On Monday I'll be sending my 5 children, who span in age from 5 to 18 years old, to 3 different schools -- elementary, middle, and high Continue Reading
The Wrong Kid: How to Let Go of Unnecessary Guilt
My son Paul learned how to ride his bike last week. This is seriously cool stuff for any 10 year old boy. This hits the Amazing Meter when Continue Reading
The 3 Critical Traits You Need to Teach Anyone Anything
I am a student of life. I love to learn and am not afraid of not knowing. It's scary at times, but I overcome fear by reminding myself I can learn Continue Reading
Doors are a Privilege at Our House
Bedroom doors are a privilege for kids at our house. If a teenager takes technology into his or her room outside of our family technology covenant Continue Reading
Before We Go Further — Shattering the Perfect Family Myth
Before we go further together, you as readers and I as writer, I need to make an important clarification. Rewind to 10 years ago, when our family Continue Reading
Zack is Sick Today: How to Live with Fear
Fear. There are people who seek out fear. People who jump out of airplanes. People who free climb on and swing off of mountains. No one chooses to Continue Reading
Never Say This to Someone Who is Hurting…(But Say This Instead).
This morning Mike and I corralled our son (kind of gently sat on) in order to remove a splinter from his finger. Extracting a teeny brown sliver of Continue Reading
This Morning Was Ugly — Parenting Children with Emotional Issues
The last few hours of my life were ugly. At one point I was on my knees in the family room crying. I could hear one of my children upstairs Continue Reading
An Adoption Conversation
Paul and I were looking through photographs on the computer and came upon pictures of Zack as a baby. Zack joined our family as our foster son when he Continue Reading
For the Mom at the Slide: When Parenting is Frighteningly Hard
It's a Friday evening and I am at the elementary school carnival with Josiah, Paul, and Zack. It's unusually cold even for Colorado in the Spring. Continue Reading
“Have Fun Storming the Castle!”
I spent one summer of my high school years with good friends watching the 1987 movie The Princess Bride over and over. I've passed the torch on to Continue Reading
Why I Won’t Give Up on Mother’s Day
Here's why I won't give up on Mother's Day. Giving Up Mother's Day There is a movement in recent years to do away with celebrating Mother's Continue Reading
