by Shannon Popkin | Aug 25, 2014 | Change, Kids' Perspective, Parenting, seasons, Serving
Something’s changing.I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I know change is happening. Mostly, because I remember how it used to be.I remember lazy summer days, when all my sleepyheaded children stumbled, one by one, into the kitchen at about 8 a.m. for a...
by Shannon Popkin | Jun 4, 2014 | Kids' Perspective
When Lindsay was about two, she said, “Mamaw, I want to see your sad face.”Mamaw (my mom) gave her a quick frown. But she said, “Nooo, Mamaw! I want to see your sad face, like when I have to go away.”So Mamaw gave her a deeply sorrowful look,...
by Shannon Popkin | May 2, 2014 | Exercise, Hardship, Kids' Perspective, Parenting, Sports
I love……to see my kids red-faced, sweaty, and smiling, rather than pale and grumpy…it when they are fixated on the goalie box, rather than the box that the couch faces…to see them fighting together with a team rather than fighting each other...
by Shannon Popkin | Mar 21, 2014 | Funny, Kids' Perspective
At parent teacher conferences, Cade’s teacher showed us a picture he had drawn:She told us that she had said, “Oh, Cade! You did such a nice job on this. I can see all of the colors of the sunset, here. And you’re waving, right?”But Cade said,...
by Shannon Popkin | Feb 1, 2014 | Kids' Perspective
My fourth grader called me from school the other day.When I answered, he said, “Hi, Mom. This is Cade from Ms. VanderWall’s class.”I laughed and thought, “Oh, that Cade.” There isn’t really another Cade who calls me when he’s...
by Shannon Popkin | Jan 17, 2014 | Faith, Fear, Gifts, Humility, Kids' Perspective, Pain, Parenting, seasons, Teens
As a mom, one of the most painful things in life is to see my kids struggle through something that is humiliating. I alternate between wanting to fix my child and eradicate the struggle, and wanting to pummel anyone who would dare to snicker or poke fun at...