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Parenting a High School Freshman May Be the Hardest Parenting Yet

9/30/2020

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Before I became a parent, I assumed parenting was hard.

Then I had my first baby and quickly realized that parenting is way harder than I ever could have imagined.

When my baby became a toddler with his own big personality, an inhuman-like ability to slither like a snake out of my arms when he didn’t want to be carried, and a deep commitment to throwing massive tantrums, I realized that parenting had somehow become even more challenging.

Fast forward to today and I find myself facing the hardest phase yet of parenting: parenting a high schooler. With just a short bit of time so far under his belt as a high school freshman, I find myself more confused than ever when it comes to how to parent my son. ​​

Originally published on Grown and Flown. Click HERE to read the full article.

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Today I Realized How Much My 9th Grader Can Do Without Me

9/22/2020

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It’s time for me to pivot to a different type of parenting with a more capable teen. (Twenty20 @JJFarquitectos)
This is often a time of year when I feel so completely alive as a mother – clear in how I am valued and where I am needed. It also is a time of when I feel stressed, overwhelmed, and alone — the weight of a successful start to the new school year resting solely on my shoulders. 
Today that weight was lifted and I am equal parts relieved, heartbroken, and proud. 

Originally published on Grown and Flown. Click HERE to read the full article.
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Finding The Bright Spots

9/15/2020

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This is our official first day of high school picture and it sums up our feelings on the school year perfectly.

No.

Nope.

Not this.

Stop.

Get out.

Go away.

We want normal.

Every parent, student, teacher, and administrator is having their patience, compassion, and ability to strike balance tested on a serious level these days.

After just one day of a hybrid model of remote and in-person learning, I’m exhausted as a parent.

I’ve spent all my hopefulness. I’ve used all my patience. I’ve done all I can do.

Our family gave today our best. Tonight we regroup, refuel, reset our expectations, and hope that each day will get easier.

A friend’s child asked her today “will it always be like this?”

We all could benefit from asking ourselves that question every day.

We need to remember that this time in our lives will pass. It is temporary. Brighter days are ahead.

It will not always be like this.

​Here’s to finding the bright spots while we wait.
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"Skedaddle" - A Pure Delight!

9/12/2020

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This week I had the pleasure of reviewing an advanced copy of Jacqueline Leigh's Skedaddle.

As a recipient of the Moonbeam Children's Book Award, Jacqueline has done it again with Skedaddle, her third children's book.

This simple story of a young girl unable to fall asleep because of the antics of a squirrel in her attic is brought to wondrous life through Jacqueline's skilled story telling and Erika Wilson's whimsical art work. In a "nut shell," Skedaddle is pure delight! 

With a story and illustrations appealing to children and adults of all ages, I found myself reading and re-reading Skedaddle all afternoon. I wish I was still a preschool teacher so that I could build a fun curriculum around this clever story!

The sweet and endearing message of Skedaddle is delivered with lightness, humor, and innocence. Skedaddle is one of those books that is sure to be pulled from the shelves over and over and over again to be treasured throughout the years.

I can't wait for you all to read it and love it as much as I do!

Skedaddle will be available for purchase on October 1, 2020. In the meantime, join Jacqueline for the Skedaddle Virtual Party over on Facebook for your opportunity to get your personalized and autographed copy of the new release.

Be sure to also Skedaddle on over to Jacqueline's website, Facebook, and Instagram to stay up to date on all of her projects.
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Our Football Season Was Sidelined and We Miss It So Much

9/4/2020

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As the summer begins to wind down and fall begins to knock gently on our door, I typically find myself in my happy place—not because of pumpkin spice anything, or leggings and boots, or shiny new academic year planners and school supplies — but because both of my boys are boys of fall.

Article originally published on Her View From Home. Click HERE to read the full article.


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Dear Mamas, We Will GeT Through This

9/2/2020

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Dear Mamas, You’ve Got This

It’s that time of year again — the time when summer days begin to shorten, summer nights require a sweater, and back to school sales fill the stores.

But, this year, everything feels completely different.

This year, mothers everywhere are facing the beginning of the school year with a growing sense of fear, anxiety, and hopelessness.

I know I am.

Each day I wake up still uncertain about the back to school plan. Each day finds me second guessing my family’s decision to allow our sons to return to school in a hybrid model versus a fully remote option. Each day finds the dread and sadness building in me. Each day finds the lightness of summer fading.

This is not how this was supposed to go.

Right now, my head is filled with a million racing thoughts:

- How can I help my children learn remotely this year?
- What is the best physical space for them?
- How are they going to stay engaged all day?
- How can I make sure they learn something?
- How are they going to feel emotionally with this new school plan?
- How can I balance their schooling and all of the other things I have to do?
- How can I possibly do everything that is required of me.
- What if I fail at this?
- What if I can’t do this?
- Are they going to be ok?
- Am I going to be ok?

What is being asked of us as mothers right now is almost impossible to understand and has created one of the most pressure-filled moments of motherhood I can remember.

I am overwhelmed and sad that this is our reality.

But, I am trying desperately to hold two key thoughts close to my heart. These thoughts have become mantras for me lately and are what I say to myself when the anxiety gets too loud:

This is not forever. This is not our new long-term normal. This will not define our children and it will not define us as mothers.

We are not in this alone. There are lots of other mothers out there facing similar struggles.

We need to lean on each other. We need to commit to calling, texting, and FaceTiming each other regularly to give each other space to vent, complain, and cry and to build each other up.

This will be hard. There is no doubt about it. There will be days when we cry, days when we scream into pillows, and days when we just can’t get motivated.

There will also be days where it feels not quite as impossible. There will be days where the smiles outnumber the frustrated sighs.

It will be ok.

We will get to the other side of this challenging time.

This time in our lives will serve to remind us that there are so many things outside of our control, that the uncomfortable and hard times are always temporary, and that we are not alone.

Right now, mamas, we need to breathe in and breathe out, taking this challenge before us one single day at a time while cutting ourselves an amazing sense of grace.

You’ve got this, Mama, and we’ve all got each other.
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