I’ve been reluctant to do the official #Write31Days Blogging challenge because I cannot figure out how to create that button thingy. Or, at least that is what my excuse has been. I did my own month long blog writing challenge this past summer and then promised myself to do this “official” one in October as I long for connection with the wider blogging community; but then I chickened out initially.

I have too much to do. My twins are in their senior year of high school. I am still in accident recovery mode and will be for several more months. And, I didn’t want to take the time to craft a catchy button.

But, I was intrigued so I began reading other people’s posts, cheering them on and commenting on their first thoughts, but I still didn’t feel ready to join myself.

Then I read my Faith & Culture Writer friend Esther Emery’s first post where she acknowledged that she too was not a button-creator fan, and that she wrote her first post in the series without having figured out what button to create, and I thought, okay, I could do this. When I started thinking about what to write for this #Write31Days series, I saw the note about being specific about a topic we enjoy. As the mom of five children between the ages of 12 and 25, I am passionate about parenting and motherhood, and it is often where my thoughts and heart and pen turns to.

I embrace the adventure and gift of motherhood and life, and I want to inspire others in this journey. It’s the most important job we will ever have. Lately I have been asking other parents, moms and dads, what their parenting philosophy is.

So many people who have amazing kids have never stopped to think about what it is they do or did to raise their children over the years, yet they have done so with grace and mercy and beauty and confidence and humility.

Yes, I know that in the end it is by the grace of God that we parent and have amazing kids, but I still think it is important to think through what it is we believe about parenting and family life and living with our kids and growing and raising our boys and girls into awesome men and women.

What are our practices, our style, our beliefs, our philosophy about raising our children and how do we establish and create family life?

So, for this 31-Day series that I am starting an hour before the deadline of Oct. 5, I’m going to muse on “Finding Your Parenting Philosophy.”

There is of course no specific rule book to good parenting, but we have general ideas and thoughts and beliefs on how we want to parent and how we actually parent. We follow certain principles and heart, learning from Scripture and others’ stories and each individual child and the Holy Spirit and lots and lots of prayer.

So much of our parenting ideas and beliefs come one day, one story, one moment at a time. Decisions are made daily, hourly, moment-by-moment depending on the circumstances, depending on the child, depending on our background, depending upon the situation, depending on the Spirit’s guidance, depending on our God-given intuition, depending on what has happened in the past, depending upon the good book, depending on Love. There is no one-size-fits-all formula. Except, love God, love others.

But, I write it down, these stories, these thoughts, these ideas, my parenting philosophy, and encourage others to think of theirs.  Thoughts on real-life parenting. Thoughts on parenting practices. Thoughts on ways to handle certain circumstances. Here’s to Real-Life Parenting, figuring out, defining, establishing our Parenting Philosophy, one day at a time. For these 31 days, with this community.

Here I am, y’all.

I’m linking up here with other  Write 31 Days #write31days friends. My category is (of course) Family Life!

Thanks for reading (and commenting if you would like!).

Day 1: Our Family Helps Others

Day 2: It Takes a Village – #Write31Days challenge

Day 3: Sometimes You Just Make Them Do It

Day 4: Be Careful of Your Words

Day 5: Help Our Kids Believe that God Loves Them

Day 6: Having Our Kids Make Siblings a Priority

Day 7: Raising Culturally Engaged Kids

Day 8: Tell Our Kids We Love Them, No Matter What.

Day 9: Find Reasons to Celebrate

Day 10: Making Community Service a Part of Your Family

Day 11: The Art of the Thank You

Day 12: Sometimes it’s about the Mountain Dew

Day 13: Moms: We need to forgive ourselves

Day 14: Stop What You Are Doing and Greet Your Kid

Day 15: Cease Striving and Know God is God

Day 16: Find the Dreamers

Day 19: Family Traditions Create Roots They Return To

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