When children grow up, do moms grow up too? Or do we just grow old? Today's women may be anywhere from our mid-thirties to almost seventy when our last chick flies the coop ... it's hard to make any generalizations about us. It is safe to say that some us come into our own once the kids are grown, and...[ read more ]
The movie A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, based on one man's encounter with Fred Rogers recently opened in theaters across the country. Rogers, a Presbyterian minister as well as a children's television personality, was always impressive in his ability to communicate acceptance and love to masses of children in a way that always seemed personal and individualized. Long before...[ read more ]
My summer caseload is always lighter than the rest of the year. That's because I work primarily with moms, and moms are busy taking care of their kids in summer (which translates to not focusing so much on self-care). In previous summers, this dip in numbers has triggered a sense of "not doing enough." Extra time on my hands during...[ read more ]
I sometimes get myself in trouble with parents and with other professionals because I come firmly down on the side of giving children as much autonomy as possible, as early as possible. This includes taking a wait-and-see approach when babies wake up in the middle of the night, encouraging toddlers and preschoolers to play independently, and sending kindergartners off to...[ read more ]
Change is hard. Even when it's change for the good! I've been AWOL from this blog for months because of big changes in my life. I closed down my little solo office downtown and relocated to an office space I share with 4 other psychologists. There are so many ways that this change is good: - I have the wonderful...[ read more ]
"There's a reason God gave children to young people." My mother used to say that after babysitting my brood for a few days - on the rare occasions when my husband and I got a day or two alone. I would mentally add, "... young people who have no idea what they are getting into." I often felt ill-equipped to...[ read more ]
I’m a late bloomer. I did a lot of odd jobs between college, marriage and raising kids, but I always felt the tug to go back to school. I hadn’t completed my undergraduate degree. When I had my third and last child, I decided it was time to go back. As my interests narrowed, I found myself increasingly drawn to...[ read more ]
My undergraduate years now seem to me long ago and far away. I was in the midst of earning a bachelor's degree in music, and thought that I would make my career as a musician and teacher. My actual destiny was far removed from that - but I learned many lessons in those days that I've been able to put...[ read more ]
This article is the sixth in the Taking Care of #1 series, about the hierarchy of human needs, how we experience those needs, and what we can do to help ourselves move toward higher-order living. In this series, I have discussed our survival needs, such as food, water, and air; our need for safety and security; our need to belong;...[ read more ]
This article is the second in the Taking Care of #1 series, about the hierarchy of human needs, how we experience those needs, and what we can do to help ourselves move toward higher-order living. It is out of order because our guest blogger's computer decided to malfunction at a very crucial moment. Second only to basic survival needs such...[ read more ]
