Mar 18Becoming the Parent I Want To BeHow it started … Long ago, early in my teaching career, before having my own children, filled with blissful dreams of pretty nurseries and adorable family photos, I was slightly nervous about raising a human but believed parenthood would be an adventure I could conquer. I told myself… MY children won’t say no to me. MY kids…Parenting2 min readParenting2 min read
Dec 14, 2021Why Trying to Motivate My Kid Didn’t WorkAnd what worked instead. Jacob’s 2nd grade teacher called him a perfect model student. Above grade level in nearly all subjects, he breezed through his first few years with barely any effort. But then, school gradually became more challenging. Jacob seemed distracted, and his teachers kept telling me he wasn’t meeting his potential. …Parenting3 min readParenting3 min read
Sep 19, 2021One Thing Parents Should do Every New School YearAnd something they should never do. I was a magnet for children with special needs throughout my years as a classroom teacher. My principals never shied away from placing students with significant academic and behavioral challenges on my roster. Regardless of how challenging a child was, though, I made it…Back To School2 min readBack To School2 min read
Sep 11, 2021MY 9/11 EXPERIENCE AND WHAT MAKING SPACE FOR UNCERTAINTY CAN TEACH USI was teaching 2nd and 3rd-grade children on 9/11/2001. Actually, I wouldn’t call it teaching. The second tower fell while children arrived for school. …Never Forget3 min readNever Forget3 min read
Sep 5, 2021HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE CRAZIEST NEW SCHOOL YEAR EVERAnd keep your sanity along the way. The world feels so big right now, doesn’t it? And, right in the midst of all kinds of crazy, we enter the back-to-school season. As much as we’d love a normal back to school season, there is nothing normal about this year. Sure, you can post all the first day…Parenting3 min readParenting3 min read
Jul 26, 2021What Children RememberFor weeks following the accident that nearly took our daughter’s life, she and I were arguing. We were staying at the Sheraton in West Philadelphia, which we jokingly call our August ‘vacation’ of 2015. One area of angst was that our room didn’t have a microwave or refrigerator. This was…Parenting3 min readParenting3 min read
Jul 16, 2021For weeks after the accident, maybe months, Alex had two goals.For weeks after the accident, maybe months, Alex had two goals. She was determined to get back for the last month of her Co-op (a sixth month, full-time internship incorporated into her degree program) and hopeful to once again play rugby. Neither goal happened. She and I were working to…Resilience3 min readResilience3 min read
Jul 13, 2021Why This Simple Hack is the Best Motivation for Parents and ChildrenAnd it only takes two minutes! I’m an all-or-nothing kind of person. I have grand ideas and goals, all of which seem huge. So, I plan, research, and organize forever and a day, but never start the thing. That is the way I used to be until I came across…2 min read2 min read
Dec 23, 2018The Greatest Gift of AllI heard her first. Annoyed by the crying, I looked over. The little girl appeared to be about five years old with long, jet black hair pulled back with a bow. Her mom held her closely in the seat of the cart while her cries steadily grew louder. The little…Behavior Problems3 min readBehavior Problems3 min read
Dec 2, 2018Learning to Do the Hard ThingsWe are a family who values independence. My daughter jokes about how she and her brother were expected to pack their own lunches in fourth grade. It’s true, though. While I made sure the shelves were filled with things they could easily make, they were responsible for their own lunches. …Parenting3 min readParenting3 min read
