Posts Tagged: children

Beers With Friends

November 21st, 2012
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A good friend of mine posted the below story on her Facebook page but there was no source of authorship so I don’t know who wrote it or where it came from.
But I thought it was wonderful story, definitely asking me to think about how I spend my time and how I prioritize my life: family, friends, my health, my passions.  Do I get a sense of meaning from my work, daily activities and relationships?  Maybe I am letting the small stuff get in the way of the more important stuff?
It’s always healthy to reassess yourself.
I try … Read More

From A Child’s Heart

November 14th, 2012
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I was browsing through two of my Letitia Baldrige books on manners while writing and posting last week about her recent death and came upon a very touching chapter she wrote on how a child learns to communicate a kind thought. I was immediately drawn into the chapter because in today’s world, it is a bit unusual to come across a child of any age who says “please” and “thank you” all on their own. In Baldrige’s book, “More Than Manners! Raising Today’s Kids to Have Kind Manners & Good Hearts,” she discusses the need to teach young boys and… Read More

Now Is Powerful

November 12th, 2012
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Photo By Patti Raab When I was in my twenties, I felt as though I had all the time in the world to do whatever it was I wanted to do.  I think that feeling was the luxury of youth.  I had no sense of needing to get things done urgently because if it didn’t happen today I was confident that I would get another chance tomorrow.  There would always be tomorrow for a do-over, if you will. “See you tomorrow!” “Oh, I’ll tell you about that later.” “Yeah we have to find a date and then we’ll do it. … Read More

What Would Nana Do?

September 24th, 2012
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When life hands me a difficult situation, I think about my Nana and wonder how she would have handled it. My Nana gives me strength and inspiration because she lived a good and simple life. She and my Pop-Pop raised five children (including my mother) during the Depression on as much as $58 a week and for awhile on nothing because my grandfather lost his job.  During the time that there was no paycheck, they lived on canned goods that a relative got for free and and managed to keep their house and continue to feed and clothe their children.… Read More

No More School Days

August 22nd, 2012
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Me and My Son Lately, I’ve been feeling as though I forgot to do something and I keep trying to pinpoint what it is. The other day I was driving around doing errands, letting my mind wander and I think I finally figured it out. This is the first time in 16 years that I am not helping my son get ready for school. I was in a big box store over the weekend and a separate section had been set up just for school supplies.  I watched the parents with their children buying notebooks (No! Not that kind!  I… Read More

I’m Listening

June 13th, 2012
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I have found that when you are talking to children of any age about almost any subject, you should be prepared to hear things that can be so truthful, so honest that it can take your breath away.  Now, I’m not saying that’s a bad thing.  I think it’s wonderful but you have to prepared yourself for the possibility that the unpolished truth could pop out at any moment. That’s the beauty and wonder of children: there usually is no filter on their wise thoughts. In my many talks with my son about his father’s death, I tried to keep… Read More

Mom’s The Word

May 13th, 2012
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Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there who have given their love unconditionally, wiped noses and butts, and lost sleep all for their little bundles of joy!  The world is definitely a better place because of mothers! Motherhood is the adventure of a lifetime and I’m happy to say that I have loved every second of it.  It hasn’t always been warm and fuzzy but those are the times when I dug down within myself and tried to do my best to take care of my child.  I am the first to admit that I am not a… Read More

Parental Crunch Time

April 30th, 2012
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As a single parent, I can feel myself entering that time of year every parent knows as “crunch time.” The end of the school year is upon us and that always means that something that should have been done earlier in the school year and was forgotten or postponed now suddenly has to be done.  Everyone knows exactly when the school year ends and is starting to count the days until they can be free of homework and enjoy summer. Whether it’s a term paper, an art project, extra credit to try and raise a grade or a presentation of… Read More

Being Positive

April 12th, 2012
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My son came home from college for a brief Easter break and happily it caused a shift in my outlook. For me, the take away message of his visit is all about the importance of having a positive attitude.  Maybe it’s young energy or maybe it’s because he has a smaller plate of responsibilities than I do but my son has a wonderful tendency to find happiness in many things.  Just by being around him, I am reminded that being positive makes living a lot easier. Do you think that sounds obvious?  Maybe so.  But if being positive is so… Read More