“Random Musings of a 4-year-old” by Jennifer Maggio

 Posted by Jennifer on June 29, 2011  General  No Responses »
Jun 292011
 

Sometimes life is so busy, so stressful, and so overwhelming that having a conversation with a 4-year-old is an absolute necessity.  Each of my children bring great joy to my life and my love for them is as unique and different as they are.  But, I honestly must say that I did not have the time or maturity to really enjoy my children in their younger years, until the third time around….and my youngest one is hilarious!  I thought you may enjoy hearing some of our random conversations.

“Momma, can I have a twin, pleeezzzeee?!” Continue reading »

 Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,

Abuse in Single Parent Homes by Jennifer Maggio

 Posted by Jennifer on June 8, 2011  General  2 Responses »
Jun 082011
 

 I have thought of a thousand ways to start this article.  Abuse is such a deep issue that there is simply no way I can cover all that I would like to say or all that you may want to hear…..or may not want to hear for that matter in one article.  I will definitely be revisiting this topic.   I absolutely hate covering such a heavy topic —yet, it is the one that keeps coming back to me, the one that I know I must write.

Abuse comes in many forms — sexual, physical, emotional, and verbal.  Every form of abuse hurts.  The truth is, many can move past the physical beatings of a past abuse far more quickly than the words that accompanied them.  There are many who will not read this article for fear that it takes them right back to when they were a 10-year-old frightened abused girl or a 27-year-old battered wife.  For those who are brave enough, read on.

Since many of you follow my articles here at Single Parents Town, you know my story. For those who don’t, the short version is that I’ve suffered through years of abuse - sexual abuse, physical beatings, domestic violence, emotional manipulation, verbal assault, etc.  This is a topic that once held me captive.  It embarassed me and shamed me.  But now, I have been given great freedom over it and am moved to action in helping others do the same.  Continue reading »

 Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Failure to Discipline by Jennifer Maggio

 Posted by Jennifer on April 13, 2011  General  1 Response »
Apr 132011
 

Parenting is difficult.  Period.  You can read every book and implement every rule your parents swore to you would work and you will still have questions!  As wonderful as my kids are turning out, I can tell you there have been dark days, when I was frustrated, hurt, angry, and concerned that I had not made good parenting choices.  Any parent who is being honest would say the same.  So, if even the most seasoned parents admit to struggling, how is it that we do this thing successfully? 

Well, first, there are several things that are what I considered to be “negotiables” in your parenting style, e.g. to spank or not spank, bedtimes, allowances, etc.  However, I believe there are also some “non-negotiables”, some of which you have read here at Single Parents Town, so feel free to view some of my other parenting blog post at http://www.singleparentstown.com/blog/author/jennifer/.

DISCIPLINE: Continue reading »

 Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

The Victim Mentality by Jennifer Maggio

 Posted by Jennifer on March 2, 2011  General  No Responses »
Mar 022011
 

In my years of working with women, I have heard almost every story imaginable.  I think back to the woman who watched her husband burn to death in a fire.  I think of the seventy-year-old widow who endured thirty-seven years of physical beatings before her husband died.  I think of the young girl who was raped and the rapist later approached her to return her undergarments.  I think of the breast cancer survivor who lost both breasts.  These are all women that I know personally.  I know their stories.  Do you know what is amazing about each one of them?  They have claimed victory and the chains of the event hold them no more.

Let’s get down to it.  Don’t we all know people who simply want to complain?  Negative Nellies.  Sad Susies.  Grumpy Guses.  No matter how bad someone else has had it…..these people seem to have always had it worse. 

This is not to say I am discounting any tragedy suffered by those reading this article.  I know that we are surrounded by abuse victims, those who have suffered tragedies of all kinds, the impoverished, the parent who buried a child, the devastation of divorce — all heart-breaking.  Continue reading »

 Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , ,

“Spring is in the Air….Almost” By Jennifer Maggio

 Posted by Jennifer on February 16, 2011  General  1 Response »
Feb 162011
 

I know that we are in the midst of winter and temperatures will probably be frigid within a week, but I’m enjoying our “spring”.  This week, I have noticed that my roses have buds, the birds are chirping, and my geraniums are blooming.  We have had 70-degree weather, here in the South, and I’m loving it. 

I am not a “winter girl” AT ALL.  It is a joke with my family that I just try to “make due” until winter passes.  I go into hibernation.  So….any glimpse of Spring and I pounce it.

As the seasons change, I find myself reflecting on change — the new flowers, the warm temps, the smell of freshly cut grass.  Inevitably, I begin to think of the changes going on within my family.  My former toddler has officially become “a little girl.”  My baby boy is now a “driver”.  My baby girl is now a “teenager.”  I hope I can learn to enjoy each season and cherish each second of it.  I struggle with that, sometimes……well, much of the time! Continue reading »

 Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,

Not today…….by Jennifer Maggio

 Posted by Jennifer on November 10, 2010  General  2 Responses »
Nov 102010
 

We’re on a journey together, you and I.  Life is all about the journey.  Today, as I thought about what to write, through tears,  I realized that today’s post would just have to be about my journey, about where I am, right now.  I couldn’t give today— no advice, no wisdom, no wit.  Not today……. Albeit random, here goes.

Today is filled with great emotion for me.  As you read this, I am in attendance at yet a 5th funeral in 5 weeks!  It’s unheard of.  Five people that I know personally– that I had relationships with, friends, family  – have gone on to be with the Lord.  I wrote about two of those deaths  ”Are You Living a Life Worth Celebrating?” at http://www.singleparentstown.com/blog/2010/10/13/jennifer/are-you-living-a-life-worth-celebrating/.

The most recent passing, last Sunday, of a 22-year-old who was killed at our church Sunday morning, has been so traumatic, so hard.  Yet, his life truly was a life worth celebrating.  Read about Jordan at  http://www.wafb.com/Global/story.asp?S=13459299. Continue reading »

 Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,

Oh, I’m Sorry, Were You Offended?

 Posted by Jennifer on October 27, 2010  General  7 Responses »
Oct 272010
 

Since I’m writing to a group of single parents, I figured we needed to go ahead and put this one out there – OFFENSE.  Man, oh man, how I sprint to avoid bitter and offended folks!  Let me give you a news flash.  Your hurt, your offense, your bitterness, your unforgivness does nothing to THEIR lives.  It does not hurt your ex-mother-in-law, your ex-husband, or your ex-boyfriend.  In fact, they’ve probably forgotten what they did to offend you in the first place.

In having counseled literally hundreds of single moms, I can tell you that I have never sat with one mom who didn’t have a reason to be angry or hurt – not one.  They all have a story.  We all have a story. 

I was astonished to recently stumble upon a single parent’s site that promoted “Tell-us-why-you-hate-your-baby’s-daddy Day”.  Are you kidding me?!  Am I the only one that sees the insanity in this?!  What do you hope to accomplish?  So…………..we paint little George’s daddy as a complete loser for not paying you child support or for beating you or whatever (albeit horrible things), then………. what?  Who does it hurt?  Let me answer this for you.  YOU.  It hurts you.  For every time you relive the pain and revisit the conversations or the events that devastated you, you live in that moment.   It’s amazing that we sometimes cannot remember where we parked after a 15-minute grocery trip to Walmart, but we can remember for the next 15 years the exact conversation where someone offended us! Continue reading »

 Tagged with: , , , , , , ,
Page 3 of 3123