California Fires: Tips and Tools to Uplift Your Family Vibes

Posted on October 12, 2019

It’s that time of the year here in Southern California. Those of us who have spent a lifetime here can feel the fear in the air the minute the winds kick up to horrendous speeds. The smell of smoke and the sounds of sirens, helicopters, and fire-fighting aircraft just add to the angst. With eight fires currently active, more than 100,000 people have been evacuated, several school districts are closed, and workplaces are reduced to skeleton crews. With just a…

3 Quick Tools to Simplify the “Hardest” Job in the World – Parenting!

Posted on October 8, 2019

A few weeks ago we discussed why parenting seems so hard. This week, I want to share three simple action tools that help you, the busy parent, align your goal of shifting from “hard parenting” to “smart parenting.” In order to do this, let’s play the “switch” game: 1. Consider everything hard a challenge: Let’s say that you are faced with a difficult situation with your kids. You’re at the cusp of exploding. Your inner self is screaming, “This is soooo hard!” Now take…

What You Can Learn About Parenting From Wine Tasting

Posted on October 1, 2019

I was at a wine tasting event recently and couldn’t help but notice how dialed in most people were to the experience. It was interesting to observe how the first sips of a new pour activated a different taste—oaky, fruity, smooth, tart, or sweet, to mention a few—for different people. And they all seemed to enjoy the moment, regardless of whether the wine was to their taste or not. There was one thing in common, however: Wine tasting was all…

Why Does Parenting Feel Like the “Hardest” Job in the World?

Posted on September 24, 2019

We all have felt “this is so hard!” Sometimes it’s “hard” because we’re physically exhausted, and at other times, it’s because we’re mentally exhausted. And here’s the big one – it’s even harder when we’re emotionally exhausted! Of course, there are also those super hard times when we’re served a combination of the above. None of us are immune. “I left you two messages, and you haven’t called back. Is everything okay”? asked my Mom more than once. I finally broke down and complained, “I just…

Your Kids: Are They Ordinary or Extraordinary?

Posted on September 17, 2019

When we are away from our kids, we only talk about them: the funny things they say and do, the bratty quick responses they give, the challenges that we face with them, the dilemmas of small happenings at school, and so on. You know, the ordinary day-to-day stuff. You do it, I still do it (and my “kids” are adults), everyone does it! We find ourselves saying, “Can’t wait to get away for a few days” or “So ready for…