“My teacher is mean. It’s going to be a terrible year.” “None of my friends are in my class.  I’m going to be alone.” “I don’t think I took the right classes to get into college (4 years from now.)  Like a tropical storm, the deluge of stressful thoughts made landfall as predicted in the [...]

A kind word can change a life. Even when it seems as if children aren’t listening, they do value your expertise and rely on your support. One of the many priveleges I enjoy as a mother and an educator is the opportunity to impart wisdom to young people.  I’ve had a new opportunity to do [...]

If you’ve followed me long enough, you know that I’m no fan of ‘luck.’  (Click here for a previous post on the subject.) Luck, in the traditional sense of the word, is a disempowering concept.  However, this St. Patrick’s Day, I’ve decided to take the word less seriously and adopt a broader definition.  Let’s agree for a [...]

I stare out at the third snow storm in a week and am humbled by the fact that there is no control over Mother Nature.  Tempted to throw negativity at the incovenience  created by New England winter weather, I remind myself that I actually choose to live here.  Putting up with storms is part of [...]

Anyone who manages a small country called ‘Family’ is familiar with  the mayhem that accompanies the start of a new school year.  The work involved in this transition can drain an entire summer’s worth of relaxation in a single week.  Which is why I find myself holding onto a clear shedule and summer weather with [...]