Lately, have you ever noticed more and more families plugged-into their phones, computers or video game devices? I’ve observed many digitally “connected” families in restaurants, airports, parks and even on the beach. I notice more and more families spending a lot of time on their electronic devices. Don’t get me wrong. I love technology and feel that a lot of good has come from it. However, it seems that we are spending more time talking to our devices than to each other. As we are texting, tweeting and messaging, are we really listening to each other? Ironically, the intention of social media is to connect us, but is it really? [...] Read more »
Helping Your Children Tame Their Tantrums
A few months ago, I wrote an article that I’d like to share with you, entitled “Taming the Tantrums“. It was recently published in the online “Mindful Parenting Magazine“. You might notice that it is their “winter issue” because it is based in Australia. The fact that they asked me to write an article about tantrums, particularly in older children, was reassuring to know that temper tantrums are not only occurring in the United States! In my work, and as a Mom, I have found that when a child learns to soothe themself, they are not as dependent on others to help calm them down. They begin to feel more [...] Read more »
On Being a Mom
Happy Mother’s Day…to Moms both young and old. As I look back on my years as a mother, I am ever so grateful for the journey that I had with my four children. The sweet times and memories of motherhood remain with me as if they happened only yesterday. I also have memories of the rough patches along the way, yet they become a bit more blurred and often take on a different meaning…maybe they weren’t as awful as they seemed in the moment, or maybe time and living life has given me a new perspective. What I know for sure, is that I wouldn’t have missed it for [...] Read more »
Why Is It So Hard For Moms to Nurture Themselves?
“Self-care is not about self-indulgence, it is about self-preservation.” – Audre Lord Being a Mom can be one of the most rewarding experiences, filled with many joyful moments. At the same time, being a Mom can be a demanding and exhausting job. Are there days when you feel lonely or isolated? Whether you are a Mom who works outside of the house, or at home, you’ve most likely experienced both exhaustion and isolation at times. It is easy to forget about your own needs, when you are being Mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend, colleague, co-worker…the list of roles women play goes on and on! Moms often [...] Read more »
Just Slow Down
Recently, I came upon this poem, written by Sarah Dunning Park, a mom of small children. Her poem transported me right back to my minivan, filled with our four children, all going in different directions. I remember wondering if there would be enough minutes in the hour, hours in the day to get where we were going. Some days, I wondered if “hurry up, we need to get going” was becoming my mantra…all the while wondering about the long term effects of our being on the go. As parents, we’ve all been there…just trying to get through the work days, errands, appointments, deadlines, and over-scheduled schedules. I asked myself at [...] Read more »
Being a Mom is Tough…But So Worth It
Recently, I received a link to a blog post from one of our daughters, also mother to our two grandaughters (the little sunshines of our life). As I read the post, it gave me the opportunity to remember and reflect, what it was like to be a Mom of young children…after the fact. The blog post was written by Glennon, a Mom of three and author of Momastery blog. This particular post went viral…I noticed that she had over 2,000 comments on her website! http://momastery.com/blog/2012/01/04/2011-lesson-2-dont-carpe-diem/ After reading and reflecting on Glennon’s honest and gritty words, I thought I’d share some of my thoughts…as a Mom. Although, I felt I was [...] Read more »
Please Put Your Oxygen Mask on First
While traveling by plane recently, I overheard the flight attendant reminding parents to ‘please put their own oxygen mask on first’. It makes sense that by putting their mask on first, they will receive enough oxygen so that they can be coherent enough to put on our their child’s mask. However, it does not feel natural for parents, especially Moms, to take care of their own needs before their child’s. Moms often share that they feel selfish when taking time for themselves. They feel guilty or judged if they aren’t putting their child first. Being selfless means having little concern for one’s self…doing for others before yourself. Mothers often lament, [...] Read more »
