Good bye San Diego hello Kentucky and new baby

 Posted by Tracy on September 30, 2009  General  No Responses »
Sep 302009
 

I thought I would start by sharing the trial and tribulations of my daughter’s arrival and first year on this planet.   From conception to her first year, was some of the most difficult times of my life but have played a part in shaping me into the parent I am today so I feel it’s important to my story to talk about that time. 

Getting Pregnant

Although, I’ve always wanted to be a mom, at 31, my life was the furthest thing from the living the mommy life as you can imagine.  It was all about the party and not about what I thought it “should” be to raise a kid.  When I became a prego, Paris’s dad and I had been dating off and on for almost 8 tumultuos years and when we got the news, we we’re both very, very scared.  Neither one of us felt ready to be a parent or that our current circumstances would provide a good life for a child.  And although I was scared and couldn’t see how it was possible for us to raise a child, especially together, I was given a strength and a security that it was all going to be ok.  I mean if my mom, being dirt poor and without any support can raise 3 children on her own from the age of 18, I certainly can do this.  Once I found this strength, I was determined to raise this kid, and be the best mom I could be with or without him.  After all, God wouldn’t have blessed me with this opportunity if he didn’t feel I could handle it.  Continue reading »

Letting Go of Control for Successful Co-Parenting

 Posted by Julie on September 29, 2009  General  1 Response »
Sep 292009
 

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a single-parent is to let go of control.

Taking control certainly didn’t serve my marriage, so I know I need to keep it out of my co-parenting relationship with Max’s Dad.

But alas, I am not perfect, and despite my good intentions…I’m not always successful!

The issue of “control” came up the other day when I found and empty bag of Cheetos in Max’s lunch.  You can imagine my horror when I saw that Max was eating anything other than foods from the earth! Continue reading »

My Kids Are Like The Stock Market

 Posted by Bill on September 25, 2009  How to Communicate with Your Kids  1 Response »
Sep 252009
 

I have decided to change my kid’s names from Jack and Michaela to Dow and NASDAQ. Why you ask? It’s because I believe that raising them is like investing in the stock market. As long as I put something into it each month I am bound to get a good return on my investment. At least that’s what the experts tell me. Recently I have found that my success with the kids has been similar to my recent returns in the stock market. Dismal! I have scratched my head, reviewed my parental investing strategy and made some adjustments. But still I am not seeing the returns that I had hoped for. I keep telling myself that’s its not how I start but how I finish. This would make sense if I was a marathon runner, but as a single dad I am a sprinter. I sprint from school event to sporting event, from grocery store to doctor’s appointments, from homework assignments to dinners. I want to see a return NOW!

My financial planner tells me to have patience. Follow the plan, and that all things are difficult before they are easy. Easy for him to say, he’s getting paid monthly on what I invest with him. I want to see a return NOW!

I know that I am not the only single parent that wants a return on his investment NOW. Why does this have to be so difficult? You give, you love, you encourage, you discipline and you lead but still I am not seeing the results. I want a return NOW! Continue reading »

Who could have called it!?

 Posted by Jerry on September 24, 2009  General  4 Responses »
Sep 242009
 

“Dad, why aren’t you and mom together?”

That question hasn’t come my way yet, but it will. It’s inevitable.

I expect our son to have natural questions about why his mom and dad aren’t together. I have ideas about what I will eventually tell him. One thing I find great pleasure in, and I hope he will, too, is, his initials, A & E. That’s how his mom and I signed everything we wrote to each other. It stands for Always & Eternally. I hope that he is able to find some comfort in knowing that, just because his mom and dad aren’t together, he is here because there was a time that his mom and dad loved each other very much. Continue reading »

Tracy and mini me

 Posted by Tracy on September 23, 2009  General  51 Responses »
Sep 232009
 

Hi everyone,

First let me express my gratitude to Bill for giving me the opportunity to share the Tales of Tracy with all of you.  I’ve actually been wanting to journal my adventures in parenting for quite some time so this was the kick in the butt I needed to make it happen.  

My intentions are the following:

1) To remind myself to find the humor in all of it Continue reading »

Improving Nutrition: Small Changes Have a Big Impact

 Posted by Julie on September 22, 2009  General, Nutrition  1 Response »
Sep 222009
 

I’m so excited to be a guest blogger!  I have been contributing recipes to singledadstown.com for a few weeks now, and I’m honored to be a part of this growing community.

Many kudos to you for joining us!  Your participation speaks volumes to your commitment as a parent, and your attention to raising healthy, happy children.  In this empowered place, we can shift the focus from “dealing” with child-rearing, to “embracing” all that comes with raising wonderful adults!

I am equally committed to this as I raise my son Max, who is the inspiration for my company, MaxLife Therapies. It is my mission to teach families to take back their health through proper nutrition, exercise and positive thinking.  I not only meet personally with families, but I share my message to larger audiences through my keynotes, books, DVD’s and Blogs. Continue reading »