-
When Mr. Sandman Meets Mr. Salesman
“Anyone who thinks the art of conversation is dead ought to tell a child to go to bed. ” (Robert Gallagher) There is something especially pernicious about bedtime issues. The kids are tired (although they sure as heck won’t admit to it), you’re tired (and you certainly have trouble hiding it), and like oil and […]
-
The 30 Year Old Baby
“If you want a baby, have a new one. Don’t baby the old one.” (Jessamyn West) One of the ironies in life is that often, when we operate out of doubt and fear, we drive ourselves to the very outcomes we are seeking to avoid. A thirty year old baby isn’t cute by anyone’s standards, […]
-
Making Mistakes
“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” (George Bernard Shaw) Many parents find themselves petrified by possibilities. They know that the stakes are high in parenting and that the things they do and the decisions they make will have strong ramifications. Understandably, they […]
-
Independence
“A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary.” (Dorothy Canfield Fisher) This concept is particularly difficult to grasp for many mothers out there. We have been told that our job is to protect our children from the menacing world of predators and PG13 movies. While protection is […]
-
What Not to Expect
“You must not expect old heads upon young shoulders.” (English proverb) Anytime we expect more than we should, we are setting ourselves up for failure. This is true in all things and parenting is no exception. When your kids are acting like kids, don’t be surprised. It’s their job. They are going to do stupid […]
-
Hurry Hurry, Step Right Up
“One of the great illusions of our time is that hurrying will buy us more time.” (John Ortberg) Invariably, when I am in a hurry to check out at the grocery store, something will happen to make my line slower than a your average snail. The cashier changes shifts. The register runs out of receipt […]
-
Get Your Juices Flowing
“Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.” (George Lois) Just about every day, we get requests from people who want to know specifically what to do in certain circumstances. “What do I do when my three year old won’t potty train?” or “What should I […]
-
Honest Abe as Parental Figure
“Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried out on him personally.” (Abraham Lincoln) Ok, so maybe this one is a stretch. Don’t get me wrong. I am not intending to liken certain authoritarian parenting styles as slavery, but old honest Abe does make a good point […]
-
A Helping Hand
“It was on my fifth birthday that Papa put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘Remember, my son, if you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one on the end of your arm.’” (Sam Levinson) I wouldn’t go quite this far when trying to teach my kids self-sufficiency, but I like the spirit […]
-
Loquacious Location
“Speech is conveniently located between thought and action, where it often substitutes for both.” (John Andrew Holmes) Unfortunately, this statement is all too true. And when our mouths lead the charge, we have no choice but to follow. If we could just realize that speech is another form of action, we might have more success […]