LeeAnn G Taylor - Embracing the Mosaic Life

Trusting our broken pieces to the Ultimate Artist

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Keeping Your Children Safe Online: A Parent’s Guide

March 27, 2017 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

There isn’t a week that goes by where my Facebook feed doesn’t show a picture of a missing child, usually in conjunction with a warning about internet safety for kids.

As a pregnant mama of twins and with three kids already at home, these stories cut me to the core. I imagine the heartbreak of these kids’ mothers as they struggle to understand what went wrong and how their child could have become a victim of an online predator.

I also want to think this would never happen to our family. The reality is though, it happens everyday to “normal” families like yours and mine.

While my kids are still young, we do set parameters around screen time use in preparation for when they will begin needing to search online for school projects and when they’ll start asking about connecting with friends online through social media.

girl using ipad

My husband is more attuned to the dangers lurking online than I am, as he teaches life skills classes to at-risk middle and high school students weekly. The program includes the district attorney as a guest speaker to explain to the kids the dangers of unrestricted internet use and the implications their actions online may have legally or socially as they grow older. It’s a sobering talk!

Internet Safety for Kids

While I truly want to trust that my kids will follow our guidelines for using devices both in our home and when they are out with others, the truth is that this technology often provides more options and opportunities than their developing minds can appropriately process and handle with the maturity needed to stay safe online.

That’s why I’m thankful for organizations like KidGuard, a company providing a software program that equips parents with tools to monitor their children’s activities online.

From their website:

KidGuard provides a software for parents to monitor their children’s text messages, GPS location and phone logs allowing the parent to stay on top of issues such as cyberbullying, online predators, teen depression, and other risks to their children arising from the internet.

Getting parents more involved with their children’s digital activities will prevent unforeseen dangers that children may face on a daily basis.

We strive to help educate parents on how to protect their children from online threats while encouraging honest communication between family members.

The actual KidGuard software tool is robust and includes features such as the ability to monitor:

  • text messages
  • GPS location
  • cell phone logs
  • social media activity

I particularly love the focus on encouraging honest communication between parents and children about the dangers online and how to stay safe while using the powerful tool that the internet is.

KidGuard is also committed to educating parents and their Parents’ Survival Guide to Online Safety is an absolute gold mine of information, covering topics in detail including:5 popular apps among teens to keep track of

  • Internet Safety Facts Parents Should Know About
  • Cyber Bulling
  • Online Predators
  • How to Help Your Children Protect Themselves Online
  • Popular Apps Among Teens Parents Should Keep Track Of
  • Do’s and Don’ts of Online Safety
  • 7 Online Safety Reminders for Your Child
  • How to Talk to Your Child or Teen About Online Safety
  • 7 Tips on Setting Cell Phone Rules with Your Child
  • How to Edit Privacy Settings on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and WhatsApp
  • How to Enable Parental Controls

The information in the parental guide is available topic by topic by clicking through each section individually on the site for more details, the PDF can be downloaded directly from their site, or the hard copy written version can be purchased on Amazon.

Parents survival guide to online safety

If you’re not sure if the KidGuard service is right for your family, I’d encourage you to check out the live demo showing you how the service functions and the 7-day free trial. I was able to connect to the service and start viewing information in less than 5 minutes, so it’s definitely a simple process.

Whether or not KidGuard is the right solution for internet monitoring for your family, I encourage you to take the important steps needed to keep your children safe online by starting the conversations now and by putting boundaries in place for online use in your home and with any devices your children may have access to.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post created in partnership with KidGuard. All opinions are my own.

Family Friendly Valentine’s Day Gifts

February 3, 2017 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

 Family Friendly Valentine's Day Gifts

 

Do you know your husband’s and children’s love languages?

If one of the love languages is Gifts, Valentine’s Day is certainly a day they’ll be hoping to be shown some special attention with a special gift or treat.

In our family, we’ve been more aware lately of how much added sugar and food additives our kids are consuming at school and at other outside activities, so we’re trying to stay away from the typical windfall of candy that tends to happen around the holidays.

Instead, we’ve been on the lookout for more family friendly purposeful gifts that can help us celebrate our love for one another.

Unique and Beautiful — the Perfect Gifts!

I’ve been thrilled with the variety of options available through a new-to-me online company called Uncommon Goods. As the name suggests, the site specializes in curating a plethora of unique gift items.

Not only are the products creative and original to other things you’d find online, but the company is focused on providing products that serve a purpose, solve a problem, or stun us with their beauty. The company’s founder is committed to connecting makers and their creations with people seeking truly unique items for their homes or as gifts. (learn more about the company’s philosophy)

My father is a master woodworker, painter, and craftsman, creating stunningly beautiful pieces of custom furniture and gifts, so I’m keenly aware of the value talented artists and their creations bring to the world around us.

As I searched through the Uncommon Goods site, I found some lovely family friendly gift ideas that I loved and think you will too!

Celebrating Love as a Family

Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion to celebrate the centrality of love in our families, especially those of us who are seeking to parent with purpose.

I’ve picked out my favorites from the site to give you an idea of some family friendly Valentine’s Day gifts for your own family:

Love Is Pillow

love is pillow

This Love Is Pillow showcases the famous love passage from 1 Corinthians 13. I think having this pillow prominently featured in our living room is a great way to highlight the importance of scripture in our homes. It’s just one of many unique items for our homes on the Uncommon Goods site.

Personalized Family Pillow

personalized family pillow

As our family is growing again soon, we’ve been talking to our kids about the importance of viewing our family as a unit. We’ve named ourselves the Taylor Tribe and I think this fun family pillow brings that concept to the front of the kiddos’ minds. Plus, it’s super cute! (Check out more personalized family gifts…there are lots!)

Baby-on-the-Way Scratch Calendar

baby on the way scratch calendar

For those of us adding new little ones to our families soon, this Baby-on-the-Way Scratch Calendar is a great way to get the rest of the family involved in the excitement of the miracle of growing a baby.

My kids are always asking “what kind of fruit” the babies are right now (for a size comparison) so I know they’d also love learning these little nuggets of information as the babies are growing and changing.

Personalized Pushpin World Map

personalized anniversary push pin world map

While this is marketed as one of many truly unique personalized wedding gifts available on the Uncommon Goods site, I think it’s also a perfect Valentine’s Day gift for the family.

Our family values traveling together and makes family trips a big priority. Kids are so visual, so I love the idea of documenting our travels in a way we can display them in our home and easily reminisce about our family adventures.

My Life Story – So Far

my life story journal

The writer and memory maker in me couldn’t pass this journal up. What else could be better than to – as a family – document our history, our story, and the legacy we’re trying to leave together. This would also make a great gift for grandparents!

What kinds of family friendly Valentine’s gifts are you trying out this year with your family? I’d love to know your favorites! Share in the comments below or connect with me on social media.


Thank you to Uncommon Goods for partnering with The Mosaic Life as a sponsor to provide you with this post reviewing some of my favorite products on their site!

What Does Your “Brave” Look Like?

January 18, 2017 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

For me, being brave in this season looks like staying put.

In the middle of the day-to-day routine of working outside the home, parenting, loving my husband, managing my home, serving others, navigating financial pressures and more, the anxiety feels crushing some days.

Sometimes in the midst of the whirlwind, in the quiet moments of my daily commute, my mind wanders. I dream of all the possibilities for pursuing my passions, those things that stir my heart and make me come alive with excitement and purpose. But then I remember the weight of my current responsibilities and the discouragement creeps in.

I heard someone say recently that during the times we feel buried, maybe instead we’re actually being planted.

planted not buried

What if during the times we feel buried, maybe instead we’re actually being planted?

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There it is, the change in perspective.

What if I stopped viewing my current situation as limiting and started casting off that feeling of being buried under all the responsibilities.

What if instead, I recognized this season as one of being brave as I stay put. God is planting me and growing me in faith so I can begin to grasp the depth and breadth of His love for me!

Ephesians 3:16-19 (NIV) 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

This post is shared as Day 12 in my friend Mary Geisen’s newly released book Brave Faith: A 31 Day Devotional Journey. If you’re interested in diving more deeply into what it looks like to live a life of brave faith, I strongly encourage you to pick up a copy of her book and spend a month working through these challenging but important topics! You can find out more about Mary at her website, Passage Through Grace. 

Many blessings,

 

Happy Birthday Baby & Blog {…and a giveaway to celebrate!}

January 7, 2017 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

Today my youngest turns 2 and my little corner of the internet celebrates 4 years online. It’s been a wild ride with both of them!

birthday cake

In the midst of my go-go-go life with three little ones 7 and under, sometimes I forget to slow down and celebrate both the big milestones and the little moments worth savoring.

Psalm 16:11 reminds me though…

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

So today, in light of gratefulness for the joy God has filled me with these past few years, I’m taking a moment on this snowy North Carolina Saturday to savor and celebrate both the life of my sweet daughter Haven and the life of this little blog.

me and squishy

Haven means “a place of safety or refuge” and my prayer is that she will grow to be that kind of light and hope in people’s lives around her.

I hope The Mosaic Life blog has also been a place of safety and refuge for your heart, as we realize together that it’s refocusing our perspective daily to see ourselves as God sees us that makes the biggest difference in how we live out our daily lives in service to Him and others around us.

In case you’ve just recently found this corner of the internet, here are some of the most loved posts in the past 4 years:

Parenting With Purpose: Creating a God-Centered Home

100 Creative Ways to Say Thank You to Your Husband

10 Ways to Teach Kids About Easter

Best Podcasts for Christian Moms

3 Things God Didn’t Promise

I hope you find something that’s encouraging to you or something you can share with a friend to uplift them today.

Now…on to the fun part of birthdays…the gifts!

just for you gift box

One of my favorite things I’ve discovered this past year is home delivery services. It’s hard to put a price tag on how much more peaceful my life is without trying to wrangle three tired and hungry kiddos at the store to pick up some last minute item I’ve forgotten for dinner or for the house.

In addition to investing in Amazon Prime for all.the.things including the all-important delivery of diapers, wipes, and the random household organizational item I’m needing, I also have been using Grove Collaborative for delivery of natural toiletry and cleaning products and Home Chef for delivery of fresh, ready-to-cook meals.

  • Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial
  • $10 Credit for Grove Collaborative Products
  • $30 Credit to try Home Chef meal delivery

In celebration of my favorite things…I’m giving away a $40 gift card to Home Chef for one lucky reader to try them out and find out if home delivery of groceries for yummy meals helps you as much as it has helped me! (for newbies only…those of you who already know and love Home Chef will have to try for the next giveaway coming soon!)

Just enter below using the Rafflecopter giveaway widget or send me a quick reply to this email letting me know you’d like to win and I’ll enter you as well.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And to all of you in the path of this snowstorm…here’s a virtual snowball headed your way, compliments of my kids’ favorite froggy friend, Kermit! 🙂

kermit snowball

Remember to savor and celebrate the moments, both big and small, with those you love!

Blessings,

Parenting with Purpose: New Year’s Reflections for Kids (and Adults)

January 1, 2017 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

new years reflections for kids and adults

The clock just hit midnight and it’s officially the new year. For me, the change of the calendar offers a built-in reminder to reflect on the year that just passed and to think through the coming twelve months.

This year I’m going to try out this New Year’s Resolutions and Reflections for Kids printable with my kids.

I have thoughts on their accomplishments from 2016 and ideas for things I’d love for them to learn and areas of growth for 2017, but there is certainly also something to be said for gaining your child’s perspective on these as well.

new year reflections for kids

My plan is to use this to help guide their thoughts on challenges they faced, things they learned, and opportunities for growth. We’ll think through a variety of areas, including personal, educational, and spiritual growth.

What makes it even more impactful for our kids though is to see us working through the same things in our own lives. If we’re committed to ongoing growth, our kids will likely follow along and begin to understand the importance of evaluating the past and setting goals for the future.

If we’re committed to reflection and growth in the new year, our kids will be too! httpss://leeanngtaylor.com/parenting-with-purpose-new-years-reflections-for-kids-and-adults

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reviewing and planning for the new year

One of my favorite resources for this process each year is this list of 20 Questions for New Year’s Eve from Tsh at The Art of Simple. This year she’s also added a version for kids and a more in-depth planning guide for the new year.

I can’t wait to check it out and dive into the different areas — Inward Health, Physical Health, Financial Health, Family Health, Relational Health, and Your Children’s Health.

12months-plan

Maybe I’ll start off the year a bit more organized instead of all of the plans and goals I have just swimming around in my head…as they sometimes do…(it’s not just me, is it?!).

Do you have a favorite tool you use to reflect on the prior year and plan for the coming year with your kids or for yourself? I’d love to know about it!

Back to School Parent Survival Guide

August 26, 2016 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

It’s hard to believe the summer is coming to an end! Are you scrambling a bit to get the final school supplies together?

I know I still need to buy new tennis shoes for my 4 year old (who knew feet grow so much faster in the summer?!) and a few school supplies too for my sweet girl who is headed to 2nd grade. We’re out of town this weekend (what were we thinking…) and the first day of school is Monday. At this point I’m just holding on for the ride!

There have been a few things that have been helpful though as we’ve been preparing our routine for the transition back to more structure in the mornings and more busy afternoons and evenings. 

So here it goes…10 tips to help you survive the Back-to-School season. I hope these will add some sanity to your life along with providing some practical tools you can use for creating a more God-centered home!

Back to school survival guide

 

Practical Tips — Around the House

I don’t know about you, but if my exterior world is in chaos, so is my interior world. Before we can create healthy homes where God is at the center, it’s helpful if we focus on some practical ways to create peace in our homes.

1. Prepare the night before.

This is all about setting yourself up for success. Get the kids into a nightly routine of tidying up, setting out their clothes, shoes, and bookbags for the next day, and packing their lunch box. The more you have ready in the morning, the less stressful the morning will be.

PRO TIP: Play a silly song on YouTube and then race to see who can finish first. The kid who wins gets to pick the book we read before bed!

2. Set aside a specific place for schoolwork ahead of time.

There’s nothing that drives me crazy more than piles and piles of school paperwork strewn all over the house. There’s so much paperwork to keep track of at the beginning of the year that it’s essential to come up with a strategy to deal with all the paper ahead of time.

pile of paper contained in basket

We designate one box per child for papers and then go through the box weekly. If I’m looking for a permission slip or details on a school fundraiser, I’m more likely to find it if it’s in the child’s box instead of stuffed in his or her backpack or buried in a pile on the kitchen table.

PRO TIP: Also designate one box or extra large zippered bag per child for papers to keep throughout the year. Let your child know ahead of time that whatever they want to keep from that school year must fit into the designated container. 

3. Have last minute school supplies shipped to your door.

Instead of getting frazzled when your child’s teacher requests yet another school supply, then running out to the local Wal-Mart late at night just so you can go without a gaggle of kids begging for every last thing on the end caps of the aisles, utilize my secret weapon of choice — Amazon Prime.back-to-school

There is something truly glorious about picking out what you need from the comfort of your computer or phone and then it showing up on your doorstep two days later.

Not an Amazon Prime member? Try Amazon Prime Family free for 30-days. In addition to free 2-day shipping, you also get free access to unlimited music streaming and videos, storage for your photos, an extra 20% off diapers, and more family-friendly discounts.

PRO TIP: You can also share certain Amazon Prime features (like free shipping) with a family member for FREE! Just add them onto your membership through the Amazon Household function.

4. Plan your meals. Or better yet, have groceries delivered to you!

In an ideal world, we’d all have our meals planned out for the week, all the groceries we need on hand would be in our kitchens, and we’d never be scrambling for something for dinner at 5pm. In reality, more days than not I’m still pondering what’s for dinner on my way home from work. This inevitably creates a grouchy momma and hungry kids.

As the school year begins, it’s the perfect time to try out a meal planning system that works for you. Whether it’s a schedule on paper, on your phone, or an online service, taking the time to get even a tad bit more organized in this area will significantly reduce the chaos of your evenings.

These are my favorite printable menu planners – available in 12 different formats for free!

This is my favorite online meal planning service – it’s very reasonably priced and a there’s a 30-day free trial option. This is where I store my favorite recipes from both family members and my favorites from online.

PRO TIP: If it’s in your budget, use a service like HomeChef to deliver groceries for meals right to your door. This is a “secret weapon” type service we use on busy weeks when we still want a home-cooked meal ready in 30 minutes. 

Home Chef Groceries Delivered $30 Credit Discount

5. Go to bed on time.

This might seem like a simple one, but there’s no bigger detriment to peaceful school day mornings than grouchy, sleepy kids who won’t get out of bed or are miserable after they’re up. And let’s be real…sometimes it’s US who need the reminder to go to bed on time, right mamas? If we’re not well rested, we’re more likely to be short with our kids and sabotage our mornings.

If you’re not sure how much sleep everyone in your family needs, the National Sleep Foundation shares a handy chart with updated sleep recommendations for each stage of life. basic alarm clock for kids

PRO TIP: Give your children the tools they need to succeed in the morning. Try providing them with a basic alarm clock and empowering them to get up on their own.

 

Spiritual Life Tips — Create a God-Centered Home

 

1. Pray for your kids.

There’s nothing more powerful than prayer, especially praying specifically for your children. As much as we desire to protect our children, God truly is the ultimate provider and protector and our purposeful prayer reminds us of those truths.

Need some direction or practical resources? Check out the following resources here: Praying With Purpose: Praying for Your Kids.

prayer calendar download

  • Praying Daily for Your Children Calendar (free)
  • Praying God’s Word for Your Kids – 12 Lesson eDevotional (free)
  • Book: The Power of a Praying Parent
  • Book: Praying for Boys: Asking God for the Things They Need Most

 

2. Create a morning routine that includes scripture, prayer, or worship music.

There’s lots of talk online about the importance of morning routines. Even I’ve thrown my two cents into the ring with a post on Maximizing Your Mornings.

breakfast cereal

The key to creating a God-centered home in the mornings though isn’t the perfect morning routine. Instead, focus on the one or two things you KNOW you can do with your children in the mornings and know that anything you do will reap a harvest in their hearts.

  • Say a prayer before breakfast.
  • Keep a family gratitude journal and write in it each morning.
  • Work on memorizing one scripture together at the breakfast table. Keep the same one for a week so you’re more likely to actually memorize it!
  • Play music like Seeds Family Worship while kids are getting ready for school to start their day off with truth.

 

3. Try memorizing scriptures as a family based around what your kids are struggling with.

Last school year I sent my daughter to school with a scripture printable of Joshua 1:9 on the front of her binder, a daily reminder for her to be strong and courageous and not to be afraid since God is with her wherever she goes.

Maybe your kiddos struggle with fear or anxiety or something else. Encourage them by memorizing key scriptures to they will be armed with truth as they head to the challenges that arise in daily life at school.

Here are some examples to start with: (2 pages – free printable)
encouraging bible verses for back to school

4. Send scripture with them to school. 

It’s so important to plant seeds of truth in our kids’ hearts. One extra way to do that is to include scripture notecards in their lunchboxes.

You can download and print these or make your own!

Scripture Lunchbox Printables

5. Invest in your own spiritual development — you can only pour out when you’ve been filled up — local or online Bible study

Finally, don’t forget about investing in your own spiritual development. You can only pour out encouragement and love to your children when you’ve been filled up.

I’d encourage you to find a local or online Bible study to connect with other moms as the school year begins. We thrive in community! It’s the way the body of Christ was designed to function at its best.

If you’re looking for an online study, I’d love to have you join me in the Parenting with Purpose private Facebook group for a book club! We’re going through the book and study guide of Triggers: Exchanging Parents’ Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses starting Monday, August 29th. 

 

What are YOUR best tips for surviving the “back to school” season? Leave a comment below and share your wisdom!

Linking up with Literacy Musing Mondays and From Messes to Messages.

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