Growing Up

As a middle school teacher and mother, I often see kids trying to compromise their true selves for the sake of “fitting in.” All kids are unique and individually made and I strive to build confidence in all my students, as well as my daughter, in embracing their authentic selves and being confident in who they are as a person. Kids tend to worry about what others think of them and will try to act, dress, and think like “the crowd” so they feel a sense of belonging. We all know that going along with “the crowd” may not always be in their best interest. Here are some ways to cultivate authenticity and confidence in our kids: Love Them Unconditionally Loving your...

As I sit down for the first time today after work, school, gym practice, dance practice, hair washing, dinner and night time routine, I question if I am letting all of the little things get in the way of the big things. Mommin' is not an easy thing for any of us; there is always something to do, something we forgot and something we can’t remember that we forgot. I worry that in all of the struggles of the day to day routines that I am forgetting to teach my children to be strong, proud, kind, opinionated, and most of all, happy with themselves. My daughters are seven and five and polar opposites of each other. My oldest is gentle...

A few weeks ago I was driving home from work and I heard "Love me Less" by Max Schneider on pandora. The song peaked my interest so I hit the replay button and listened to the words. "Would you love me less? If you knew the places that I've been? If you knew the damage that I did?" The song took be back for a second, back to my college days, back to my going out every night drinking seven days a week days. It took me back to my high school days full of drama, long nights, best friends and even a few fights. The first thing I could think was "would my children still love me so much if...

So I’m a crafty mom. One that loves the invention of Pinterest, but if I’m honest, I’d be just as over the top without it. I doodle lunch notes for my school kids. Everyday. Everyday, I’ve only missed one. I Elf on the Shelf with the best of them and I draw pictures with pancakes, make handmade Halloween costumes, and thoroughly enjoy school free days. We’ve all seen those random stories circling the web of the dad that doodles amazing lunch bags, moms that make extravagant lunches, the mom whose Elf legitimately walks around the house. And the comments that follow are how shallow they are. Who has the time?! Surely they don’t work a real job. Here’s the thing,...

There's something about this time of year that always makes me proud to be a Southern Louisiana native. Between Mardi Gras, perfectly crisp weather and crawfish season, it just doesn’t get any better. This year, in particular, it’s reminding me why my husband and I chose to come back to Louisiana to raise a family. I spent most of my teen years telling everyone that I was hitting the road after high school graduation. I knew there was more to this world than my Catholic school bubble, and I wanted to experience it all. But situations have a way of changing your plans, and going to LSU for college seemed to be the best next step for me. I...