It was a quiet summer Saturday morning.  I was up early, a cup of hot coffee in my hand while momming mantras ran through my mind: I will stay calm today. I WILL stay calm today. I can do this. 

The day before with my 4 year old had been hard. The day before that, even harder....

"Ok, it's time to clean up. Help me put these blocks back in the box please."

I was wrapping up a home visit and the recently-turned one year old looked at me and smiled. 

She then did these three things in quick succession:

1. Picked up a block
2. Put it in the wooden box
3. And dumped all the...

“Mom, what do you think I should do?” 

My daughter Caroline just started her first semester at Temple University, Japan. Her night is my day, and vice versa, so I often wake up to messages, pictures, or voice memos from her.  It’s a great way to start the day...

Parents & Early Educators ask me a short list of questions, on repeat. And this always makes the top three!

My job is to be honest with you. So here it is.

Consciousness is only HALF of the formula for raising and teaching well rounded, whole kids.

So why is conscious...

I duct-taped my 3 year old’s car seat buckle.

Yep, you read that right. 

The year was 2006  and we were on vacation in Cape Cod when Claire’s explosive behaviors began. It truly felt like an out of the blue, 180 degree change in our child. The crying, body...

"I don't know but I'll figure it out."

This is what my then 18 year old daughter Caroline told me after arriving in Japan only to find that the Aupair job she had lined up had fallen through.

I world away I was in a bit of mama panic and did what I counsel parents never to do ‍ peppered her...

Motherhood isn’t your identity. Neither is being a wife. They are relationships. And before them, there was you.

You worked hard for years to grow into who you are, to own your sense of self, and step into confidence, clarity, and create a vision for who you wanted to be in this...

I looked at my toddler, smiled and said “It’s my job to keep you…” 

 “SAFE” she yelled with an ear to ear smile on her face.

From the moment my kids were born there was an inner shift. All of a sudden my only job was to keep them safe,...

My daughter clung to my leg like it was her life force. I took one awkward step, knowing I had to go, that by staying I was only making it harder for both of us, as the teacher pulled my three year old off my body. 

She was bawling. And by the time I got to the car, so was I. 

...

“My toddler just won’t listen to me! And don’t even get me started on how they don’t follow directions.”

If I had a dollar for every time I heard a parent navigating the toddler years say this…

But here’s the thing.

Hearing isn’t the same as...

True, effective communication is based on real, authentic connection.  

When I really need a kiddo to hear me I touch my nose and say, “look at my nose so I know you can hear me”.  They often giggle, sometimes look at me funny as they get the joke, but I always...

Toddlers misbehave: at home, in public, at school.

They are small humans exploring the world and testing to see who will hold boundaries with love, consistency and compassion, regardless of where they are.

As parents, the urge to apologize for their behaviors is strong. But when you...