-
Movie Review: When The Game Stands Tall
Image courtesy of Movie Guide When The Game Stands Tall is a football movie. But this is a football movie about far more than the sport. It’s not about grown men; it’s about young men growing up. And it’s not just for football fans. This movie is for everyone. With the leadership of Coach Bob Ladouceur, the De La Salle high school football team won 151 straight games over twelve years. They hold the record for the longest winning streak by any team for any sport. Even the longest professional winning streak is a mere fraction of what De La Salle has achieved. When The Game Stands…
-
Be The Person You Want Your Daughter To Be
A Kick In My Gut One afternoon, my six-year-old wanted to go outside to play. It was unusually warm outside so I sent her to her room to change into shorts. It seemed like a simple task but when I went to check on my daughter and found her aimlessly searching through her drawers I was impelled to ask, “Why is it so hard to pick out shorts?” Her answer was a kick in my gut. “I don’t like my legs.” She said it so matter-of-factly, I asked her to repeat herself. No, I was not mistaken. The child I have tried so hard to shelter…
-
The Tooth Fairy
Image courtesy of Flickr The summer of 2010 was a busy summer for my youngest son Hayden. It was a summer filled with many firsts. He learned how to ride his two-wheel bike—without the training wheels. He learned how to swim in the deep end—without a life jacket. He learned how to blow a bubble (bubble gum). He learned how to whistle. He lost his first, and second, baby teeth. Considering how animated and energized Hayden was—and still is—most of the time, he is also a very relaxed, go-with-the-flow kind of child. That summer, while we were visiting with friends in Montreal, the kids were eating corn on…
-
Family :: Staying Fit Together
Image courtesy of Flickr If you are like most busy moms, you are constantly trying to find ways (and time) to exercise. My daughter just had three weeks of Spring Break; having her home was fun but it definitely threw a wrench in my routine. I found myself having to sneak in creative workouts that she wanted to participate in. How did I get her to want to exercise? Simple: I changed the way I talked about physical activity, I made it fun! Have A Dance Party Whether your child is a toddler or a teenager, I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t love dancing?…
-
Healthy Communication and Emotional Development
Photo courtesy of Flickr A common issue in relationships, and an important one for parents to learn, is communication. Many of today’s modern couples were reared in baby boomer, or post-baby boom, homes, and we see a common theme emerge from this generation of parents. The baby boomers of course were the generation that pushed social change to the forefront. Theirs, in essence, was the first generation to value individual emotional needs. In large part this transformation accompanied civil and women’s rights. I put this in context of communication because a classic and painful issue that thwarts communication is something occasionally termed codependence. Codependence is fairly…
-
Parenting :: Taking Your Kids Seriously
Photo courtesy of Flickr I have a 4 year old boy and a 2 year old girl. They are the lights of my life, the joy to my day, and the cause of every graying hair and worry wrinkle on my face. My son is in preschool and this is all new to us; the homework, projects, bake sales, volunteer hours, & class parties. We are just at the beginning of the schooling experience and I am overwhelmed with the adjustment of keeping a schedule, remembering where his book bag is, making sure clothes are laid out every school night. I feel like my husband and I have done a pretty good job…
