I’ve Moved ~ Join me at the Tranquility Moms blog

Thank you for your loyalty and support since 2019, when I began the Morning Jumpstart for Moms blog! I wanted to share tips with you in motherhood that have helped me, personally and professionally, as a Therapist and Coach that specializes in working with moms!

In 2020, I founded Tranquility Moms. My passion is to share coping tools with moms struggling with stress and anxiety in pregnancy, postpartum and in motherhood. I have grown the Tranquility Moms website and created a blog and YouTube channel with tips on family, faith, travel and wellness! Join me at the new spot and let’s get to know one another!

Be well and God bless,

Coach Kathy

Kathryn D. Gardner, LCPC, PMH-C, CHC

Power Up, Moms!

I was standing in the middle of Main Street in Disney’s Magic Kingdom and I realized that my cell phone was almost dead. I had used it all day long to check the wait times for rides, check the weather about the pending storm, order our lunch food and text with my family about our long list of plans for the rest of the day at Disney. 

I had taken countless pictures and used my cell phone all day long. Now, I stood there concerned about what would happen if my cell phone battery died. It was blinking red and the phone was glitching, the apps would not open without an error message and I realized, without a full battery, I was going to miss the next photo moment or a text with updates from my brother or not have a poncho for the storm that was definitely coming! I would not be able to function properly, I needed to recharge my phone!

We are like those cell phones, we glitch and all functions do not work properly when we have a low battery. But how low has my battery gotten?

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Get Away to Bring Your Family Back Together

Disclosure: Amazon Affiliate Program links are included in this article. If you purchase the item, there is no increase in the price. Thank you for supporting Tranquility Moms – we appreciate you!

Our wifi was running really slow. I opened up the app from our internet provider at the house and it showed 17 devices currently linked to the wifi. It showed a bar at the top “Excessive wifi usage warning.” Hmm, that sounds bad! I scrolled down the list, wow, do we really have that many devices pulling from the wifi? Our thermostat, our TV, our computers, my work laptop, the kids’ tablets, our cell phones…the list went on! Two things were apparent to me – we really rely on technology nowadays to even run a home and two, we are sucked into our devices way too much!

This is one of the key reasons families are feeling more disconnected from their relationships more than ever. Families are together but separate. We may all be in the family room together, but how many of us are sitting on a device and disconnected from one another. Are we talking as often? Are we actually listening to each other? Are we distracted and have a short attention span to get back to our video game or Facebook story? Are we laughing as often? Are we able to respond to a crisis quickly in the family because we intimately know what each other needs? 

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A Mom’s Love

A mom loves so deeply, she forgets about her own needs. Do you have those days when you have forgotten to brush your teeth? You haven’t eaten in who knows how many hours! You aren’t sure when your last shower was. You are so focused on caring for and caring about your little one. Thankfully, as my kids have gotten older, I make sure I have time for me. Yet, I still feel guilty and want to make sure I am devoting myself to what their heart needs. 

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God Gave Moms a Special Job

“Job” doesn’t even seem to describe what we do! It is a calling and takes such selfless dedication! It is SPECIAL and what you have to do takes strength and wisdom! Any mom wishing to have a baby will tell you that she knows how special the role of mother is.

God knows you and chose you for this very important role of mother. He knows how much love you have to give. God gave you the task to CARE FOR and CARE ABOUT your children. This happens in so many forms from infancy through sending them off to college. The number of ways you CARE FOR each of your kids are unique to who that child is and how you take care of their meals, their health, their wellbeing, their emotional support, their academics and what they need for their activities. No one cares for your child like you do. You CARE ABOUT them no matter how well they are doing or what they are struggling with. This is at the core of NURTURING, you DO have a special job, PRAY for whatever you need, Mama!

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Cherish Your Strengths as a Mom

  • You may give the BEST hugs. Or your cookies are to die for. Or you know just what to say to comfort your child. You may make the best forts in the family room. You may have fun dance moves in the kitchen. You know where every piece of laundry is in a pinch. You have the red school folder ready on Tuesdays. You tell the funniest bedtime stories. You cheer the loudest at the football game. Mom, you nurture and love in so many ways. You have so many strengths!
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You can RECHARGE on your Spring Break Family Vacation

Disclosure: Amazon Affiliate Program links are included in this article. If you purchase the item, there is no increase in the price. Thank you for supporting Tranquility Moms - we appreciate you!

When I was a kid, our family would go to Sanibel Island, Florida, on spring break. It was so exciting to jump on a plane from cold Chicago and arrive in the heat and palm trees of the Gulf coast. Shorts and bathing suits were the new attire. I remember walking the beach and finding seashells, they were the best treasure!  For one week on spring break, we got to recharge and spend some great time together.  

So, now as parents of 2 kids, we book a trip as often as we can over spring break too. It helps to break up the stretch from winter break to summer vacation! Do you have a trip planned over spring break? Maybe an overnight stay locally or some day trips planned. Are you driving somewhere or flying to get to a different climate? Some spring break trips for families are to the mountains or to the ocean. Are you visiting loved ones? Is the trip about relaxing or is the agenda full of exciting adventures? 

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Finding Spiritual Direction in the New Year

Happy New Year, Friend! I hope you had a great New Year’s Eve! If you didn’t, that’s ok. I spent my evening snuggling up to a migraine…lovely. But that’s life sometimes. Don’t get caught in the thinking trap that how New Year’s Eve or the first few days of the new year went is some indication of how the rest of the year will go. Each day is new. Thank God! 🙂 

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Lamentations 3:22-23
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Year in Review: A New Year’s Eve Activity

Well…how are you? Have you taken a breath yet after the holidays? I have to admit, I love the few days between Christmas and the new year. There is this beautiful gap of time that I feel is comparable to the moment you stop moving after a long run or jog. 

When you stop running you stand there for a moment, hands on both knees, head hanging down and gasping for some air. After a few minutes you grab a water, take a seat and allow yourself to just exist for a bit. 

That’s what these 6 days between Christmas and the new year feel like to me. They really feel like a gift that holds a special opportunity to reflect. 

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