Just Say No to Plastic!
My aha moment for reducing plastic came at my kids’ elementary school playground when I noticed all the juice box straw wrappers. I picked up fistfuls of wrappers and threw them away and realized that when we give kids juice…
How to Make Life Grand for Your Grandkids!
Becoming a grandparent is one of the most magical experiences you can have. Yes, you get to leave the tougher daily discipline to your children. But being a grandparent comes with responsibilities, especially if you want to give the kids…
“It’s okay to ask for help.”
My husband and I are the proud parents of two young women. Our younger daughter is eighteen and has multiple disabilities. Parenting any child is not for the faint of heart and can be simultaneously exhilarating, exhausting, exciting, and terrifying.…
Joy to the Family!
I’m not sure about you, but September and October are a blur at our home as we get back into the swing of things for school and sports – and then suddenly, bam! Halloween has come and gone and it’s…
Intentional Parenting Check-up
During every stage of parenting, it seems that some well-meaning stranger has stopped to tell me that these are the best times. When I had my new babies, more experienced mothers would tell me to treasure the sweet little snuggles.…
Keep the Party! Lose the Stress
My daughter turned five this year. As birthday milestones go, this was certainly a big one – for her and us. Any parent can attest to the bittersweet moment when a child starts kindergarten. Besides that, parents love to see…
Beyond the Book!
Passing on this love of fiction has been a highlight of motherhood. From lap-sitters listening to No More Jumping on the Bed to car passengers clutching the latest Magic Treehouse installment, stories have shaped my children. Their lives bear the…
Raising Global Citizens
Not too long ago, my 6-year-old daughter and I were at an event in town when we overheard another family speaking in Arabic. My daughter turned to me and said, “Mom, they speak Spanish, like you!” When I told her…
8 Life Lessons from the Pool
All of us want to be effective parents, and all of us want to engage our children in activities that support our goals and intentions in raising them. With fifty years of teaching people to swim, I have found the…
Setting Family Goals!
Our families are pulled in so many directions – jobs, school, activities, and day-to-day responsibilities. In the middle of it all, we want to build meaningful relationships with our children and spend quality time together. Setting family goals can help…
