This document discusses ways that pastors can better support mothers and their families. It notes that mothers are often underestimated but have many gifts. It also lists the 5 hardest things about being a mom, such as feeling guilty, lonely, and overwhelmed, and provides suggestions for how pastors can help, such as providing babysitting, social opportunities, and making church family-friendly. The document concludes by listing the 5 greatest things about being a mom that the church already helps with, such as sharing God's forgiveness and Word with their family.

1. Grace, Peace, and
Babysitting
Improving Your Ministry to Women and Their Families

2. Pastors and Mothers
•Often underestimated
•Experienced mediators
•Master multi-taskers
•Translate faith into everyday moments

3. Pastors and Mothers
• Highly educated
• Lots of gifts and abilities
• Sinful and doomed to failure on
their own
• God’s grace comes through the
Word and Sacraments
• Feel God’s presence in the
members of our church family

4. Deuteronomy 6:5-9
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your
soul, and all your might. And these words that I command you today
shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your
children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and
when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you
rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be
as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts
of your house and on your gates.”

5. 5 Hardest Things about Being a Mom
(and how you can help)
1) FEELING GUILTY
• Things done
• Things left undone
• Need opportunities to experience forgiveness
• Need opportunities to learn new parenting strategies and what the
Bible says about parenting

6. 5 Hardest Things about Being a Mom
(and how you can help)
2) FEELING LONELY
• Moms feel isolated, especially when they stay home with children all day.
• Need opportunities to gain perspective, reflect, and catch their breath.
• Facebook Meet-Up Page could allow connections to be made
• Host a MOPS group or similar kind of Bible study group
• Host an exercise class or allow other family-friendly organizations to use
space in your building

7. 5 Hardest Things about Being a Mom
(and how you can help)
3) FINDING BABYSITTING
• Moms need time for reflection, fellowship, and studying the Word without
distraction.
• If there is babysitting, moms know you want them there.
• Moms want to participate in choir, voters’ meetings, Bible Studies, and LWML; but
don’t have the budget to pay for babysitting.
• Ask for volunteers to rotate babysitting or make it a line item in your budget
• Be aware of the message you are sending when there is no childcare provided.

8. 5 Hardest Things about Being a Mom
(and how you can help)
4) MAKING IT THROUGH CHURCH
• Keep kids in church and out of the nursery.
• Provide age-appropriate Christian materials to engage kids during the service.
• The more senses you engage the better.
• Invite children to the font for baptisms.
• Explain the sanctuary during children’s messages.
• Have impromptu processions to celebrate church festivals.
• Sit with your own family when you are able.

9. 5 Hardest Things about Being a Mom
(and how you can help)
5) FEELING OVERWHELMED
• Easy to be frightened and overwhelmed by all the temptations facing our kids
• Need lots of Christian mentors in kids’ lives.
• Mix generations
• Stock the church library
• Have church sports teams for adults
• Provide some education for kids outside of Sunday School

10. 5 Greatest Things about Being a Mom
(and how you are already helping me)
1) Sharing God’s
forgiveness with the
people I love the
most.

11. 5 Greatest Things about Being a Mom
(and how you are already helping me)
2) Daily reminders that my children
and I are completely in God’s
hands.

12. 5 Greatest Things about Being a Mom
(and how you are already helping me)
3)Sharing God’s Word.

13. 5 Greatest Things about Being a Mom
(and how you are already helping me)
4) My kids like going
to church!

14. 5 Greatest Things about Being a Mom
(and how you are already helping me)
5) I am not alone. I know you
will always be there when
my family needs you.