Do Life Right

Goals are important. Without them, we flounder, wither, and die (if not physically, then certainly emotionally and psychologically).
Yet, no one can truly make goals for anyone other than themselves. This is a trap parents often get into. It’s inevitable — we have dreams and desires for our children. There is nothing […]

In no particular order:

My earliest memory is of my mother rocking me in a rocking chair. I was calm and content. I didn’t need to be rocked, yet she rocked me anyway because she wanted to. In my memory, the experience lasted a long time. How sweet is that?
My mother has […]

Never be afraid or ashamed to admit you don’t know something.
The other day my husband asked my older daughter (11.5) if she knew what a particular word meant. It was conversational and light and happened in response to her asking us a question about a clue on Jeopardy! — his asking was not part […]

An overheard comment I heard recently: “I could never homeschool my children because they have too many drastically different interests and are completely different people.  They’d never manage to get through a day without beating each other up.  Only parents with similar children are able to homeschool and live consensually.”
This statement is sad, yet the […]

I thought school was supposed to be about learning, not order. Yet, order and control is all it seems to be about anymore. The administrators have lost sight of the real goal by bringing attention to all their “nondisruptive” circumventions.
The Chicago Tribune’s article titled “Neuqua Valley High School student can wear anti-gay T-shirt […]

This could have been titled “Are you celebrating something special today?”
Twice in one day last week I was asked something similar to the above - once by a checkout lady and the next time by a waitress. Just what was my family doing? Having fun going about our normal day-to-day activities. We […]

People learn in different ways. While I absolutely abhor labeling children, as a mother I’ve come to appreciate realizing that there are different EQUALLY VALUABLE ways of learning and being. All are correct, yet drastically different.
I’m a person who learns well from words. I read a lot and I absorb it. […]

From the cute little girl on the front to the brilliant long lists of ideas (and glorious lists of great picture books), Child of Wonder: Nurturing Creative and Naturally Curious Children (Common Ground Press 2008) by Ginger Carlson, M. A. Ed. had me hooked. This is a book I wish I could have been […]

Before the How to, it is better to first ask: Can you teach a person to get interested in your ideas?
Simple Answer: You cannot teach a person how to become excited. It just isn’t possible. Inspiration and excitement are internal. How about motivation; can you teach that? Yes, you can motivate people, […]

I’ve been asked how it is that I’ve come to be so confident. Interesting question!
This post could have been titled “How to Love Yourself”, as confidence and love go hand-in-hand.
A while ago my youngest daughter asked me, “Who do you love most in this world?”
I replied, “It’s a three way tie between you, your […]