If you have an eye-rolling teen, don’t be offended by the gesture. This is why. There is this interesting technique for creating calm from within, where you cast your eyes upward and look at the sky for a few seconds. It’s a self-soother. Picture yourself looking heavenward and saying, “Why me?” That’s the self-soothing gesture I’m…
When your ego tells you, “You’ve been writing long enough. You should have something done by now,” tell it to chill out. How can you possibly determine how long it will take you to complete your project when you have never done it before? C’mon, cut yourself some slack.
My friend Bill and his wife were both showing horses in a Texas competition, one of their many friendly rivalries. Although Bill had one of the best performances of his career, to his surprise he failed to place even in the top ten. His wife, on the other hand, was named champion after what he…
I had kinda pictured this moment of intimacy differently. In the movies, pivotal moments such as The First Kiss Moment usually involved some sort of touching; you know, a cuddle, an arm draped over my shoulder, or at least hand-holding. They hardly ever involved scowling over folded arms.
I have heard several times that authors should not bother reading their book reviews because they take you on a emotional roller coaster ride. Me, I read every single one. (What can I say? I’m a new author. And I don’t mind roller coasters.)
The steady stream of passengers making their way to their airport departure gates suddenly breaks down into a series of eddies around which men swirl as the women are halted by one quavering word.
“Papa?”
The young voice instantly brings nearby mothers of all ages, creeds, nationalities, and ethnicities to a state of alert so high, Homeland Security is jealous.
“Papa??” The little voice rises in pitch and volume, kicking into gear the auto-locator inherent to members of The Mom Tribe.
Having trouble with English? Of course you are. English is one convoluted confusing language, unlike the blissfully simplistic realm of Science. As a Wordsmith, and not as a Science cruncher, let me share 10 Mistakes To Avoid In English. Flammable, Inflammable, and Unflammable mean the same thing: Burnable. (Okay, Unflammable is not a real word,…
The first hint that school is around the corner is the suddenly cool evenings in August. The second is the first orange leaves scattered among the trees. The third is the endless commercials for Back to School sales. I decided to celebrate the return to academia with my own way…
Officer Mandel wasn’t terribly excited about my plan to go sit under the biggest tree this side of the Mississippi (some silliness about trying to run in flip-flops across three lanes in the middle of rush hour traffic, and leaving behind my AC). The officer sat behind me, flashing lights providing a buffer against the traffic that had been previously zooming around the curve.
I just got slashed by a talon while trying to rescue an animal. It just goes to show, No Good Deed Goes Unpunished. OK, yes, the talon belong to a turtle…Correction…A tortoise (I just looked up the difference between a turtle and a tortoise). But he was a really BIG TORTOISE, probably a foot in diameter. He was…
Fairly Certain won Honorable Mention at the New England Book Festival in the Regional Literature category!
Unique. That is the word I would use to describe Deborah Ann Davis’s novel and her main character. I loved that the main character wasn’t some casanova or supremely popular kid. He was a bit geeky and had plenty of problems that stemmed from that. It made him compelling and easy to get behind as a character.
B.S., M.Ed. in Supervision, W.I.T.S. Personal Trainer. Yes, I know my stuff! Throughout our coaching time, you’ll develop the tools and confidence to take action. My coaching will empower you to become the person you want to be.
I don’t follow a template, or ‘one size fits all’ approach. You are unique, and your coaching should be, too. We start where you are, and we work towards your goals.
When I was a teacher, upset parents and defensive kids came to see me for conferences about the students’ behavior or academics. My superpower was bridging the gap between them so they could begin to relate again.
At the time, I thought everyone could do it. Now, I realize that it’s a specific skill set, built upon years and years of conversation and compromise. It didn’t have a name back then, but today we call it Parent Coaching.
I thought teaching would prepare me for parenthood, but when I first saw that urine soaked stick change, dread filled me. What did I know about being a mommy? What if I screwed up my baby’s life?
I was the teacher of tweens and teens, not the mommy of babies!
I kept my fears to myself, so I didn’t have anyone to challenge my notions. Instead, anxiety clouded her toddler years for me. Then, I proceeded to fret away her single-digit years, so I’ve been where you are. Yes, as an experienced teacher of tweens and teens, I was panicked over being the mother of a baby! (Thank goodness she learned to talk.)
At the time, I didn’t understand the power of building a Support System, of reaching out for help, of overcoming the isolation of motherhood… although I provided that support to hundreds of families through thousands of conferences and phone calls.
Then, one day, she turned nine. That was the day she blew out her birthday candles, and announced, “Mommy, now that I’m almost a teenager–“
“Whoa! Hold on there.” I leaned back as my husband and I grinned at each other. “You’re not almost a teenager. We’ll tell you when you’re almost a teenager, and this isn’t it!
Surprisingly, I wasn’t shaken. True, she was ready for my expertise a bit earlier than expected, but forewarned is forearmed. And, boy, was I ready. My years of teaching had prepared me well.
Did we have conflicts? Of course, we did. Did I question my sanity on occasion? Or, hers? Absolutely! Every Mom does.
But, at that point, after 15+ years of successfully working with parent and teen relationships, I had more tools and strategies at my disposal than the average mom.
Today, through coaching, my clients get:
Schedule a free Clarity Consult with me today. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
