Jen Tompkins

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Jen Tompkins

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Flashback

May 3, 2010
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by Jen Tompkins

Sydney at 4 months

Carson at 14 months

« Is talking learning?
World, meet efficiency. Now: be friends. »

Come say hello on Instagram @jenbunchtompkins

Thank you for your kind words on my birthday post,

Thank you for your kind words on my birthday post, and being so encouraging about my new writing adventure. I’m especially grateful for those of you who entrusted me with your email address and signed up for my newsletter! I think we’re going to have fun. 😏

I used a random number generator from all the new names, and the winner of the Amazon gift card is Helen Wolfe! I’ll email you, Helen!

Here are some bonus memes for your Monday! Have a great week, friends. ❤️

A reminder for us as parents as the pandemic *DRAM

A reminder for us as parents as the pandemic *DRAMA* continues: it’s healthy and good for kids to see us process difficult seasons. I want my kids to know that I have emotions and frustrations—they are a part of life!

But it is not fair to them to be my primary sounding board. They are soaking up not only my words, by my tone, body language and subtext.

Our kids have had to carry their own levels of frustration and anxiety over the past 18 months, and I certainly don’t want them to add MY anxiety on top of that. The way we “vent” about stinky situations and PEOPLE who disagree with us will impact them more than we might realize.

Let’s process with other adults, so we can be a safe place of consistent encouragement for our kids as WE help THEM process at an age-appropriate level.

Thanks for all the kind birthday messages! This ye

Thanks for all the kind birthday messages! This year, for my birthday, I have a secret to share, a favor to ask, and a gift to give. Is that clickbait or WHAT?!

***
For many years on my birthday, I would say: “This is the year I’m going to write a book!” Only to come around to July 30 again not having taken any real steps toward that goal. But guess what? Last year I took some steps.

You see, parenting has been the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life, and I have a deep desire to connect with other parents who may feel the same. I want to encourage them, make them laugh and feel seen. I knew I would regret it if I didn’t put some of that encouragement in words. I also have TOO MANY RIDICULOUS STORIES about my offspring not to share them. I’ve written several chapters, got some help with a fancy book proposal and have signed with a literary agent. Will it be traditionally published or self published? No idea. But this is the year I’m going for it.

Thanks to a last minute opening with @kelliekentphotography, I got some new pics that felt exactly like having senior pictures taken in my 40’s, to put on my newly updated website, www.jentompkins.com.

I’ve also learned that if you want to write a book, it helps if people want to read it. (SHOCKING INFORMATION.) My goal is to build a community of like-minded friends who want to engage and laugh about parenting, life, faith and also: memes. 😏 One of the best ways to do that is to provide a monthly newsletter and have people subscribe.

As a gift to me, would you be willing to check out my website and subscribe to my newsletter? I promise to be one of the brightest spots in your inbox. Also, for fun, everyone who subscribes to the newsletter this weekend will be entered in a random drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card.

Thank you for being the most lovely friends and family ever. I’m thankful for another year to have you in my life!

Is there anything cuter than cousins?! These seven

Is there anything cuter than cousins?! These seven are spread out from 3 to 15, and I just want to eat them up. Who is your favorite cousin? Tag them so we can insta-stalk them. 😏

A few years ago, one of the best ways that I bonde

A few years ago, one of the best ways that I bonded with my kids was to snuggle with them and read books before bedtime. They had that unmistakable post-bath delicious smell, and they would scoot right in next to me for as long as I would stay. Of course, they would also irritatingly point out every time I tried to skip a page, but it was a reliable part of our daily routine.

As they have gotten older, it’s not quite as common or easy for us to bond and snuggle. They are busier, bigger, definitely not interested in reading with me, and their healthy adolescent independence naturally pulls us apart. (Some days I handle this better than others.)

I am constantly learning and growing in this different season of parenting, but I have found a few things that are still reliable ways for me to connect with my teenagers—of which I now have TWO! 😳

I wrote a full post on the blog, but I thought I would share three tips I’ve learned for connecting with my teens.

I would really like to know: how do you connect with your teenagers?

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