From the time my children were born, I’ve been on a mission to do things “right.” For me, that entailed reading dozens of parenting books, talking with child psychologists, and volunteering at a local public health nonprofit organization that focused on helping parents foster healthy child...
Blog
Recovering From Mistakes
Every day I make parenting choices based on a combination of instinct, experience, and fear, and then I pray for the best. These two kids mean everything to me, so I can't tell you how many times I've bargained with God, especially during their teen years. Of all the goals in my life, the biggest...
When I Was Brave–A Thanksgiving Past
Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday because there is nothing better than sitting down to a fabulous meal with my favorite people. This year, our family enjoyed a quiet holiday with only my mother and brother at our table (typically we are all in Pennsylvania with the extended family)....
How Publishing is like Parenting
My mother visited this past weekend. She's come regularly since my first child's birth, providing much-needed help when my kids were young, and welcome company now. Despite living in another state, she’s here often enough to witness my parenting highs and lows. This weekend she saw a bit of both,...
Summer: Bring It On!
Here comes summer! Temperatures have jumped dramatically. My kids are currently taking finals. And the gardens are in full bloom. Yes, summer is officially here. As usual, our family calendar is stuffed with various out-of-town sports and leadership camps, as well as pleasure trips and family...
A Change of Venue
Who else goes on vacation and wonders why they shouldn't just up and move to an exotic location? I doubt I'm alone and, if you'd been with my family and me in Turks and Caicos, you might've decided to stay there. Vacations are a wonderful way to rejuvenate the spirit, reconnect with your family...
April Fool’s Pranks
Happy April Fool's Day! I'm not much of a prankster these days, but when I was younger, my stepfather and I used to try to sneak up and surprise the other. I'll admit, he won the best "scare" attack of our ongoing battle. One school night in the early-mid 80s, my mom and he went to bed about...
Halloween: A Snapshot of Budding Character
They say you can tell a lot about a person from the way they handle themselves on the golf course. Does she cheat? Does she throw a fit when things aren't going well? Does she understand the etiquette? However she plays that game is likely how she handles herself in life, at work, and so on. I...