Mental Health

Inside Out 2 - Why Every Tween (and Parent) Needs to See It When my now twelve-year-old son was a toddler, Inside Out came out in theaters. My "honesty island" would be firing on all cylinders by saying I probably enjoyed the original movie more than my own child. So, when it was announced that Inside Out 2 would be released the same weekend as my toddler's 3rd birthday, taking him to see the sequel for his birthday weekend was a no brainer. I arrived to the theatre expecting a fun, humorous, somewhat light plot line, but I left with a new perspective on my own preteen's complex, new emotions. The Emotions are New (and Complex) to Your Kids Early into the movie,...

Mourning a Dear Friend :: Crystal Welch I'm mourning the loss of my dear friend Crystal Welch, whose passing has left a gaping hole in my life and the lives of those who loved her. I have yet to tell her nephews. In the initial stages of grief, I'm struggling to come to terms with the news, feeling numb and disbelieving. It's hard to accept that someone so full of life and joy could be gone so soon. Crystal was more than just a friend; she was a loving aunt to my sons, a constant presence at every milestone, and a force of nature who embraced life with enthusiasm and passion who also loved snow boots. As the reality of her...

You're Not Alone Mama Life has a funny was of throwing curveballs at us. Not everything always goes as planned. Jobs are lost. People breakup or divorce. Loved ones pass on. None of us are immune. Eventually something will happen that turns our lives upside down and all around. Our human experience is disappointing sometimes, there’s no denying it. Days filled with tragedy that force us to examine the things that really matter. So how do we proceed with grace? How do we look at these obstacles put in front of us and continue on to live another day? Do we lean on our villages, hoping for a shoulder to cry on? What if we don’t have villages? What if our...

Fostering Healthy Body Acceptance In Your Teen Daughter Teaching a young girl how to accept and love her body starts with her mother. You will be a mirror to either her strengths or her insecurities. It's up to you to decide which she will reflect on. She will already be bombarded with the unattainable world of filters, advertising, TikTok videos, and the latest internet celebrity. She will hear the gossip of peers calling out the too fat, too thin, too tan, not tan enough, too tall, too short, anything too much, making her feel less than. But you momma, can lessen the damage of these things. Never Criticize Yourself in Her Presence Momma I'm with you. I've got pounds to lose. There...

The Key To A Better Me :: Letting The Words Flow It’s no secret that I like to write. Even without the fancy degree I consider myself a seasoned writer. One of my fondest memories was writing Harry Potter fan fiction in the living room on our family computer, an old Windows 95 model circa the year 2000. I’ve kept a journal on and off for years. Going through periods of life where I wrote everyday, as well as periods where my journal entries are months apart. Journaling soothes my soul and lets me take my frustrations out. It lets me capture memories I don’t want to forget and words spoken that won’t leave my memory no matter how hard I...