I’ve felt it in my spirit for a while now—I’m too attached to social media.

Healthy and hearty one-pot meal, made in a rice cooker. That means no standing over the stove for 30 minutes to watch and stir the stew while the kids are clawing at your feet (or each other!). You can make this simple recipe with just 5 ingredients and the stew blocks. More details in the post.

I was working away in the dark beside my fidgeting toddler, when I slapped the laptop cover shut in frustration. Why won’t this kid go to sleep, ugh! I threatened to leave if he didn’t lie down. He quickly scrambled into position and stayed still. Eventually, he did fall asleep, though way past his bedtime. 

A wave of regret and guilt came over me. Shucks, this is how he remembers me just as he drifts to sleep.

There, in the dark, something was nagging in my gut. I recognize this feeling; this quiet tug. Here and now, as I’m forced to stop doing anything, God finally had my attention:

Hey, take care, you’re about to burn out. Your body and emotions are giving you signs.

Though it looks different now as parents than it was when we were dating, our love has deepened and matured over the years.

There’s no shortage of toddler activity ideas online, many promising to give moms a few minutes of peace. And I get it—I really do. But I’m learning that for me, parenting in these little years is about connecting, not disconnecting. Finding time for myself? That’s a challenge I’ll have to work on in other ways.

So if you’ve been feeling discouraged about setting up activities that don’t seem to work, here’s a gentle reminder…

There’s a temptation to lose sight of God’s goodness while in the desert season of waiting. If I don’t tether my heart to God’s promises, I might even lose sight of God altogether.

In chasing what I long for, I often forget that I’m living in the midst of what I once prayed for.

So I talk to my soul: Remember God. Remember His goodness. Trust His timing. Trust His hand.

Here are some verses in the Bible that are helping me anchor my heart…

Generally, for many Asian parents, "doing well" in school means our child is able to follow along academically, and perhaps even excel.

But did you know that the purpose of a Parent-Teacher Meeting from a holistic development perspective can encompass so much more?

There are days when it feels like I've made no progress at all. I build routines, practice managing my emotions, and learn from past mistakes, only to face new challenges that leave me feeling like I'm back at square one.

But here's what I'm learning: the cycle isn't futile. It's actually an upward spiral. It's progress.

Each time we face a struggle, we're not starting over; we're building on what we've already learned. We're stronger than we were before, even if it doesn't feel that way in the moment.