In 2018, I set a goal to read 100 books. I was pretty generous with the parameters, so I included audiobooks and any books I read to my six-year-old that were over 200 pages. On New Year’s Eve, I met that goal. Hooray! It was completely arbitrary, but it was fun to track my progress. … Read more
Picture it: you’re right in the middle of making dinner, and your six-year-old, who has been eerily quiet, blasts through the kitchen with a bin full of dog food. Kibble sprays in every direction as he shoves the bin along the floor. The dogs joyfully romp behind him, barking and gobbling down food. It’s chaos. … Read more
This summer we were hit hard by wildfires. For weeks on end, our air quality was rated very unhealthy or hazardous, and we were trapped inside day after excruciatingly long day. I always knew my son needed to be outside for a good portion of every day, and I know that I am a happy, … Read more
When I was in graduate school for counseling, we talked a lot about compassion fatigue, therapist burn out, and the all-important “self-care.” No one ever really defined self-care, but there seemed to be this general understanding that it involved taking lots of baths and eating chocolate. Once I began my work as a therapist, self-care … Read more
Perfectionism and motherhood seem to be natural bedfellows. We’re often led to believe there is a “right” way to do everything: from birthday invitations to breastfeeding, diapering to education. We have to get everything just right or our children will live in our basements until they’re 30 and we will be marked as failures. Yet … Read more
When our babies are born, we pour everything into them, more than we ever could’ve imagined we would. We give them everything we have, heart and soul. We rock, we bounce, we nurse and soothe. We do it because we love them and we can’t envision NOT doing it. We give them everything we have … Read more
Before we discuss an approach to parenting a strong-willed child, let’s take a step back and ask: Is there even such a thing as a “strong-willed” child? Some readers will be nodding their heads vigorously. “Of course there is, just meet my daughter!” There are, however, different perspectives: One is that a strong-willed child has … Read more
Ashley Kim is a professional coach, and it’s her life’s calling. I can tell you this with confidence because she has helped me learn things about myself I could never have imagined. She has helped me to get out of my head and drop down into my heart; something that doesn’t come easily to me. … Read more
We all bring our own individual strengths to parenthood. For example, my husband is great at planning grand adventures, I’m good at packing the snacks and making sure everyone dresses in layers. (Can you guess who the fun one in that relationship might be?) Some traits serve us better than others, and we’ve all heard … Read more
My commitment to being a more mindful, present, and peaceful parent has seeped into all areas of my life. I’m gentler with myself and others. I’m more aware of and accepting of my own weaknesses, and I’m more able to see the poor behavior of others as communication of an unmet need or a sign … Read more