When did elementary and middle school promotions become such big events? We have parents arriving an hour or two early to get a good seat with balloons and flowers in hand. I’m not sure why or how these promotions became such a phenomenon. … [Read more...]
Challenge the Norm: How My Grandma Lived Her Way
He was a little guy, perhaps around 8 years old with sandy blonde hair that reached his shoulders. His dad was twice his size. Tears fell down the little guy's cheeks as his dad spanked him hard and yelled something to him about manners. My grandma and I were right outside of Disneyland’s crowed entrance, leaving after a full day. In a huff, my grandmother grabbed my hand and walked over to the dad. … [Read more...]
The Secret to Raising Independent Children
All that friendly advice starts the minute folks discover you’re expecting a baby. I’m more than two decades into this journey, and people still share opinions about how I should parent. “When you're pregnant, people feel like they can come up and give you unsolicited advice. When I was nine months pregnant, this one woman came up and she said, I have one word for you: epidural. And I was like, Oh my God, thanks. But we already picked a name.” ~Bonnie McFarlane … [Read more...]
Live With Integrity
Living with integrity means consistently operating within one's own value system. Simple, eh? Not so much. The big things are obvious. Keep your promises, hold to your vows, and set priorities accordingly. But then, life and all its pesky annoyances start to wear us down. Eventually, all parents hear something like this: “But, mom you promised.” “Yes, but…” … [Read more...]
Honor Failure
“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill When we see success we admire its perfection. We applaud the magic of actors, athletes, writers, musicians, and others who make it all look so easy. But, here’s the deal. Very rarely does anyone succeed without boatloads of failure along the way. … [Read more...]
Embrace the Light
Recently, I had a friend tell me my son is absolutely wonderful. Don’t worry, this isn’t going to be a “humble brag” post. It is, instead, a reminder to me and you to embrace the light within our children. If we are to embrace the greatness in our kids, we first have to recognize it. … [Read more...]
Parenting Life Episode 1: Alex’s Take on How to Raise Independent Kids
Alex is my outgoing 23-year-old daughter. If anyone knows anything about our parenting style, it’s our own kids. You should know that Alex has never been shy, nor does she hold her opinions close. If anything, she’s learning to temper her emotionality with thoughtful reasoning. Since Alex was little, she has studied people. She watches, thinks, and works to figure out what makes people tick. Her dad and I were not always immune to her ability to use her knowledge … [Read more...]
My Comeback Girl and Her Heroes
For weeks after the accident, maybe months, Alex had two goals. She was determined to get back for the final month of her Co-op (a sixth month, full-time internship incorporated into her degree program) and hopeful to once again play rugby. Neither goal happened. … [Read more...]
Motherhood: The Pressure to be Perfect
I’m a recovering perfectionist. In fact, during job interviews, I used to claim perfectionism as my biggest weakness because I believed it to be more a medal of honor. As a mother, perfectionism is a really high bar to set for oneself. My husband has always said God gave us children to humble us. He is right about this, just don’t tell him; I’ve convinced him I’m always the right one in the family. … [Read more...]
What Teachers Need Most
"Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another." ~ G. K. Chesterton Before I was a teacher, I thought I knew what it was like to be a teacher. In some ways I did. … [Read more...]