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 go to a service event because he didn’t feel like it. He preferred to relax and watch TV. The event was a school commitment that could be missed if there was a compelling reason. Football…
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5 Ways to Stay Connected with your College Kid
We all know the dangers of helicoptering and over-parenting, but just how does a parent stay appropriately connected with a college kid who’s living away from home for the first time? We’re starting our fourth year of having our three oldest kids away at school, and we’ve found a balance of communication and involvement that works for us. It’s certainly way more communication than what I…
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A Cherished Memory
“The most precious jewels you’ll ever have around your neck are the arms of your children.” His eyes were locked on mine. He was oblivious to everyone else in the room. His smile was wider than I’d ever seen, and he exuded happiness from deep within. Amid the chaos on the dance floor, he clearly…
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Six Tips for Complaining Well: Guidelines for Parents
“Are you the person I file a complaint with?” Those were the man’s first words to me as I stepped out of the van I had just driven for five hours, following the bus carrying kids home after their stay at camp. “Umm, yes, sure,” I said. I was a bit taken aback. After 30…
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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 much preparation before they start the job of raising kids. After all, just like camp counselors want to have a positive impact on their campers and thrive in their work, parents, too, want to have…
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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 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…
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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 back to school? Mid-life crisis reframing was definitely part of it, but I was also compelled to return to school because I was inspired by the new field of positive psychology. Positive psychology focuses on…
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“Pay it Forward” Day is April 30
No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. -Aesop I usually rush through the day thinking about what I need to get done and consumed by all the stuff that weighs on my time and my brain. And yet, being aware of those around me and doing a simple act of kindness can change…
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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 or subjects with lower grades. I scroll past the A’s, because those don’t grab my attention. Like most people, I’ve been conditioned to look for weaknesses in myself and in my kids, and it’s not…
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Embracing Risk: Savage Park
“Americans, I beseech you, it is not as impossible as it seems. We may have an ocean on the east and west, we may have borders on the north and south, but we are not an island; we are in the world. There is no escaping it: we have been born, we are going to…
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College Touring 101
2018 Update: We’re back on the college touring scene once again — 4th time around in our family! Our 11th grade son is starting the college search process. He’s looking at a few of the large, public universities outside of California (where we live). Given this recent article, it appears looking outside of California is…
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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 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…
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