A home without pets feels foreign to me. I’ve known people who sneer at us crazy dog people and can’t understand why we love our dogs so much. My dogs are important members of the beautiful chaos of my family life so this attitude is hard for me to wrap my brain around. Would life […]
The Soothing Spirit of a Dog Read More »
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.netNow that I have some time under my belt blogging, I finally settled on a title that I think better encompasses my goals for this blog. “The Engaged Family” will continue to address family transition issues and offer ways to more effectively communicate with our children, spouses, and extended family. Family communication has its
A New Blog Title: The Engaged Family Read More »
Summer vacation starts this week for us. I can’t figure out where this past school year went, but I’m excited about the slower-paced weeks ahead of us. To be honest, usually by mid-July, I’m over the whole summer vacation thing and I’m ready to get my kids back to school! Some families do really well
This post is dedicated to my parents married 40 years this weekend! Congratulations! Photo courtesy Boykung. I’ve been hearing a lot of chatter lately about what we should be doing to make our marriages stronger. You know, cute tips like writing lipstick messages on your bathroom mirror. While there’s nothing wrong with that, when I
15 Ways to NOT Dumb Down Your Marriage Read More »
“People who say they sleep like a baby usually don’t have one.”-Leo J. Burke If you ever want to experience what face-to-face road rage is like try lecturing a sleep deprived mother. One of my biggest pet peeves when I was sleep deprived (which lasted oh, about 5 years — yes, I was a real
What Not to Say to a Sleep Deprived Mama Read More »
I always figured that we’d have to deal with bullying at some point. Since my son doesn’t always tell me what goes on at school, I wondered if I would know if he was getting teased or bullied. My son’s an exceptionally empathetic child. He’s the caring kid, who hugs and kisses his little brother
Confronting the Bully Read More »
Public speaking ranks as the top phobia for three out of four adults. You’ve probably heard that many polls show that people are more afraid of public speaking then of dying. Public speaking certainly has never come easy for me, which is probably why I want it to be easier for my kids. Public speaking
How To Nurture Your Child’s Public Speaking Skills Read More »
Our intuition is a part of communication that comes from deep within and sends messages that we often ignore. After all, it is sometimes hard to discern an intuitive feeling from fear and anxiety. Judith Orloff, M.D., author of several books that deal with healing and intuition including her latest bestseller Emotional Freedom, writes on
Your Intuition: A Communication Powerhouse (If You Allow It) Read More »
Teaching children how to engage in conversation is just as valuable a skill as basic manners. Without learning boundaries in conversation and the rules of engagement, a child can grow into an adult who frequently interrupts and dominates conversation with little concept of non-verbal cues or regard for others, or on the opposite end of
A Series on Nurturing Communication Skills in Your Child Read More »
New Year’s Day leads the pack as one of my favorite holidays. I love the idea of a new beginning and a fresh slate. Generally before the start of a new year, I spend a few days reflecting on what went well the previous year and what I’m happy to put behind me. I can
A New Year’s Resolution: Intentional Communication Read More »