Category: Parenting
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No resentful martyrdom
I woke up in pain during the weekend. My ear hurt when I was swallowing. “Mommies don’t get sick” said ivy quoting a book we have. Pain incapacitated me. I knew I had to slow down, to stop and rest. This whole month I drove the kids to their appointments and made time to swim,…
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Conversații bogate
Petrec serile răspunzând la întrebări. E un timp bogat de conectare cu fetele mele. Recunosc ca îmi place sa am o audiență așa captivată de ce am de zis. Doar ca setea lor e de nestăvilit. Întrebările curg, inima si mintea lor se umple. Nu mereu am energie sau cuvinte sa Le fac pe plac.…
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sleepovers and other matters
Our daughters spent their early childhood elsewhere. Not home, under our supervision, protection and care. Their transition to our home was slow and steady. Small steps. We prepared our home for them and we prepared them to come live with us. They cried to go back. If not the first night, definitely the second night.…
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Lider sau părinte
Rolul de părinte șlefuiește sau elucidează câteva abilitați esențiale in lumea adulților, in roluri diverse de pe piața muncii, in special roluri de conducere. Nimic altceva nu te pregătește atât de organic pentru rolul de manager sau mai bine zis lider, ca viața de familie. Dacă ai avut părinți cu abilitați de lider, cu siguranța…
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My birthday
It must be a gift This sense of generosity of life, the feeling that I received abundant love, so much so that for the rest of my life I only need to give it in order to be happy. My core belief is that i am deeply loved and safe. No, my parents weren’t perfect.…
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Ethnicity
Today in civics class, the teacher invited my older daughter to tell her story. Only if she wants to. Adoption is not a secret at home, in the neighborhood, in the church or at school. The natural way we treat this part of our story was passed on as such. It is neither good nor…
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Critical
Did you have those voices around you, growing up, that were more critical than encouraging? Kids are born inept. They know nothing, are clumsy, needy, and frankly even when they make progress, it is slow. Thant being said, they hunger for encouragement and faith. They need adults to believe in them, especially when they don’t…
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Piercing question
Frazzled, back aching, socks wet, I attempt to dry the second kid after their evening bath. Determinedly silent, eyes on the finish line, I do my best. J breaks the silence with one of her raw questions: “on a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you like being a mom?” I never lie.…
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Smoking in the airport
In line to board the plane. A young woman starts smoking an e-cigarette. First impulse is to move away to not smell it. There isn’t much room to move. So Conrad asks her to stop smoking. She replies childishly: no. Conrad’s got dad reaction kicked in. He yanked the e-cigarette out of her hand and…
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About having a voice
From invisible and underestimated Stepping into the light Being visible burdened with expectations I learn to live With purpose Quiet and clear Humble and bold. I grew up singing Traian dorz poems My theological foundation Music has the power to activate parts of the brain that nothing else could My crossroads prayers had words borrowed…
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The purpose of traveling
If you leave home to go spend money, to feel rich, then more power to you. I have never traveled without a tight budget limit. It’s in my blood to pinch pennies even when we have money in the bank account. We buy our airline tickets then we find a hotel in easy distance with…
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A good relationship
I always remember how smooth my adolescence was. My brother was gone to college, and I had my groove. The happiest years of my life. School stressed me big time bit one I figured out the system and the teachers, I studied hard by it didn’t occupy my entire mind all the time. I had…