by Janel Breitenstein | Jun 3, 2021 | Africa
I laid out four spoons on the counter, pulled four small cartons from the freezer. “You have to close your eyes.” In thanks for my efforts on a project, my client for freelancing had sent four pints of gourmet ice cream of my choosing (Cold Brew and...
by Janel Breitenstein | Jun 1, 2021 | children, difficulty, discouragement, education, failure, kids, Parenting, teachers/educators, tweens and teens
When my son was seven, I’d ask him to clean his room. Unfortunately, I could come in half an hour later and the place still looked like someone had turned the place upside down and shook it, then sprayed cheese-in-a-can on top. And just maybe, he’d be...
by Janel Breitenstein | May 20, 2021 | fear, kids, Parenting, Questions to take your relationships deeper, tweens and teens
My mom and I had a good conversation last week–one of those “Oh, that’s how it went down on your side of things” talks. Groove back with me to around 1993. I’m growing out my formerly-birds-nest bangs. I have braces. Both are just as...
by Janel Breitenstein | May 10, 2021 | children, discouragement, enduring love, failure, faith, fear, kids, love, motherhood, Parenting, tweens and teens, waiting
Months ago, I stumbled upon what I thought was an epiphany: silicone scar strips…which promised, with 4.5 stars on Amazon, to fade stretch marks, people. My heart lifted. My first child ballooned my belly like a watermelon, complete with stripes. When another...
by Janel Breitenstein | May 7, 2021 | fear, kids, Parenting, tweens and teens
. I imagine there’s some parent out there like me right now. Spring weather finally crooks a finger, beckoning our kids outside…but as the end of the school year looms, there’s unfinished schoolwork (or just today’s chores) you’re not...
