Spotlight on a Mean Mom – Lindsey Bell

Would you please say howdy to our very own Mean Mama — Lindsey Bell!

I must admit, with Christmas season here, I’ve been OVERWHELMED with LOTS going on–including a trip to California last week. THANK YOU, LINDSEY, for being so patient! Lindsey is a gal I know personally, so I KNOW you’ll personally love her, too.

Lindsey, it’s so great to have you here! Tell us a little about yourself.

I live in the Midwest with my husband, Keith, and my two boys, who are 5 and 2. 

Are you a mean mom or a marshmallow mom?

I’m both. I can certainly lay down the law when I need to, but I’m also a softy. My boys know just how to melt my heart.

What’s the toughest mean mom decision you’ve had to make recently?

A couple of weeks ago, I took my two-year-old son to the library for story hour. He LOVES story hour. Unfortunately, he was not behaving very well on the ride over. I told him if he didn’t change his behavior, we would turn around and go home. Right when we arrived at the library, he threw a shoe at me…so, without a word, I put our seatbelts back on and went straight home. His big blue eyes filled with tears, and he cried the whole way home. It broke my heart too, but I know it was the right thing to do. 

What mean mom wisdom can you share with moms? If you’re a marsh- mallow mom what’s the best mean mom wisdom you’ve been given? 

Be consistent. I have one very strong-willed child, and the best advice I have ever received about disciplining him is to be consistent and follow through with consequences. 

 

Lindsey, do you have a favorite scripture verse for your mothering journey?

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23. I love this verse because it reminds me, especially on the hard days, that what I am doing matters because I’m working for my family, but also working for my God! Nothing I am doing has gone unnoticed in his eyes.

 

Is there a book that has encouraged you?

Hands Free Mama by Rachel Macy Stafford.

 

What is the legacy you want to leave for your children?

For me it’s pretty simple…that I loved my God and that I adored my family. 

Thanks Lindsey! Some of you may not know this about our very own  Lindsey Bell. She’s the author of an amazing book- Searching for Sanity: 52 Insights from the Parents of the Bible, a devotional for moms. She’s also a speaker for women’s events, she blogs!  www.lindsey-bell.com. Her book is available at this link: http://amzn.to/1oIDjjH.

 

Here’s a little wisdom–what a child defines as mean… a mom defines a little differently.

Mean Moms instill loving boundaries and have a tough outer shell to stay the course. 

The Mean Mom’s Guide to Raising Great Kids will be on store shelves March 2015!

While working on this book over the summer, mean moms and soft-marshmallow moms raised their hands to be a part of The Mean Mom Team, a focus group I pulled together on Facebook. I thought you should meet them!

Click here to join “The Mean Mom Team“. We’d LOVE to have you!