“Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug.” -Og Mandino All of us want our children to be happy. In…
READ MOREI love books, especially ones that give me ideas for how to live this one precious life just a teeny bit better. Although it was extremely difficult to narrow it down to just fifteen, here are some titles that I recommend if you’re interested in making some life adjustments. Some are old favorites…
READ MOREPart of helping kids learn to deal with discomfort is learning how to be uncomfortable ourselves. -Christine Carter, Ph.D. In Episode 41, I’m talking with my friend and favorite happiness guru, Christine Carter, Ph.D. I have been a fan of Christine’s research, writing, and speaking since 2011, when I recruited her to start doing staff…
READ MORELast week I did something unheard of during my first 32 years as a camp director. I took a full day off during the very first week of camp. On my day off, I did several things that “refueled” me: I took a long hike by myself. I took some long, deep breaths. I finished…
READ MOREIn episode 1 of the Sunshine Parenting podcast, I talk with best selling author Christine Carter, Ph.D., about her book, Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents. We discuss two of the tips from her book, including “put on your own oxygen mask first” and family dinner. We also address a listener question about teaching children how to…
READ MOREAre you looking for some inspirational reads to help you switch some things up? Over the past few years, I have been drawn more and more to books that make me stop, reassess my life and how I’m living it, and make small changes—or at least think about making them! While some of the “aha”…
READ MOREThis morning I was on the receiving end of a telephone call that made me view my day and my life in a whole new light. The call was from my neighbor and friend who, despite a life full of huge challenges and trials – including being drafted and serving on the front lines in Vietnam –…
READ MORE“Every laugh line on your face made you who you are today.” This One’s for the Girls (Martina McBride) In April, I read a post on Anne Lamott’s Facebook page where she compiled a list of “every single thing” she knows after living on this planet for 61 years. Her 14 observations (#2 was my…
READ MORE“First and foremost, we need to be the adults we want our children to be.” Brené Brown Books have an amazing way of dropping into my life at exactly the right moment. There’s usually one thing that really stands out to me, even from books that offer more than just one tip. Maybe it’s my…
READ MOREI usually slog through these kinds of non-fiction books over a few months, interspersed with some “fun” reading. With this book, which I pre-ordered and received the day it came out, I finished it in 10 days. I couldn’t wait to pick it up each evening and get ever-closer to figuring out how to reduce…
READ MOREAs a fun, year-end activity (at least for a book nerd like me), I’ve pulled some of my favorite books from the shelf and reflected on how they’ve inspired my parenting – and my life. Enjoy! The Blessing Of A Skinned Knee: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children, Wendy Mogel, Ph.D Like us, our…
READ MOREI love thinking about and writing down my goals for each year. I used to set unrealistic, vague, way-too-big goals and resolutions – the kind that barely last beyond the start of the New Year. My mom and I laugh about her yearly goal, which has always been to “Learn to speak French.” It’s sounded…
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