The Christian Mom's Idea Book

From time to time, every mother finds herself at a loss for what to do.  In those moments of crisis, it is helpful to have another mother to call for advice, but not every mother has a friend she can call anytime, any day, no matter what.   Ellen Banks Elwell has put together a useful resource for mothers in The Christian Mom’s Idea Book: Hundreds of Ideas, Tips, and Activities to Help You Be a Great Mom.  In this helpful resource, Elwell places at your fingertips more than 500 ideas, from car trips to college, contributed by eighty-two different mothers.   

Elwell addresses the spiritual and the practical sides of motherhood.  Her book is divided into two sections: “Connecting with the Bible” and “Connecting with Other Moms.”  Using the pattern of Proverbs 31, she organizes the first section into an acrostic of the word ‘motherhood’ in order to paint a picture of a Biblical mother.  She is:

Merciful
Observant
Trustworthy
Helpful
Energetic
Reverent Toward God
Honored
Orator of Wisdom
Of Noble Character
Dignified

Elwell encourages mothers through her descriptions of each attribute and personal illustrations.  This is a book written with the busy mother in mind.  Each part of the acrostic is only a few paragraphs long and easy to understand.  If the time is available, one can sit and read the first section in one sitting.  But do not let her brevity fool you.  Elwell includes pertinent verses from scripture, thought-provoking quotes, and convicting questions for personal reflection.

The second section, “Connecting with Other Moms,” is the heart of the book.  It is a smorgasbord of creative ideas covering 39 different topics.  They are arranged in alphabetical order, so each one is easy to find.  Elwell begins each chapter with a short introduction before listing the ideas from other moms.  Some topics of interest include discipline, cooking, menu planning, and grocery shopping, spiritual nurturing, pregnancy and childbirth, and manners.  Here are a couple of my favorite tips/ideas:

Birthday parties:

“Backwards party: An invitation (written backwards) asked guests to dress backwards for the party.  Upon arrival, guests were told, ‘Goodbye.  Thanks for the gift!’  Cake and ice cream were eaten immediately, and then gifts were opened.  Games such as Backwards Basketball and Backwards Relay Races were played.  Pizza was eaten at the end of the party, and they were sent home with, ‘Hi!  I’m glad you’re here!’”

Laundry:

“Laundry is a nightmare around here.  I was constantly getting it washed and tried and in baskets, but then it sat in that state until I could sort it all.  Now I fold items right out of the dryer on a big table and place each person’s clothes in their own basket.  The kids can just come down and get their basket when they are low on clothes, put it in drawers, and return the baskets.  OK, maybe this will only happen in a perfect world.  I admit I end up delivering the clothes, but at least our bedroom is no longer filled with laundry waiting to be sorted.”

Education:

“Since I take a little while to wake up in the morning, I plan breakfast and sometimes even set the table before I go to bed, so that everything is ready in the morning.  When the children were little, we discussed at bedtime what the weather was going to be the next day and planned clothing that would be appropriate.  I always gave them a choice within broad parameters of what they wanted to wear.”

There are special chapters for single moms, moms of children with special needs, and moms who adopt.

The Christian Mom’s Idea Book is full of humor, encouragement and wisdom, and helpful tips and ideas.  Not all of them will work for every woman, but I am sure every woman can find a handful of help for her family situation.