Coming out of Fundamentalism (A Reader Writes)

I enjoy getting emails from readers sharing their thoughts on coming out of legalism and/or fundamentalism, most of which I tend to keep private (and most of which take me at least a week or more to reply to, depending on how busy I am).  This letter was really good, and the writer, who blogs regularly at Living [...]

Reader’s Write: Advice for Talking with “I’m Daddy’s Helpmeet” Folks…?

Those of you familiar with the Botkin sisters and Vision Forum will be aquainted with the idea that a daughter is supposed to be practicing her “helpmate” skills on her father.  These groups believe that women are in the submissive position in a God-ordained heirarchy: the husband is prophet, priest and king of the house, [...]

Parenting with Gentleness Series

Here is a collection of the recent posts here on thoughts about parenting with grace as the foundation:
The Intro
Guest post (from a treasured friend of mine, Tonia at Study in Brown):  ”FASD Teenagers, Adopting Special Needs and Loving in the Face of Unloveliness“
Guest post (from Becca, reader and appreciated contributor): “Abused Children Becoming Parents; Breaking the Cycle of [...]

Readers Write: Talking with Friends/Aquaintances About Destructive Parenting Practices

I hope the title didn’t make you think I was going to tell you how, since, well, I don’t know how.  
A reader asks,
Hey Molly,
I was wondering (since you and your blog are such a wealth of information to me at the moment) if you’ve come up with an effective way to talk to people who [...]

Letter from Reader: Question on Disciplining Kids, Comments

I found that you started writing your blog again I like to read your thoughts, though you tend to go more extreme in one way or another from me.  :PAbout spanking, before my daughter was born I was totally pro-Ezzo.  That lasted about an hour into her little life.   ;)   She’s 15 months now, still [...]

Letters from Readers: What Do You Do When…? (Two-Year-Old-Tantrums)

Moot Thoughts and Musings recently wrote about mothering and grace, and had a comment addressed to me that I will answer here.  Referring to the way I sometimes handle a two-year-old fit (here) and also complimenting those conversing here, View from the Prairie Box wondered,
Molly’s posts are really encouraging and I found myself reading through the comments as [...]

On Missional and Muck

A reader sent me this email and I am posting it anonymously, per request.   
I don’t know what [they] consider missional …passing out tracks and evangelism classes…couldn’t be farther from my definition of “missional”.
In my version you invite the neighbor out for a beer at the pub and get to know him.  You help him build his [...]

A Good Question (Love and Truth?)

Kari from Healed Waters recently gave us all a beautiful compliment.
There are a few places I visit where I see really big issues being talked about - in love.  Controversial stuff, to be sure.  But there is a real commitment to talking about the hard stuff, but loving one another and making certain that is [...]