I don’t know about you, but I grew up with a big list o’ things I would NEVER say to MY kids. Of course, these were things my mom said to me when I was a kid, things I didn’t like. It’s not that my mom wasn’t amazing in many areas. Nobody had a more playful, humorous outlook on life than my mom. Plus, I’d give anything to have her alive, here with me again. That said, there were definitely some parts of her parenting I didn’t want to replicate.
When I …

 While I can get as excited as anyone about all the wild, wonderful possibilities that exist within the expanse of a New Year, I also don’t want to jump right into the positive goals/resolutions thing that seems to be everywhere right now. Oh, I’ll be jumping on that bandwagon soon, but right now, I really need to be brutally honest with myself about what I WON’T be doing. What I’ve learned about myself is that I need to get really clear when I first figure out what isn’t working for …

I’ve been interested in talking about those “pink elephants in the living room” (you know, the stuff that people don’t want to talk about but you KNOW is there) since I was a kid. It’s no surprise then that one of my favorite childhood stories was The Emperor’s New Clothes. It thrilled me when, in that story, one brave little child had the audacity to shout out, “The Emperor is naked!” And the truth is, children are truth-tellers from birth, until it is socialized out of them. When I taught school, …

All moms are liars. Okay, maybe not all. But most are. Especially the ones who talk smack about other mothers. You know the ones who sneer, “Did you SEE her child freaking out in the park? Hellllooo! Has she ever heard of “discipline? What she needs to do is get control!” That kind of judgment usually means two things. First, it means that this mom is probably afraid of her child doing exactly the same thing. Second, it means that she probably judges herself as harshly as she does other …

At the beginning of a new year, it’s always inspiring to read about ways to set and reach your goals. There’s just something about fresh beginnings that can inspire you to action.  HOWEVER, I find that, sometimes, a little bit of humor, a touch of sarcasm, and a whole lotta truth can also inspire me. In that vein, here is my list of five things every mom should do if she wants to feel really bad about herself as a mother (and yes, they’re mostly tongue-in-cheek). I’m not promising that every …

If you’re anything like me (and if you have a strong-willed child, I’m betting we have a few things in common!), this thought has crossed your mind at least once: “Is it my fault my child is so difficult to parent?” A simple request to your child can result in her melting down into a temper tantrum. Too much noise or stimulation can mean excess energy–I’m thinking of my own strong-willed daughter zooming around the house the other night, exclaiming with glee, “I just LOVE the holidays! They give me …

Or must they always be patient, loving and kind? Are the two mutually exclusive? As a mom of a strong willed child myself, I have yelled at my daughter and have responded with the patience of a saint. It depends on the day and how stressed I am. And how well I’ve taken care of myself. Much as we would like to be the perfect, all-knowing moms, it just ain’t possible. Really. It’s not. Being human prevents it. As an admitted perfectionist, this seriously bugs me. I’ve read way too …

As a mom, scrapbooker, and human being, I make a ton of mistakes (and not necessarily in that order). I find that when I tend to focus on “getting things RIGHT,” I actually miss the mark more. Let me explain. For example, as a parent coach, there are times when, even though I know I want to respond patiently to one of my daughters, I often don’t. The reasons are many (lack of sleep, feeling grumpy, etc.). The dialogue in my head can go something like this: “Hey…you’re a parent coach …

Another year is upon us, and of course, I have all kinds of thoughts about what I want to improve on this year – especially in regard to mothering. In fact, I can think of a whole list of things quite easily:

get the girls’ evening routine more streamlined (read: get them to bed sooner!)
volunteer in the girls’ classrooms more often
show more patience when they are bickering with one another

I could go on, but I get overwhelmed just thinking about all I COULD do. Which brings me to my next point …

There was a “Major Stressful Event” at our house this past Spring. No, we didn’t remodel. No, no one died, and no one lost their job. What transpired was my youngest daughter (who is 5) signed up for Ballet class. Well, technically I signed her up, so I really can’t blame her! Although I am a very reluctant sit-by-the-sidelines-and-watch-and-wait-while-your-kids-are-at-their-activities kind of mom, I relented when it came to Ballet. My youngest loves all things dance, all things girly and swirly, and all things musical. I knew I was a goner …