Not So Great Expectations

Sometimes, parents get upset with their children for acting in a way that they think is inappropriate. I know I do. Today I had an experience that made me think that perhaps at least some of the time, the problem is not my child’s behavior but my own unrealistic expectations. It started out innocently enough. I was running errands and it was almost lunch time, so I mentioned a few places where we could go to eat and asked Dylan to choose one. He chose a little place called “The Chef’s Market”. At the time, it seemed like a great … Continue reading

Unrealistic Expectations Are No Fun For Anyone

Today, I realized that one of the most frustrating things about being the parent of a toddler has nothing to do with the toddler at all. Nor does it have anything to do with his two month old baby brother. Nope, the source of my frustration is none other than – myself. You see, I have been setting unrealistic expectations for myself and then getting mad at myself for falling short of them. Examples are helpful, so let’s take a minute to compare what I had hoped to accomplish today with what I actually did accomplish. Keep in mind that … Continue reading

Expectations of Marriage

The success or failure of a marriage, I’d suggest, does have a lot to do with expectations of the marriage. Many times expectations are unrealistic and romantic. They have a dewy eyed view of marriage. Then when reality hits, it is hard to cope with. The reality is marriage is not all happy times and romance. Sometimes it can be hard. Be prepared for that. Sometimes you may still feel lonely or misunderstood. Don’t expect marriage to fulfill all your needs and expect that person to fulfill all your needs. This is an unrealistic expectation. No –one person can do … Continue reading

Unrealistic Marriage Expectations

When we first get married, we have a certain set of expectations that come with us into the union. The bride has her set, the husband has his set, and the in-laws have theirs as well. Some of these expectations will be met, and many of them won’t. Let’s discuss some of these expectations. 1. The Myth: Many of us believe that temple marriage is the golden key to unlock all our marriage treasures and that nothing can befall us once we’ve been sealed. The Truth: the temple gives us the ability to be together forever, if we live righteously … Continue reading

How Realistic Are Your Expectations?

I remember years ago when I had tiny children and found myself increasingly parenting on my own–there would be weeks where I was solo parenting and I had certainly never expected that I would be “that kind of parent.” That hadn’t been the agreement I had with my husband and my children’s father, after all! We were going to do everything 50/50, or so he had promised. Over time, I learned all sorts of important lessons about parenting on one’s own—enough so that when it became apparent that I was “almost” on my own and the marriage was over, I … Continue reading

Setting Appropriate Expectations for Your Child with Special Needs

An important aspect of parenting a child with special needs is setting appropriate, realistic expectations. This is much easier said than done. Regardless of what your child’s diagnosis, or “label,” turns out to be, he or she is an individual. Your child is likely to have abilities or strengths which are unusual to her condition. Or, he may have difficulties that some children with the same disorder don’t normally face. There is no one-description-fits-all for any special needs child. You must create a balance of both a hopeful, positive outlook, and one that doesn’t expect more than what is reasonable. … Continue reading

Commonsense Ways to a Happier Marriage

You will often hear about “secrets” to a happy marriage.  Personally, I don’t believe there is anything secret about having a happy marriage. Most of what it takes is well known.  In other words, we know what to do to have a happier marriage.  The key is choosing to do those things. So instead, let’s look at some old-fashioned commonsense ways to keep the marriage happy.  We start with the understanding that your spouse will never be perfect. Now most of us probably don’t really think that our spouse should be perfect.  Yet we place expectations that are oftentimes unrealistic.  … Continue reading

Mistakes To Avoid When Starting Your Home Based Business

I just read an article about starting a home – based business that rubbed me completely the wrong way. Of course, it may be more about me than it is about the author of the article, because it was mostly a good article. It is simply written from a different perspective than the one that I come from. I take my home – based businesses just as seriously as anybody else, even though I work part time because of my primary career as a stay at home mom. The article that I read seemed like it was written for home … Continue reading

How To Select Good Freelance Writing Projects

When you are new to the world of freelance writing, it can be tempting to bid on any and all projects that you see. What you need to know is that while many freelance writing jobs are advertised by well meaning buyers who are willing to pay what they say that they will pay for work which meets their expectations, there are some bad apples out there. The best defense against unscrupulous buyers is to be choosy about which projects you bid on. Here are a few tips that you can use while you are browsing project listings and deciding … Continue reading

Does Marriage Really Change?

It wasn’t that long ago I was having a conversation with a woman who has been married for less than a year. We got on the topic of how marriage changes, something she didn’t quite believe. I remember being there. You think it will always be full of passion and you will always put each other’s needs first. Everything your spouse does is cute. Well here is the reality. It won’t always be full of passion because sometimes you will be exhausted at the end of a long day. You won’t always put your spouse’s needs first, especially when the … Continue reading