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Happy Campers:
9 Summer Camp Secrets for Raising Kids Who Become Thriving Adults
Sunshine Parenting Insights On
HAPPINESS
Happiness Habits
“Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in[...]
Family Photos 2004 & 2019
There was a time, not so long ago, where it was common for us to get together with my sister's[...]
Boston Strong
I spent the past weekend in Boston. It was my husband and my fourth trip to the Boston Marathon in[...]
Live Like Nigel
Yesterday was such a great day, because I spent it doing a few things I really enjoy - connecting with[...]
My One Word for 2019: Focus
Focus on what matters. I love the annual process of thinking about what I want for the coming year and[...]
15 Books for a Happier, More Purposeful Life
I love books, especially ones that give me ideas for how to live this one precious life just[...]
100 Family Memories
100 Family Memories Every December our family makes a list of 100 family memories from the year. This year marks our[...]
Ep. 63: Growing Gratitude with Sara Kuljis
Enjoy the little things because one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things. In Episode 63,[...]
7 Reasons to #optoutside
Next to unplugging, one of my favorite things to talk about is spending time outside. In fact, I believe the[...]
Ep. 57: The Importance of Adult Friendships with Sara Kuljis
"The strong bond of friendship is not always a balanced equation; friendship is not always about giving and taking in[...]
Ep. 56: Off the Clock with Laura Vanderkam
In Episode 56, I'm chatting with Laura Vanderkam about her book Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More[...]
The Magic Relationship Ratio
I recorded this month's One Simple Thing during a retreat this weekend at 1440 Multiversity I attended with my daughter, Gretchen[...]
Feel like you don’t have enough time to do what you really want to do? Read Off the Clock!
Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done by Laura Vanderkam My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’ve been obsessively[...]
The Wisdom of High School Girls
One highlight of my summer has been meeting with our oldest female campers to discuss relationships, goals, and life. These[...]
4 Ways to Focus on our Kids’ Strengths
One of my highlights of last week was meeting with our Junior Counselors (17-year-olds heading into their senior year of[...]
Ep. 40: Frientimacy with Shasta Nelson
We're craving those few people who know us and love us no matter what. -Shasta Nelson In Episode 40,[...]
Ep. 36: Project Me for Busy Mothers with Kelly Pietrangeli
"It soon hit me that all of the best parenting classes in the world are not going to work if[...]
3 Reasons to Give Your Kid a “WOW” Today
Would you consider taking a few moments --less than ONE MINUTE -- to say or write something positive to[...]
Being Boss
“You have to build a life you love as if it’s your job. Because it is.” Kathleen Shannon & Emily[...]
My 24 Hours Unplugged
It was fitting that I finished reading The Village Effect: How Face-to-Face Contact Can Make Us Healthier and Happier(Susan Pinker)[...]
What did you love when you were 13? Rediscovering Your “Authentic” Self
For my thirteenth birthday, I received a Canon AE-1 camera. And while I’ve long-since moved on to a digital SLR,[...]
36 Questions to Get Closer to Someone You Love
The art of asking good questions, and listening carefully to the person’s response, is one important key to forming and[...]
5 Simple Year-End Reflection Activities
The end of one year and beginning of the next offers a unique opportunity to both reflect back and plan[...]
Book Review: Switch on Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking and Health
This is a guest post from Leslie Seidner, a writer who researches and writes about positive psychology, anxiety, and brain[...]
The Four Tendencies: An Obliger’s Story
I’ve been enjoying Gretchen Rubin’s books since my oldest daughter (also named Gretchen) gave me The Happiness Project (Revised Edition):[...]
10 Fun Ways Teachers Can Help Kids Connect with Other Kids
My oldest daughter started her first teaching job about a month ago. She’s teaching high school English to 9th and[...]
Learning To Put My Own Oxygen Mask On First
Last week I did something unheard of during my first 32 years as a camp director. I took a full[...]
Good Things Come to Those Who Breathe
My 2016 ended with a bang – two trips to the ER on New Year’s Eve. My son needed a[...]
Focusing on the Gain not the Gap
Last week, I was listening to a podcast from one of my favorite leadership and motivational speakers (Michael Hyatt's This[...]
Five Ways to Avert Thanksgiving Disappointment
The one area of parenting where I am incredibly consistent is in my unrealistic expectations for how family together time[...]
Quick Friendship Activities
“The only way to have a friend is to be one.” Ralph Waldo Emerson Earlier this year I reached out[...]
“SASHET”: A Connection Tool
I just returned from my favorite annual camp conference. Spending time with this group of camp owners and directors refocuses[...]
10 Ways to Teach Kids to Calm Down
Being able to resolve conflicts is one of the most important social skills our kids need in order to thrive[...]
Ep. 1: Raising Happiness with Christine Carter
In episode 1 of the Sunshine Parenting podcast, I talk with best selling author Christine Carter, Ph.D., about her book, Raising[...]
Learning to Enjoy the Little Things
September is my “new year.” The busy summer is over, and I have some time to rest, reflect, and regroup[...]
10 Ways to Create a Happy & Connected Class
Part of the “magic” of camp is that from the first moment, we focus on building relationships and getting our[...]
Play, Hygge, and other Good Ideas: A Review of The Danish Way of Parenting
I was recently talking to a friend who spent a year in Spain, and she shared with me how different[...]
Hop on The Energy Bus!
One of our treasured camp traditions is reading to campers each evening at bedtime. We adopted the tradition more than[...]
The Power of Positive Words
Well, I don't know the child that was returned to me on Saturday. It definitely wasn't the child I dropped off[...]
Helping Kids through their “Low Point”
During one of our final training sessions with counselors, we ask them to think back to their “low point” as[...]
Celebrating Strengths
What are the qualities you like best about yourself? If you’re like me, I’ll bet you haven’t thought about that[...]
7 Reasons to Get Outside
Next to unplugging, one of my favorite things to talk about is spending time outside. In fact, I believe the[...]
Learning to Breathe
I learned to breathe a few weeks ago. Let me explain. While I’ve been breathing my whole life, I found[...]
The Perils of Perfectionism
When we can let go of what other people think and own our story, we gain access to our worthiness[...]
Surviving and Thriving (in High School and Life)
Many kids struggle with their sense of worth and forget who they really are during high school. For high achieving[...]
The Power of Compliments
I saw this video last week, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the power of compliments: Isn’t[...]
Five (MORE) Reasons Great Parents Send Their Kids to Camp
There are so many reasons great parents choose to send their kids to summer camp. Two years ago, I shared[...]
How Camp Helps Parents Raise Adults
“The movie Stepford Wives came to mind as I watched my students live their college life still somehow looking to[...]
5 Ways Camp Grows Grit
"It turns out that grit predicts performance better than IQ or innate talent. Grit makes our kids productive and successful[...]
5 Ways to Teach Kids to Live Life Well
As I started writing this, I realized that my title is inaccurate: “5 Ways to Live Life Well” would be[...]
3 Simple Year-End Reflection Activities
The end of one year and beginning of the next offers a unique opportunity to both reflect back and plan[...]
10 Life-Changing Books
Are you looking for some inspirational reads to help you switch some things up? Over the past few years, I[...]
5 Fun 30-Minute Family Activities
With more of my kids away at school than still living at home, I have lofty ambitions for our family[...]
10 Surprising Things Kids Learn at Camp
I would not be the person I am today without camp. -15-year-old camper My three decades of camp experience, coupled[...]
Coaching Your Child to Better Social Skills
Does your daughter have trouble fitting in to a particular social group? Does your son feel like he's being excluded from social events?[...]
A Grateful Family is a Happy Family: 5 Gratitude Practices
Creating a grateful family culture is a challenge in our entitled, indulgent age. Yet much research has confirmed what we[...]
5 Tips to Start Running
“I’m not a runner.” “I can’t run.” I’ve heard variations of these statements many times when running comes up in[...]
Choose Wisely: 8 Questions to Ponder Before you say “I Do”
Do you ever get an anxious feeling when you’re on the way to the airport, leaving for a trip? You’re[...]
Does our Family’s Schedule Reflect our Values?
A few weeks ago, one of our children (who shall remain nameless to avoid incrimination) made the choice not to[...]
10 Friendship Skills Every Kid Needs
As parents and adults who work with youth, we can positively impact kids’ lives through helping them build good social[...]
The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy, Jon Gordon
The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy I listened to The Energy[...]
A Happiness Boost
This morning I was on the receiving end of a telephone call that made me view my day and my[...]
Parent Top 10
As I prepare for next month’s camp counselor training, I find myself reflecting—once again—that parents should get at least this[...]
5 Mid-Life Lessons
“Every laugh line on your face made you who you are today.” This One’s for the Girls (Martina McBride) In[...]
5 Steps to Help Kids Resolve Conflicts
I’ve always considered myself non-confrontational and have done my best to avoid conflict. In researching ways to teach kids conflict[...]
One Simple Way to Increase Happiness
In two weeks, I’ll be graduating with my master’s degree in Psychology. Why at 46 did I decide to go[...]
Focusing on our Kids’ Strengths
Every Monday morning I get an email with my kids’ current grades. Typically, I scan over them for any assignments[...]
Research finds Children Learn Social Skills at Camp
Last summer, I conducted research on the impact camp experiences have on children’s social skills and happiness. This research was through[...]
Study Finds Campers Really are Happy
Camp is basically my happy place, and I love being here more than any other place in the world. -Camper,[...]
Super Mom or Super Bomb? Modeling a Balanced Life for our Kids
“First and foremost, we need to be the adults we want our children to be.” Brené Brown Books have an[...]
3 Ways to Make Family Dinner like a Campfire
Most of us know the importance of family dinners: Kids who regularly eat dinner with their families are more emotionally stable, are[...]
Three Character Traits Kids Develop at Camp
While it’s easy to think of ways to teach our kids to do laundry or solve math problems, finding a[...]
Living Life in our “Sweet Spot”
I usually slog through these kinds of non-fiction books over a few months, interspersed with some “fun” reading. With this[...]
7 Ways to Foster Relationships Using Social Media
No human on the internet can miss the flood of articles about how bad all of our screen time is[...]
10 Social Skills Kids Learn at Camp
At one of my son’s soccer games this fall, a mom on our team offered her son $50 for each[...]
Five Reasons Every Teen Should go to Summer Camp
Being at camp gives me this sense of belonging that I've never felt anywhere else. I know that I can[...]
Top 3 Posts of 2014
Dear Sunshine Parenting Reader, Thank you for reading my posts this year! In 2007, I read a book called Writing[...]
15 Books that Inspire my Parenting
As a fun, year-end activity (at least for a book nerd like me), I've pulled some of my favorite books[...]
Raising Grateful – not Entitled – Kids
grate•ful: feeling or showing appreciation; thankful. en•ti•tiled: believing oneself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment. An interesting juxtaposition[...]
Why my Family is Celebrating World Kindness Day
Like most families, we are constantly on the go between school, sports, and other activities. But as I inventory where[...]
The List: My Best Parenting Tip
Before I had kids, there were several things I said I would never let my kids do. Once I was actually a[...]
Screen Overload: 5 New Family Rules
I have a love-hate relationship with my screens. I know how important it is to get unplugged, and I enjoy many[...]
Stop Dreaming, Start Doing: 5 Steps to Finding Your Career
This post is dedicated to the fabulous young adults who choose to forgo privacy, sleep, and social media to work 24[...]
4 Ways to Make School more like CAMP
My dream is for my kids to attend a school they love as much as they love camp. Two years[...]
3 Life Lessons Learned on a Tow Rope
The recreational sports we teach at camp include sailing, water skiing, rock climbing, and many more fun outdoor sports. But[...]
It’s Not All Bullying
A few summers ago, a ten-year-old camper wrote a letter home telling his parents he was being bullied at[...]
One Important Thing
I overestimate what I can do. Every day. You would think after nearly five decades of living with me, I[...]
Why Kids Flourish at Camp
Campers often describe camp as their “happy place”” or “the best two weeks” of their year. And, from my own[...]
“Pay it Forward” Day is April 24
No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. -Aesop I usually rush through the day thinking about what I[...]
Making Friends: Developing Emotional Intelligence
Why should we care so much about our kids making friends? Because children with friends show many positive characteristics that[...]
Five Reasons Great Parents Send Their Kids to Camp
My shy, quiet nine-year-old went to camp not knowing a soul. Two weeks later, she came home transformed. She blossomed.[...]
Making Friends: Managing Difficult Emotions
Here are a few tough questions: • Has anyone ever accused your child of bullying or being mean to another child?[...]
Friends: Finding Gold in a Plastic Era
“Friendship is the gold of childhood.” Michael Thompson’s statement stuck with me long after I attended his session on the[...]
Making Friends: 3 Communication Skills Your Child Needs
Leaving a soccer game last fall, a teammate called out to my son, “Great game today!” My son didn’t turn[...]
Why Family Dinner is Important
I almost changed the title of this post to “Why my Kids won’t be Olympians,” since it seems appropriate this[...]
Enjoy Your Teen Daughter
2014: Inspired by an email from a friend last week asking about parenting her soon-to-be-teen daughter, I found this post[...]
Practice What I Pin: Get Organized!
I’m like a lot of other moms in that I have A LOT of different projects and tasks going on[...]
5 Reasons to UNPLUG
Oh, how I love my nightly Pinterest sessions. I look forward to that mindless scrolling and pinning of recipes I'll[...]
Hug Your Teen Today
“The most important assignment a mom has is to nurture her children.” Tim Sanford, M.A. (Losing Control & Liking It)[...]
4 Parenting Challenges and How Camp Can Help
In today's digital, fast-moving, ultra-competitive world, raising kids who grow into happy, independent adults has become more challenging for parents.[...]
My SMART Goal: Encouraging Notes to my Kids
I love thinking about and writing down my goals for each year. I used to set unrealistic, vague, way-too-big goals[...]
Two Ways to Be a Better Parent
This weekend, I had the pleasure of listening to Madeline Levine, PhD. (author of The Price of Privilege, Teach Your Children[...]
Are We Having Fun Yet?
I have a confession to make. My family, as of late, does not have much fun together. Yes, there are[...]
Making Family Dinner like a Campfire
An activity we do at campfires at camp has been helpful in our family at getting our kids to communicate[...]
Focusing on Kindness
“Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree.” -Marian Wright Edelman This summer’s[...]
Finding Flow
“The hallmark of flow is a feeling of spontaneous joy, even rapture, while performing a task...” -Wikipedia definition of flow While[...]
Grit, Goals, and Growth
Gold Arrow Camp has taught me to be brave and reach my goals. If it wasn't for GAC, I wouldn't[...]
Gratitude Revisited
I couldn’t let this year end without revisiting the theme of gratitude, which became an important focus this year for[...]
That’s Why We’re Here!
We finally got out of our pajamas and headed to the ice rink late Christmas afternoon. My natives were restless,[...]
Good Gifts
The best thing you can give your children, next to good habits, are good memories. -Sydney Harris Our home is[...]
Way Too Much of a Good Thing
Anyone who's been reading my blog knows that I'm a big proponent of getting kids "unplugged." I love that they[...]
Sharing our Highs, Lows, and Buffaloes
What do kids choose to share with their parents about their camp experience, or, for that matter, about any experience?[...]
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