Dirty Socks, Clean Rooms, and Raising Adults
Oh my gosh, did you see Palmer’s email last week—the one with the towering pile of dirty laundry? I laughed out loud! Maybe it was a slightly trauma-induced laugh…it brought back so many memories of trying to get Palmer, my strong-willed middle son, to clean his room as a teenager. It was a serious challenge! I pulled […]
Your Kid Is Doomed If They Do This
You are doomed if your kid does this… You got Palmer today! First off, happy Easter if you celebrate! Whether you enjoy an Easter egg hunt or deeply reflect on its meaning, I hope it’s a lovely day for you 😊. I’m just kidding about them being doomed, but I have had something on my mind […]
They didn’t tell me it’s about the little things
In today’s email, I want to share a realization I’ve had about what truly matters in parenting. I wish they had told me that parenthood is about the little things. I used to think that parenting was about raising a good kid. Responsible. Successful. Smart. Kind. Good values. Yada, yada, yada. Now I know that parenting […]
The Success Trap Every Parent Should Avoid
As a parent having pride for your kids can be a mixed bad. It’s good to be proud of your kids; it can help them feel encouraged, but it can also be overdone if we start to let their lives dictate our own sense of worth. Since 2017 when I first worked door-to-door sales selling educational resources to […]
Challenge to Learn New Things About Family and Friends
When Palmer was 15 and 16, he couldn’t stand me much of the time. It was so hard to connect with him. Makes sense. It’s hard to connect with someone who doesn’t like you. But dang it, this was my kid! The precious little baby I used to rock in my arms. The little guy who always said, “Mommy […]
What If Change Isn’t Something to Fear?
View in browser Dear Friend,I make myself laugh. Two weeks ago, for my Sunday email, I told myself, “In two weeks, you can really sit down and give a lot of thought to your email because by then, life will be mostly back to normal.” Ha Ha Ha. What a joke. Here we are, two weeks later, and I am […]
Waiting for Baby James: A Lesson in Presence
It’s Wednesday morning, February 12th, and I’m at the hospital in the labor and delivery waiting room. The bitter cold outside contrasts with the blue sky and gorgeous, snow-capped mountains of Colorado visible through the large windows in the waiting room. Palmer’s last text mentioned Anabelle was about to start pushing. Now, uncertainty fills the […]
Have You Told Your Kids This Recently?
It’s Palmer today! The 2-3 hour windows of sleep I’ve been getting the last week or two have been a bit rough, so I’m going to keep this email simple and action-focused. I know it’s only been two weeks since I last wrote to you, but somehow, these last two weeks have felt like two months. I’ve missed thinking about […]
How to Stop Having the Same Argument
Do you find yourself having the same frustrating arguments with your kid or partner over and over? You know, the ones where you feel hurt or worried… something tender… but somehow spirals into defensiveness and anger on both sides. These repetitive fights remind me of long childhood bus rides. We’d belt out “100 Bottles of […]
How to Be the Parent Your Kids Need
ou got me today, Palmer… for the last week before I am officially a dad. Baby James is set to arrive on Tuesday, though given his head is the size of a bowling ball, he might take a few extra days. 😅 I’ve been going through quite the mental process in preparation for my sweet […]