Karol Ladd - The Power of a Positive Mom

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ENGAGE Positive Parenting Initiative was started by Karol Ladd in 2012 with the goal of offering positive parenting skills to men and women in communities affected by poverty. A portion of the sales of this book will go to further the initiative in encouraging parents in at-risk communities to engage with their children in a positive way and equip them with the skills they need to work toward a better future.

To find out more about the ENGAGE program go to:

www.EngageParenting.com

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Copyright 2008, 2015 by Karol Ladd

Scripture quotations not otherwise marked are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982, 1988 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. C. S. Lewis quote is from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (New York: HarperCollins, 1978), 86. Scriptures marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible , copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scriptures marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the Holy Bible, Authorized King James Version. Public domain. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.

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This Howard Books trade paperback edition March 2015

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Interior design by Joel Avirom and Jason Snyder

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN 978-1-5011-0523-4

ISBN 978-1-4391-2271-6 (ebook)

To my precious family, Curt, Grace, and Joy. Thank you for your faithful love, encouragement, and support. You are truly Gods gift to me.

To my dad, Garry Kinder, whose positive attitude, example, and leadership influenced me to reach greater heights.

A heartfelt thanks to Michele Buckingham for her tremendous work in helping me express my thoughts in an eloquent way.

Thank you to my dear friends who encourage me and pray for me. I am forever in debt to you for your prayers, care, and advice.

Thank you, Howard Books, Philis Boultinghouse, and Susan Wilson, for your excellence in publishing Christian books.

Most important, to our heavenly Father, who gives us the strength and power to be positive moms each day.

T imes change. Its been a few years since I first typed the words to The Power of a Positive Mom , and while the positive principles in this book are timeless, some of the characteristics of our culture have changed dramatically. Smartphones, tablets, and Pinterest didnt exist when the original edition of this book hit the stands. Words such as selfie , hashtag , and retweet were not even a part of our vocabulary, much less words in the dictionary.

Technology is not the only aspect that has changed in our world. Values, fears, and threats regarding the family have also shifted with the times. There has never been a more important time for positive moms to step up and make a difference in this world by raising godly and wise young men and women. My desire is to strengthen and equip you to be the powerful influence God meant for you to be in your home and with your families and in your communities. Its my desire to provide you with relevant and practical insights to help you navigate as a positive mom in todays world.

Some of the updates in this edition include new stories and added information from current experts. Ive asked some of my author friends to contribute a bit of their wisdom. So youll be hearing from:

Boundaries expertAllison Bottke

Education expertJody Capehart

Happy Home expertArlene Pellicane

Recognizing that single parenting is a reality for many moms in our world today, I put together an additional chapter entitled Sanity for the Single Mom, offering advice, tips, and wisdom from moms who are also parenting solo. Another bonus is an E-mom reference I placed at the end of each chapter (in the Power Point section), which leads you to blogs written by a variety of moms to encourage you further in your daily life.

Finallyand Im most excited about thisIve added a QR code to the beginning of each section. When you scan the QR code with your smartphone or tablet, you will be able to watch a short video with a few words from me as I share a personal story or insight. Im thrilled to have the opportunity through these videos to communicate and encourage you, from my heart to yours. And you may find the videos helpful if you are doing a group study of this book.

Many moms have shared with me over the years that The Power of a Positive Mom has been a life-changing book for them, helping and encouraging them in their day-to-day parenting. Even a few dads have told me the same! My hope is that this book will be just as meaningful to you, giving you strength, hope, and courage in the magnificent, God-given responsibility of being a mom.

The wise woman builds her house.

Proverbs 14:1

E very child needs a positive push in life. A sincere word of encouragement, a loving smile, or a prayer of support may be just the catalyst a young person needs to send him or her off in the right direction.

Thats where mothers come in. As moms, we have the opportunity every day to boost our children onward and upward. Ours is a highly influential job. Through our affirmative support and loving care, we are in a unique position to help our children reach for their dreams and achieve their God-given potential.

Unfortunately, in the day-to-day struggles of motherhood, our good intentions toward our kids can seem to fly out the window. We may start off the day with a fresh outlook and high expectations, but midway through the second temper tantrum of the morning (theirs, not ours), we somehow lose our handle on the uplifting encouragement we intended to share. How can we be positive when we often feel like the greatest portion of our day is spent correcting, scolding, and trying to avert minor disasters? It doesnt help that were distracted from our efforts to be affirming by the daily chores of running errands, working hard at our jobs (whether inside or outside the home), and helping put dinner on the table.