Category: Parenting
-
Intentional noticing
Today’s lesson was about housework and good observing work. How come a mom’s mental load is so heavy? Because she is so good at observing what needs to be done. I heard a mom’s story about using this phrase and the effects of it. And when traveling, when her kids used the public bathroom which…
-
Perseverance
As I write about everything that moves me, I wish I took better writing classes. I wrote lame poetry as an early teen, and my literary interpretations in school were better than average, and yet, I feel that there is an untapped wisdom and creativity in writing. And though I practice, i don’t know how…
-
Permission
“Who told you, you can do this?” I ask my 7 year old, taken aback by her actions. “I told myself” she answered with an obvious “duh!” confident voice. I also think through every situation fast. I do. But I find myself in her predicament often. I do decide for myself even when it’s borderline.…
-
Studiu de caz. Paralelă.
Am citit în doua zile cartea “The tipping point”. Punctul de cotitură, într-un fel. In 1960 pe o insula din Sudul Pacificului, in Micronezia, un băiat de 17 ani s-a sinucis pentru ca tatăl lui l-a gonit de acasă când acesta nu a reușit sa facă ceva. In mesajul lui de rămas bun i-a mulțumit…
-
Therapeutic retrospection
The girls wanted to watch old videos of themselves. I indulged a trip to the past that lasted an hour. We nearly peed our pants laughing. We watched videos from their first days with us and the few years later. Them playing, us together and mostly regular life at the apartment. Those first years seemed…
-
Outer world vs inner reality
I have two very different kids. One is in my face. The other one is very reserved. I have learned to engage with the outspoken one, who is so different than me. It challenged and changed me for the better. What shall I do with the one whose personality is too similar to mine? You’d think…
-
Gender identity
My 11 year old daughter asked two girls she didn’t know, who were waiting in front of the bathroom at the conference, if the bathrooms were all occupied. They answered with “this is the girls bathroom”. My daughter only responded with “I know”. She wanted to cut her hair short to be cool, different, and…
-
Yancey
At 18 I received a fantastic book from Brian, titled “what’s so amazing about grace”. After the lemudim camp in Valea Draganului, I took the train by myself, I was 19, and traveled to Suceava. I read the whole time. My english was not great and got probably 80% of the book, but I devoured…
-
Urgent matters & saying no to friends
Two decades ago my brother was telling me about the quadrants of busyness, formed on the axes of important and urgent. Where do you think we spend most time in? And where should we actually focus on? Important and not urgent. That should fill most of our time. Instead we get so wrapped up in…
-
Responding wisely
We can’t control what people do. We can only control how we respond. It’s not what you think. In my quest to cut things off my endless list, my projects list, my to list, as I succeed pulling away from some things, many flood to take their place. Monday was busy. Busy at the pool.…
-
Burnout creeping in
Everyone wants a piece of me. I feel my body tense, trying to shake things off, burdens, pressure, suffocating demands. Even 1st grade homework help needed is distracting me. I think my voice is tense even if I try to cover it up with low tones and softens. The hardness creeps in. The irritation. The…
-
Kid tiredness
Jackie coordinated a sleepover with 5 girls in her class. They got to the age where they make plans and have a mind of their own. I love this stage. As they talked among themselves they reached the conclusion that Jackie would have most space. She brought it up with me and I said I’ll…