There is one thing I have begged God not to ask of me, a life heartbreak I have never felt capable of handling: that is to bury a child. The day I laid eyes on my firstborn my love was instantaneous, and I realized that I would do anything in my power to care for, nurture and protect this human God had placed in my life. Losing her was unfathomable to me. When my youngest was born, my emotions were equally as strong. To this day I am truly thankful He has not placed me in that heartbreaking place.

Whether you have a two-year-old or a 10-year-old there are some days you may wonder who is in charge. It certainly doesn’t feel like it’s you.

You won’t win every battle nor should you expect to.  You can’t put it upon yourself to effectively crack the whip, so to speak, impeccably correcting each and every transgression any child is capable of. But there are a few absolutes you need to incorporate into your life just to keep peace on the home front, guide your kids toward acceptable behavior, and some days, to simply maintain your sanity.

There is an education needed for every woman in the workplace—one that has nothing to do with their chosen career. It rests heavily on real-life instruction and will help you to avoid becoming ensnared in those “Oh dear, what should I do now?” moments that happen in almost every workplace.

Do you ever wonder if you will make career strides in the workplace as a woman? Is it necessary to compete as your male counterparts do, adopting the nature they exhibit in order to succeed? Do you have to act like a man to succeed at work?

Another school shooting and our hearts clench. The image of another mother clinging to a photo of the child instantly taken from her while doing nothing more than attending school rips the hearts and strikes fear into every other parent.

While the debate will continue on gun control, that’s not the discussion I want to have because I think there is something much more pressing that every mother needs to do. Prepare your kids. In every part of their lives, it is our job to prepare them. The thought of having this be a conversation required to raise children today seems almost outrageous. But we have to face our current reality, so it is one we unquestionably need to have.