Favorites | 100 Words

Protect the Colts*

June 14th, 2025
Mollie T. Cox

While playing with peers, my sons were exposed to inappropriate, harmful behavior. My husband and I made the hard—yet easy—decision that there must be adult supervision when our boys were with a certain child.

The day after we explained our unpopular stance, we providentially read aloud Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Young Almanzo wanted to train the two-year-old colts, but his father said,

A boy who didn’t know any better might scare a young horse, or tease it, or even strike it … It would learn to bite and kick and hate people…

When Almanzo persisted chapters later, he was told,

In five minutes you can teach them tricks it will take me months to gentle out of them.

When Almanzo eventually went too near the colts, his father repeated his warnings.

That’s too good a colt to be spoiled. I won’t have you teaching tricks that I’ll have to train out of it.

We were accused of being overprotective, of taking mischief too seriously. We knew it was deeper. Reading Wilder’s words—written over fifty years earlier—encouraged us. Our sons were far more valuable than colts.

Have you providentially received encouragement from an unexpected source?

* Edited and republished for the fifth anniversary of 100words.

Favorites, Friendship

Be The First To Ask For Help *

June 7th, 2025
Mollie T. Cox

I had three preschoolers. My nearby friend had four preschoolers. I was overwhelmed many times. She was overwhelmed most of the time. When I ran errands, I occasionally offered to include hers. She always declined, but that changed after I needed mulch.

Potential buyers were coming one afternoon. Our house was for sale in a buyer’s market, and mulch would significantly improve our curb appeal. However, my husband had the car at work the morning my realtor called.

During a quick morning phone conversation, my friend mentioned she was taking all—yes, all four—of her preschoolers shopping at a garden center. At that moment, I was desperate enough to ask for mulch. My friend drove up a couple hours later with three oversized bags, and I immediately spread under our azaleas.

More than mulch, she brought a new attitude. My future offers to help were embraced. I don’t know why. Maybe she realized that adding items to a cart did not impose. Whatever the reason, our friendship grew from my mulch request.

It didn’t stop there. Other friendships grew when I was vulnerable to ask for the help I needed.

Do you need encouragement to accept help?

*Edited and republished for the fifth anniversary of 100words.

Christmas, Favorites

What Should I Give?*

November 25th, 2023
Mollie T. Cox

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
James 1:17 (ESV)

For me, November used to be when I finished Christmas shopping, not when I started. Throughout the year, I scoured stores for ideas and vacation gift shops for memorable reminders of family times. I wrapped gifts as they were bought so they were ready to place as soon as the tree was decorated.

As much as I felt organized, I wish I had known the ditty below. I might have made better choices.

Give your children

Something they want,

Something they need,

Something to wear, and

Something to read.

What do your children want? What do they need? What should they wear? What should they read?

*Another version of this blog appeared November 15, 2020.

Favorites, Friendship, Parenting

I Need Holding Help (From June 21 2020)

June 10th, 2023
Mollie T. Cox

A republished blog for the third anniversary of 100 words.

For weeks, I listened to a tough, tender former Army Ranger instruct his children. “Do not say, ‘I can’t.’ Instead, say, ‘This is hard. I need help.'”

He drilled his children. “Yes, you can. It may be hard. You may need help, but you can do it.”

One Saturday, I was hiking in a rain forest in Brazil with this cousin and his four children. We had strayed from the main trail in order to explore, and the miles were adding up. The almost-four-year-old turned to me and said, “This is hard. I need help.”

“What kind of help?” I asked.

“Holding help.”

I picked him up and carried him for a while.

I took hold of my cousin’s response to “I can’t.” It acknowledges the hard we face. It avoids the argument about whether something can or cannot be done. It supplies a solution.

Do you need holding help for your hard? Does someone need your holding help for their hard?

Favorites, Parenting

Mundane Rules (From June 5th 2020)

June 3rd, 2023
Mollie T. Cox

A republished blog for the third anniversary of 100 words.

I asked my five-year-old cousin what was his favorite part of my visit to his home in Louisiana. His answer? “You waiting for me when I got off the school bus.”

Three years later, he was asked his favorite times with his mother who was dying of cancer. His answer? “Mommy playing games with me while we waited for the school bus.” His favorite game involved counting colors of passing cars.

Being met at the school bus. Waiting for the school bus. Both outweighed adventures such as sunset boat rides, trips to Avery Island to watch alligators, and playing on the ever-changing beach of Rio de Janeiro.

How are these answers relevant to parenting and educating our children? Along the way, I learned that day-to-day life matters more and will be remembered more than elaborate vacations, carefully planned birthday parties, science fairs, team sports, and field trips.

The mundane stays in our children’s memories because of the repetition and the emotions attached. I wish I had known earlier to make the most of the smaller moments. Mundane rules, which can be very good news.

Which mundane moments are your favorites?