well-rounded lifestyle.
  
• Praise. Keep it short and genuine and you'll win your child's heart.
  
• Quietness. Help your child learn to slow down, relax, and be at peace.
  
• Relaxation. Take time away for family fun.
  
• Success. Give your child every opportunity to succeed. Assign household tasks that accent his strengths.
  
• Time. Set aside time each day to listen to your child.
  
• Understanding. Think back to how you felt as a child and how you wish your parents would have reacted in certain situations.
  
• Value. Lay the groundwork for self-esteem by helping your child find and develop his strengths.
  
• Warmth. Make your house a haven in the storm. Work toward peace.
  
• eXpections. Children usually live up to our expectations - make them high but obtainable.
  
• Youth. Your child might want to be grown up but help him enjoy being a child.
  
• Zeal. You can never relieve your child's early years