Encouragement

You know the sound - the sound of frustrated whining mixed with an over-dramatic, "I can't dooo it!" It's a real struggle to be a toddler. Almost every experience is a challenge to overcome. Anything from feeding themselves to building towers to coloring. This particular time, it was the shoes.  We got home from a friend's gymnastics birthday party a few weekends ago where my daughter Salem was required to take off her shoes. They were the slip on Mary Jane style with a velcro strap. And thanks to all the running and jumping around, it was time for a good nap. As she stood in her doorway just a little wobbly, she figured out how to slip her feet...

Most of us have that someone we once dated who ended the relationship with something like, "You seem really cool, but ..." My mind instantly responds with, "I must not be THAT cool or you wouldn't be breaking up with me." Or maybe it was that boss who, after you worked for weeks on a project comes into your office and says, "I love what you came up with, but..." Then there was the time you went to pick up your dog from boarding and the owner starts with, "He's really smart, but..." Ok, maybe it's just me with the dog who likes to bolt out front doors and through windows. But I digress. Now imagine you're four years old. And you're...

I'm a busy mom, raising a busy family, in a very busy world. My husband and I both work while we raise two young children. When we're not busy working we still manage to find some time to attend events for our children, exercise, volunteer, grocery shop, shop for clothing and other necessities, travel to spend time with extended family, maintain our home, and prepare meals for our family. We even make time to have a social life with friends and even sneak away for an occasional date night. We are VERY BUSY! My on-going, ever evolving to-do list probably doesn't look much different from any other mom. Believe it or not, this isn't even me complaining or looking for...

Almost anytime we as adults {myself included at times} encounter a child whether male or female, it seems like we feel the need to compliment their physical appearance in some way. Which I would argue is really more about paying a compliment to the parents, rather than the kid himself ... but I assure you they are listening even if we are not speaking directly to them. Why do we do this? My daughter has beautiful hair. Golden curls that cascade down like liquid gold, there is no questioning its loveliness. And at three years of age, she is keenly aware of this physical trait of hers because 99.9% of the time she encounters a stranger or an acquaintance who is an...

Years ago when I held an office job, I remember some coworkers complaining about the results of the Dancing with the Stars episode the night before. Evidently, the results were just plain wrong. My coworkers (and evidently even the show's judges) deduced that not as many people voted for the shoo-in because she was a guarantee, a no-brainer. Instead, they invested their votes to the contestants whom they felt needed the help. That example comes to mind often when I think about parenting.  It's a tough gig. It's not for the faint of heart. I knew before I became a parent that I was willing to rise to the occasion. I love a good challenge, and there's nothing quite as challenging...