Posts filed under ‘relationships’
Part 2: You’re Not Asking Too Much – You’re Asking for Partnership
Today’s blog emphasizes the importance of discussing household responsibilities in partnerships to address imbalances that often burden women. It encourages open and honest conversations about shared responsibilities and emotional support. Effective communication is crucial to foster equity and strengthen relationships, ensuring both partners feel heard and valued.
đť Part 1: Married But Carrying It All
The blog discusses the burden many women face in managing domestic responsibilities despite being in working partnerships. It highlights outdated beliefs about domestic labor as “womenâs work,” often perpetuated by societal norms and upbringing. This imbalance leads to resentment and emotional disconnection, urging women to speak up for equitable partnerships in their marriage relationships.
Turning Challenges Into Opportunities for Family Growth
Life happens. One minute, everything is running smoothly, and the next, youâre juggling unexpected stress, miscommunication, or family tension. But hereâs the beautiful truthâchallenges donât have to break us; they can bring us closer. đ
If your family is facing a rough patch, remember this: itâs not about avoiding challenges, but about learning how to navigate them together. Here are three powerful ways to turn obstacles into opportunities for connection and growth.
1ď¸âŁ Communicate Openly
Itâs easy to assume what others are thinking, but real understanding happens when everyone has a voice. If tension is building, take time to pause and check in with each other. Ask questions like:
đŹ Whatâs been on your mind lately?
đŹ How can we support each other better?
A simple conversation can clear the air and strengthen family bonds.
2ď¸âŁ Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection
Raising kids, balancing work and home life, and managing relationships all come with struggles. But growth isnât about perfectionâitâs about small victories. Did your child finally open up about his or her feelings? Did you all manage to have dinner together despite a hectic schedule? Celebrate those wins! đ Progress, no matter how small, keeps us moving forward.
3ď¸âŁ Find Strength in Togetherness
When life feels overwhelming, itâs easy to retreat into our own stress. But families thrive when they lean on each other. A kind word, a reassuring hug, or a shared laugh can make all the difference. Let your loved ones know: âWeâre in this together, and weâll get through it together.â đ§Ą
Challenges donât define usâour resilience does. As we move further into 2025, letâs commit to growing stronger as a family, one step at a time.
If youâre looking for personalized support on building a stronger family dynamic, Iâd love to help! Visit https://clynnwilliams.com/workshops-seminars/ to explore my coaching programs or grab resources designed just for you.
What challenges are your family navigating this year? Drop a comment belowâIâd love to hear from you!
Click Here to become a part of my parenting community.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Parent Coach, Author & Speaker
What Mother’s Day Means to Me
As we approach Mother’s Day, I’m reminded of a question that I asked my Mom years ago as my sister and I were planning a Mother’s Day celebration for her. I wanted to know why she waited to confirm our activities (with her) until she had spoken with my grandmother – her mother. She told me as long as her mother was alive, she would celebrate Mother’s Day with her. My mom is no longer with me, and as a mom and grandmother, I now understand the “order of things“.
Here are 5 lessons that I learned from my mom:
- Be nice to people (you never now what they’re going through)
- Slow down and look at yourself in the mirror (you’re moving too fast)
- Have FUN
- When things are going awry (crazy), declare Divine Order
- Keep a credit card or mad money handy in case you need it
Those tips helped me through the sanest and the craziest times of my life. My mom was very practical! My mother wasn’t the affectionate type who constantly told me how much she loved me. That was okay, because she showed me how much I meant to her – that mattered.
Celebrate the love you have for mother figures in your life. I realize that some of us didn’t have the love relationship with our mothers. If so, I hope you had someone that nurtured you in loving ways. If you haven’t spoken in a while, pick up the phone and say hi. Mend the fence. Let go of those painful memories and make some new ones. Think of the other women who made life complete for you – grandmothers, aunties, your best friend’s mom and everyone else who held the space that mothers hold. Enjoy your weekend.Â
Life is too short to sweat the small stuff!
Happy Mother’s Day
C. Lynn Williams, @MsParentguru
Has Human Companionship Disappeared
Human companionship isnât working well these days is it?
Itâs gotta be the pandemicâs fault!
Maybe itâs all of the togetherness that we are experiencing as a result of sheltering in place. Snuggling up, spooning, booâed up is not as much fun, when youâre in the house 24/7 and so is your sweetie (with you). Basically you start to get tired⌠of each other.
There I said it!
Now, clearly Iâm talking to just a few of you⌠the honest ones. I know itâs not the end of the world, but itâs scary because youâre admitting that the one person that you pledged to be with FOREVER⌠isnât enough to keep you going during this pandemic crisis. And for my single friends, itâs really scary, because how do you date (responsibly) during a viral scare when you have no idea where that delightful person who looks great online, has been.
I had a long talk with God yesterday and decided (remembered), that our mates, spouses, boyfriends/girlfriends, partners are human companions. They are not designed to please us indefinitely. Matter of fact, they are probably wondering why they feel so⌠blah (with you)? Iâm not saying that the thrill is gone, nor am I saying itâs time to look for a new mate. It’s just that we are on a journey, and part of that journey is physical (relationships) and the rest is spiritual. The spiritual journey helps you build inner resources to realize that a human will never be enough (forever). God is the only forever relationship.
So forgive your partner if he or she wears the same shirt for an entire week. Theyâre doing the best they can. Same with you. Be real. Make jokes. Have fun. Be thankful for what you have. 
Build up your spiritual relationship with your source. I call my source… God. Take time away from your kids, your partner, your phone, your Zoom calls and get quiet. You will be surprised at how peaceful life really is. And how much better you feel.
Interested in learning more about your familyâs dynamics? Contact me – Ms. Parent Guru to receive information about my inspiring relationship-building programs for Aging Parents, Mothers and Daughters, Mothers and their Sons, Fathers and Daughters, Fathers and their Sons or Mothers and themselves.
Click Here to become a part of my parenting community.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Parent Coach, Author & Speaker
The Blending Of Blended Families
Falling in love with a man or woman is wonderful and exciting. But how will his children feel with you as their stepmom … or better yet how will yours feel?
Click on the link below and watch the rest of my video blog!
Want to learn more about your familyâs dynamics? Order a copy of my book: Yours & Mine: A Winning Blended Family Formula
Click Here to become a part of my parenting community.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Family Dynamics Strategist, Author & Speaker
How the Sins of Our Mothers Scar Us
My sister and I always felt that our mom favored our brother Tony. Her heart seemed to be softer on his behalf. Donât get me wrong, Tony got into trouble and was punished too, but not as much once my parents split up. What I now know, is that Mom was compensating for my dad being absent in his life. She did the best she knew how.
Since I was in college during my sister and brotherâs high years; years AD (after divorce), I didnât see much preferential treatment bestowed on Tony.
Mom could do a lot of things really well! When it came to organization and getting things done, my mom was AWESOME! I learned how to speak up for and take care of myself because of my mother. Showing emotions, wasn’t her strength. She was unable to teach me how to love and nurture myself or anyone else. So in high school and college, I was pretty detached in my relationships. I kept to myself and only opened up to my closest friends.
Once I became a mom and started seeking my mother’s advice, I asked her why she seldom said she loved us or hugged. Her words were âMy mom didnât treat us that way.â
Hereâs the deal: families live and die emotionally through experiences with the moms in their lives. If your mom did not receive praise and lots of âI love yousâ â¤ď¸ as a child, then they either feel that it was unwarranted (when they raise children) or they are emotionally unable to share those kinds of feelings.
It is definitely possible that mothers will give lots of love and praise when they have their own children even if they didnât receive it as a child. I have many friends who are wonderful moms, and when asked about their childhood, they say they didnât get along with their mom. When pressed to explain further, they say they wanted a different experience for their own children. â¤ď¸
When mothers are harsh and donât exhibit warmth and love to their son or daughter, that child grows up similar to a sociopath who acts without feelings or conscious.
How do we change that behavior?
One child at a time…
Yes I know you are busy working and raising a family…
Yes, I know you never had a relationship with your mom or dad and donât know how to talk (civilly) or show love…
Yes, itâs hard…
But not impossibleâŚ
Start by taking baby steps.
- âGood morning, I love you.â
- âGood night I love you.â
- âHave a good day at school.â (Hug your son or daughter)
- âYou mean everything to me.â
These statements go a long way toward building a better relationship.
Thatâs nice. â¤ď¸
Interested in learning more about your familyâs dynamics? Contact me – Ms. Parent Guru to receive information about my inspiring parenting programs for Aging Parents, Mothers and Daughters, Mothers and their Sons, Fathers and Daughters or Fathers and their Sons.
Click Here to become a part of my parenting community.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Family Dynamics Strategist, Author & Speaker
Kids Do the Darnedest Things
I have the cutest great nephew, and one day he said s*~t. He was two years old and we couldnât understand where he heard a word like that and could repeat it so clearly. Periodically, swear words are sprinkled throughout his conversations especially when he gets frustrated. It doesnât really matter where he picked up his irreverent language, just know that he was imitating someone close to him (that he respected).
Young children are like sponges and they pick up our words, phrases and mannerisms so easily. They watch us to determine how they should act, and then they surprise us with an exact replica of ourselves. That’s one of the things they do quite well without any prompting from us.
I said young children didnât I? Actually it doesnât matter how old our child is, they imitate our behaviors whether positive or negative.
Both my parents smoked like sailors as I was growing up. The first semester that I was home from college, I lit up a cigarette in front of my mother. She was horrified and asked âWhy are you smoking?â I told her that since she did it, Iâd decided to smoke too. Then we had a conversation about her addiction to cigarettes. She begged me to stop and that was the first (and last) cigarette I smoked.
Here are five thoughts to remember as your kids continue to grow:
- Watch your language
- Manage your temper (no popping off)
- Model kindness
- Be open (for them to talk)
- LISTEN
Enjoy your family and have a Happy Thanksgiving.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Have You Established A School Routine?
When I was in elementary and high school, my mother started preparing my siblings and me for our 1st day of school several weeks in advance. She changed our bedtimes and reduced our outside playing time to prepare us for the new school year. It didn’t make sense at the time, but the transition to school was smoother and we weren’t sleepy in the mornings. 
Once I had children of my own, having a routine, made a lot of sense. And as a former high school teacher, I could tell which students had routines at home and those who didn’t. Email me back if you want to know how I knew….
If you are dreading the first week of school and wondering how you are going to prepare for a new routine where everyone is on time to where they are going –Â l CAN HELP!
As a Back to School gift to all parents who are getting children of all ages back into the groove of school, I am offering you a gift of peace instead of chaotic mornings and bedtimes. To receive this gem of information, join my parent community. I promise that your contact information will be safe and is not for sale by me or anyone on my staff.
Below is a link to preschool, elementary and high school routines that I created to help you help your child get into the groove of school as easily as possible.Â
CLICK HERE
If your current routines aren’t working to your satisfaction, build a new set of routines this year. The routines will teach your children how to manage themselves and their time for better success in school. Have a great school year!
Interested in learning more about your familyâs dynamics? Contact me – Ms. Parent Guru to receive information about my inspiring parenting programs for Aging Parents, Mothers and Daughters, Mothers and their Sons, Fathers and Daughters or Fathers and their Sons.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Family Dynamics Strategist, Author & Speaker
Are We Properly Preparing Our Daughters?
One of the things that I was most proud of as a mom, was how I prepared my biological daughter for what challenges life had for her.
Often our conversations were predicated on what was going on in my life like divorce, disappointment, dating, career changes, etc. 
Other peopleâs life experiences were fair game too because they were teachable moments that I could use to explain why life operated as it did.
So I thought I did a pretty GOOD job … until we had our latest conversation and she told me that mothers donât really prepare their daughters for life as a mom; as a working mom or as a married working mom.
She felt weâre not honest about the job description. Somehow the picture that we paint is idealistic and not representative of what it takes to be married, work and raise children.
In actuality, you marry the man of your dreams (hopefully), you have a baby or several babies, and you work outside of the home. When you get home from work, you take care of your family. In the taking care of your family you seldom have time for yourself. And depending on your husbandâs culture and upbringing, he may or may not support you in the raising of the children and helping with the household chores.
That sucks, because there is such a difference between the American dream for women and what many young women experience as wives and mothers. We tell our daughters to get a good education, find a good job, get married and have children. And live happily ever after.
Itâs more realistic for us as mothers, to share realistic experiences with our daughters throughout their adolescence and teen years, so that they can decide what they want out of life. And they understand the trade-offs that are required depending on which path they take.
For women who decide to take the career path and not have children, mothers need to share what that may feel like as the daughter gets older. Having the conversation may help minimize the regret of not having become a mother.
On the other hand, for daughters who want a career and also a family; explain how exhausted they can be during the first 5 years of their childâs life because of sleep deprivation and adjustments to new family routines. They may have a supportive spouse and they may not. Give them guilt-free permission to hire a nanny or a housekeeper to help with the house and children.
I mean if we are not honest with our daughters, who will be?
Interested in learning more about your familyâs dynamics? Contact me – Ms. Parent Guru to receive information about my inspiring parenting programs for Aging Parents, Mothers and Daughters, Mothers and their Sons, Fathers and Daughters or Fathers and their Sons.
Click Here to become a part of my parenting community.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Family Dynamics Strategist, Author & Speaker
Staying Sane While Raising Your Teens 
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