I think the number one most important thing we can do as parents is validate our kids. Validation is like a suit of armor for those times when they’ll have to defend themselves against self-doubt, and life’s hard blows. The more we validate them, the stronger their armor is as they navigate the world…
Sometimes it feels like life is a rerun. Everyday starts to feel like Groundhog Day, especially in the winter. I get overwhelmed with impossibly harried schedules and “have to’s” and in an attempt to catch my breath, I forget to notice the moments I’m in, and find myself on the couch, binge watching Netflix.…
For some of us, holidays are that special mixture of joy and vulnerability, of excited anticipation and anxious trepidation. Holidays mean spending time with those we adore and those who have the ability to pull our strings and trigger sensitive wounds. Being with people who have that special ability to hurt us where it…
Last Sunday was an emotionally charged day for me. It began with attending a moving music service dedicated to Maya Angelou which brought me to tears. Afterwards, my teenager gifted me with a generous amount of time in reciprocal conversation talking about one of the most challenging issues to discuss with our kids. Later,…
Holidays are a time of year when we take note of, and get nostalgic about, our family traditions. We look forward to eating exceptional foods, being with family we don’t get to see very often, playing games together, and doing the things we’ve always done at this time of year. It is in these…
From the moment I submitted last week’s article about avoiding technological gifts this holiday, I started worrying. I might offend some readers whose lives are made better by technology and who are delighted by what these devices can do. I know that anything I write has the potential to ruffle feathers, and that I…
I’m thinking about doing a retro holiday this year. I want to give gifts that don’t have batteries (I’m making an exception for board games that might have a battery-operated buzzer or timer) and that encourage togetherness. I know the new tech gadgets are super cool and exciting and I love to see all…
We have a tendency to assume why our partners and kids do, or don’t do, things. Ugh, he never squeezes out the sponge after washing the dishes (He’s lazy and inconsiderate). She refuses to dump the compost when it’s full (She’s an airhead and doesn’t notice the obvious). He is such a slob; how…
One of the things that is both a blessing and a curse about being a grandparent, is having the perspective of an observer. On the one hand, you can see what’s causing some of the stress in the family, and can offer words of wisdom to relieve some of it, but on the other…
Whether they are learning to play the piano or learning to remember to hand in their homework, it takes practice, practice, practice! Kids who are forgetful, disorganized, impulsive, and spacey tend to be functioning from their lower brains, the instinctual part of the brain. In order to be on top of things and mindful,…