A Dad’s Point-of-View, by Bruce Sallan – Do YOU Have a Best Friend?

 Posted by Bruce on October 26, 2010  General  No Responses »
Oct 262010
 

Do you have a best friend? I’ve grown apart from my closest friend while, at the same time, renewed contact with my oldest friend (since age 4 or 5). I believe it’s an important ingredient in having a balanced social life, whether you’re single or married. Some people think that their spouse should be their best friend. I don’t.

My history of friendship has always included having a best friend–a guy, though I had many close female friends later in my life Having opposite gender friends is another topic altogether and maybe even a bit controversial. My first close friend was the previously mentioned friend that I made in nursery school, which is what pre-school was called in my day.

Our parents were friends and neighbors and “D.J.” and I became close friends all the way through high school. Later, in junior high school I had a best friend who my mom really didn’t like. He wasn’t a “good kid,” according to her. She was right. He liked to do things like get cherry bombs and firecrackers and blow up stuff. His mother was divorced–a stigma in those days. Continue reading »

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Are You Looking For Your Kids?

 Posted by Bill on October 25, 2010  Balancing Work and Children, Dealing with Divorce and Your Ex, General, Getting Your New Life In Order, How to Communicate with Your Kids  1 Response »
Oct 252010
 

Have you ever heard the story about the little boy who answered the phone call?

One day, the phone rang, and the little boy answered.
“May I speak to your parents?”
“They’re busy.”
“Oh. Is anybody else there?”
“The police.”
“Can I speak to them?”
“They’re busy.”
“Oh. Is anybody else there?”
“The firemen.”
“Can I speak to them?”
“They’re busy.”

“So let me get this straight — your parents, the police, and the firemen are there, but they’re all busy? What are they doing?”

“Lookin for me.” Continue reading »

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You should break the Golden Rule!

 Posted by Patrick on October 25, 2010  General  1 Response »
Oct 252010
 

Continue reading »

Posted by Patrick Talley

Families Come In All Packages

 Posted by Michele on October 24, 2010  General  3 Responses »
Oct 242010
 

This weekend was a time of grief and a time of celebration and I returned to Minnesota with much love and new perspectives in my heart.  My daughters and I went to the small town in Wisconsin where I grew up for my Great Aunt’s funeral this weekend and while it was a time of sadness and loss it was a also a time of re-connecting with family, a celebration of life and gaining more wisdom in regards to what is truly important in life.

Family flew in from all over the United States and even though it had been quite some time since seeing many of them it was like we had never missed a day or a beat in being together.  We came together in a time of loss yet all of us from young to old shared smiles, laughter, silliness, tears, reflection, stories and most important love over the past three days.  It was beautiful and reminded me of just how important family is.

My brother gave a short speech as we all gathered last night after the funeral and he talked about how our family comes from different walks of life, has different beliefs and lives scattered across the country yet at the end of the day we can all go to sleep at night knowing that no one in this family will ever be alone.  That truly hit me and it brought great comfort for we will all go through tough times and everyone needs someone that they can lean on.  I felt blessed and fortunate knowing that I have a family that I can lean on and my heart goes out to those that feel alone in the tough times. Continue reading »

None of This Crap Really Matters

 Posted by Kelly on October 23, 2010  General, The Craziness of Single Parenting  3 Responses »
Oct 232010
 

I am an experienced mother now.

I have been doing this job for about 2 years.

That is actual amount of time you see.

But…. Continue reading »

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Don’t Let Fear Stop You

 Posted by Lisa on October 22, 2010  General  No Responses »
Oct 222010
 

The first time my young sons went to Disney World with their dad, my youngest–who was about 7 at the time–called me on the phone:

“Mom,” he said. “I faced me fear. I rode the Tower of Terror. I faced my fear,” he repeated. Continue reading »

Hotel or Home? Where do your kids live?

 Posted by Davis on October 21, 2010  General  5 Responses »
Oct 212010
 

This morning while taking my youngest to school (too far to walk or she would) I was listening to a local San Diego radio station and Dr. Kevin Lemen was the guest and he had me mesmerized! He was preachin’ to the choir. He had me saying ‘Amen’  more times than I heard my mama say on Sunday nights in our Pentecostal Church back in the day. The ten minutes I was able to listen gave me about five blog topics. My mind was reeling, I was writing 10 blogs at once in my head…I had to stop! I took a deep breath and told myself that I had to stop the mind madness and start somewhere. So, I’m starting here…Do your children live in a hotel or a home? In my experience…the former is closer to the truth than the latter.

I am a HUGE believer in handing over age appropriate responsibility. I tell my clients that self esteen is built not by cheering a child on for everything little thing they do but by letting them do what they can do for themselves. For example, if they can make their own bed…let them. Dr. Leman said that children build their self worth by being part of the home, helping it work. I couldn’t agree more and I admit that I have a hard time with this. Well…not anymore. I will no longer crutch my girls and their self esteem out of fear that I am not the ideal mother…wait…I mean the perfect mother. My middle daughter asked me a few years back,”Why don’t you make our beds, Emma’s mom makes her bed.” My response was, “Because you can make your own bed.” But secretly I worried that Emma and her mother were going to have a much better relationship and Eliot would dream of being part of that family. Yeah…yeah…yeah!!! Once I realized I am not aspiring to be my children’s housekeeper, I got over it and know that Eliot will be saying the same to her sweet daughter or son someday with a smile and a making a call to me saying, “thanks mom, you did a great job!”

I can dream – can’t I???? Continue reading »

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