You may have wondered where I’ve been, or more importantly why I took a break from my blog. I’d love to tell you that I’ve been working steadily on my upcoming book, “Being a Mom Is a Wake-Up Call…To Your Life”, and that is true, in part. The other real reason is that sometimes it’s hard to write in isolation and wonder if anybody is really listening, or at least reading what I’ve written. I began reflecting upon my work, what I love about it and what I was ready to let go of. I do believe that we have choices in life and when we live intentionally, we live [...] Read more »
Kids Just Want to Know…
Have you ever noticed that when your child knows what to expect, life goes a little smoother? Although life is not set in stone, we all feel a little more secure when we “know” what to expect. When I work with parents, we spend time talking about becoming a “proactive” parent. By being proactive, you learn to set your child up for success. You learn to recognize their internal triggers and plan accordingly. A parent who is proactive, also knows how to respond to their child, rather than to react to their behavior. Of course you can’t always plan ahead and children do need to learn to adapt to life’s [...] Read more »
Whispers…What Is Real For Children?
Has your child ever talked to you about “hearing voices in their head”? Or perhaps they insist that they saw someone in their bedroom last night as they were falling asleep? I remember my children sharing stories like this when they were little. Our oldest daughter had an imaginary friend, named “Bing”. Bing often rode with us in the car, ate many meals at our family dinner table and was her part-time playmate. She had many “real” playmates and looked forward to playdates, but Bing was there for her whenever she needed him. I accepted her “playmate” as a normal imaginary friend phenomenon for a 4 year old girl. Curiously, [...] Read more »
Motherhood
“Motherhood is about raising and celebrating the child you have, not the child you thought you would have. It’s about understanding that he is exactly the person he is supposed to be. And that, if you’re lucky, he just might be the teacher who turns you into the person you are supposed to be.” – Joan Ryan Read more »
Allowing Our Children To Freely Express Themselves
“There is no single effort more radical in its potential for saving the world than a transformation of the way we raise our children.” Marianne Williamson The following story is an excerpt from “CLICK…Choosing Love ONE FRAME AT A TIME”, by Carl Studna. He is a world renowned photographer who has uses his gift and talents to capture the essence of individuals and ordinary moments. His book, so beautifully written, reminds us that in every moment of our life, we have choices to act out of love rather than fear, and to free ourselves to be our true selves. I loved reading his book, not only because of my passion [...] Read more »
Are You a Balanced Mom?
We often often hear about the importance of having a balanced life, eating a balanced diet, and being a balanced Mom. What does that really mean? I found out, while giving a recent workshop for Moms, “Being a Mom is a Wake-Up Call…to Your Life”, that it means different things to different people. Some Moms reported hating the word “balance”. The word had a negative connotation for them. They viewed the act of balancing a family, work and life as unrealistic. They shared that by trying to achieve this “balance”, they put even more pressure on themselves. Perhaps the pressure of not finding or maintaining the balance, led them to [...] Read more »
I Am So Glad You Were Born
“I am so glad you were born”…seven words so simple, yet so powerful. Perhaps rather ordinary yet so beautiful when placed together in one sentence. As parents, we feel love for our children, but how often do we voice those words? When we say “I love you” to our child, we express our love and admiration. The phrase, “I love you” is meaningful but often generic. We so easily get caught up the busyness of our daily lives and focus on our “to do” lists and our children’s behavior. We remember our daily tasks and reminders for our children…”Have you done your homework?”…”Did you remember to brush your teeth?”. We [...] Read more »
Inspired by Strength
I recently had the privilege of spending time with military Moms and caregivers of their wounded husbands. I was invited to facilitate a Caregiver’s Circle and workshop, “Who’s Taking Care of You?”, as part of the Lt. Dan Weekend, held at Palm Key Retreat Center. As I sat with these amazing women, I was saddened by their stories, but inspired by their strength. Even through their tumultuous experiences and lives filled with uncertainties, there was such grace and strength among these women. Although they expressed frustration and anger, that was not their focus. They were not expending precious energy by focusing on the negative. They have consciously chosen to move [...] Read more »
Back to school…Are you ready?
It’s back to school time. Many parents have a smile on their face and are ready for school to begin. However, most kids I know are not quite ready for summer to end. Now is the time to begin to help your children make the transition from summer to school. Here are some tips to help make this transition a smooth one. Begin the transition a week or so before school begins by creating routines and a school time schedule. No more late nights! Establish regular bedtime and wake-up schedules. Set your child up for success! Purchase appropriate school supplies Minimize morning mishaps by preparing the night before Set out [...] Read more »
Mom Power
“Oh what a power is motherhood, possessing A potent spell All women alike Fight fiercely for a child.” ~ Euripides Recently I watched a video, once again, of a powerful Mom. She spoke about her need to protect her children during a tornado. View the video here. It was a reminder, to me, how strong a mother’s instinct is to protect her children, whatever the cost. To this mother, it was the cost of losing her legs. Whether a Mom protects her children with a heroic act, such as this Mom did, or protects her child when they are hurt, both are powerful acts. Mothers also have an intuitive sense [...] Read more »
