When Being Thankful Isn’t Enough by Jennifer Maggio

 Posted by Jennifer on November 24, 2010  General  1 Response »
Nov 242010
 

This is my absolute favorite time of year!  It is.  I have hardly been able to wait to put the Christmas tree up and listen to Christmas music (which I haven’t done yet).   I love driving around looking at Christmas lights with my family.  I love the colder weather.  I love giving presents to my kids. 

At this time of year, it is pretty common to begin to hear more about thankfulness.  Some of us go around the Thanksgiving table and share one thing we are thankful for.  Others write lists of those things.  We mention things, such as family and friends and possessions.

 I recently shared some thoughts about the holiday season with my single moms group that I work with; and yesterday at church, I heard one of the best sermons on thankfulness that I’ve heard in a while.  The thoughts were similar, so I thought I’d combine them and and share a few here. Continue reading »

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A Dad’s Point-of-View, by Bruce Sallan – What Does Thanksgiving Mean?

 Posted by Bruce on November 23, 2010  General  No Responses »
Nov 232010
 

A Dad’s Point-of-View, by Bruce Sallan

Thanksgiving Means Thanks and Giving

I love Thanksgiving because it’s a holiday that transcends all religions, all cultures, and all ethnicities. It’s about the basic notion of “giving thanks” and it’s really become a holiday that everyone loves.

First, there’s the food. Second, there’s the food. Did I mention the food? How about the turkey? The yams? The stuffing? And, my favorite: pumpkin pie. Ahhhh. Need I say more?

I believe that gratitude is the major ingredient to happiness, and I learned this from Dennis Prager, the talk-show host, columnist, and author. So, on this Thanksgiving, I’m going to share with you just a few of the many things that I’m grateful for, and some that I’ve solicited from my readers, Facebook and Twitter friends, and Radio Show listeners. Finally, I will share quotes from those famous and not so famous, that I found on the Internet. Continue reading »

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Hitting The Nail On The Head

 Posted by Bill on November 22, 2010  Balancing Work and Children, Dealing with Divorce and Your Ex, General, Getting Your New Life In Order, How to Communicate with Your Kids, Organizing  1 Response »
Nov 222010
 

I am told that in order to have a successful blog, you have to either entertain, educate, pose a question or share a story. I have tried too at one time or another do all of the above here on my blog. Sometimes I believe that I am successful, and at other times I am not sure. It’s kind of like raising children, sometimes your the hammer and then at other times you are the nail. Either way I thought that today I would try to educate you with a few tips from Chapter One of my new book “Kickin’ Butt as a Single Parent – 99 Tips that Every Single Parent Must Have”. I hope that these tips help you to hit the nail on the head today.

Getting Your New Life in Order Continue reading »

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The Art of Saying NO!

 Posted by Michele on November 21, 2010  General  3 Responses »
Nov 212010
 

NO!  What a simple but complex word.  NO should be an easy thing to say but for me it is and has always been one of the most difficult words for as long as I can remember.  The word NO has often been accompanied by mixed messages and I would venture to guess that my children questioned if my NO really meant yes more than once over the years.

For some, saying NO is not an issue and there are plenty of people out there that have learned to say NO when necessary and to establish the boundaries that need to come with it.  For me, boundaries and consistently saying NO and meaning it have caused issues on many different levels.  One can only imagine how this has played out with my children.  Saying NO is an important word in the realm of parenting whether in a single parent home or a home with both parents.  NO is often times the glue that can hold rules, boundaries, choices and behaviors together.

The inability for a parent to say NO can lead to anxiety, stress, resentment, guilt, taking on too much, feeling overwhelmed and conflict.  For kids, it can lead to mixed messages, learning to manipulate the parent, throwing those precious tantrums until we as parents give in and a free ticket and admission to making poor choices and getting into trouble.  Continue reading »

On The Road Again

 Posted by Kelly on November 20, 2010  Organizing, The Craziness of Single Parenting  2 Responses »
Nov 202010
 

I have traveled a LOT with my kids…

and by myself.

Lots of airplane trips.

So I may not be an out and out expert but…

I do believe if this were an Olympic sport… Continue reading »

12 Tips to Curb Holiday Stress

 Posted by Lisa on November 19, 2010  Balancing Work and Children, General  No Responses »
Nov 192010
 
Already? I know. The commercials are playing, the malls are decorated, numerous people have requested christmas lists from me (for the kids, that is).
Is it even possible to cut holiday stress in half? Well, we can try, right?  Continue reading »
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The Freedom To Not Be Right by Jennifer Maggio

 Posted by Jennifer on November 17, 2010  General  2 Responses »
Nov 172010
 

(Proceed with caution. This one may hurt a bit.)

If I had to choose one area that has been an on-going struggle with me (not that there haven’t been many), this would be it.  I have strong convictions and am very opinionated.  I believe there may be one or two of you out there like me, so I offer you my thoughts.

Years ago, as I’ve mentioned, I found myself a homeless unwed teen mom who eventually landed a corporate job for a major Fortune 500 company.  I gained a great deal of knowledge and experience within that company.  I developed my public speaking skills and organization skills.  I made a great living for my family.  I enjoyed lavish vacations.  My confidence grew. 

But something else began to happen.  The larger my success, the bigger my ego grew!  With increased confidence came increased arrogance and a total lack of humility.  If a supervisor tried to give me direction, I became defensive.  If an employee didn’t agree with me, I ruled with an iron fist and brought the hammer down!  Continue reading »

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