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...]
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...]