Loving Parenting - Again

     Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment, paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without any judgment.  It is a state of active/inactive attention to the present, without regard to the future or the past.  Mindfulness is described as the ability to be fully present, aware of where you are, what you are doing, while not being overly reactive or overwhelmed by what is going on around you.      Mindfulness can help reduce stress, improve mental well-being, and enhance focus and self-awareness. Practicing  mindfulness has been found to reduce depression and anxiety symptoms and increase feelings of well-being.        Mindfulness is a basic concept used by many therapists. Many schools are implementing mindfulness exercises and activities in order to improve mood, improve focus, and increase empathy and cooperation in the classroom and general social interaction within the school.    In the home many parents are offering their children oppor

 A few weeks ago my adopted daughter attended a fireside. When I asked her about the meeting, she said it was good and she liked it, but didn't say much else about the speaker or the subject.  It was few days later that I came across a packet of colorful papers she had tucked away in her purse.  At first, she didn't understand my excitement at what I had found. However, I had the opportunity to share with her that what she had been casually given, without a lot of explanation, was in fact something exciting, something we could talk about together.  This particular daughter recently asked about looking into finding a therapist to see on a regular basis.  She had heard from a few family members the difference going to counseling had helped them.  Up to this point I hadn't really felt a need for them to attend therapy sessions, mainly because after all the sessions and training I had received while raising the previous two generations of children, I felt her aunt who lives wit

 I take part in a Facebook group for people who have chosen to adopt children.  A very recent subject that has come up is the issue of honesty.  It is not an unfamiliar issue for me, as I have had many family members who have experienced challenges with being honest.  As a parent and grandparent, I understand the frustration of teaching this concept, not just once, but often many times.    In our society, honesty is an important character trait/life skill we want our children to learn.  Honesty is tied closely with respect - respect for self as well as respect for others.  How well a child or any person, learns this skill can affect them not just in the present, but also in their future as they make friends, interact with others or find success in a chosen career.  May I suggest a number of ways which I have found useful?  Perhaps you will find something that works for you.  1. Talk about honesty.  Honesty can be explained as simply being truthful in telling what happened in real life.

  Congratulations! You’ve just had a baby. Or perhaps, circumstances require you to return to work.   Either way, the need to get back to work and the mounting pressure of wondering what you’re going to pay in daycare costs is likely causing you to lose sleep. But it needn’t be so. Keep in mind that your child continues to grow and in about 4 years your daycare costs will begin declining as your child enters school. As more time is spent in school and after school activities, less time will be spent in daycare. Even though it is a small percentage, child care expenses are deductible off your taxes. Other ways to combat daycare costs include rearranging your work schedule if at all possible, sharing child care with your spouse or partner, and finding a telecommute job so you can stay at home. Relatives or family friends can often help out. High school or college students are also a source worth looking into. If you live near a large college, it may be profitable for you to place an ad

You've heard all the nasty rumors about childcare, but you have to get back to work and you have no choice. But did you know there are benefits to sending your child to daycare If you consider some of these benefits, it will help you come to terms with your own decision whether you have a choice or not. If you can understand some of the ways children benefit from childcare, you will feel you are helping your child grow into a well-rounded, happy child instead of punishing the both of you by sticking him in daycare. Babies need interaction with other children. It's never too early to start engaging him in activities with other children, whether they are other babies, toddlers or older children. Learning to interact with other children prepares a child for his first encounter with school. A daycare environment is a perfect place to get a child used to other children as he will have to do when he enters preschool or kindergarten. Daycare is a gentler environment, there are less ru

   Ever since women entered the workforce, the great daycare debate has raged on. Parents, scholars and politicians have argued the pros and cons of external childcare facilities until families are absolutely certain placing their child in daycare results in either an infant prodigy or a teenage delinquent.  As with any issue, the truth has been found to be somewhere in between. Daycare can be a tremendous opportunity for a young child to learn social skills, expand their vocabulary and learn to function as an individual away from their parents; constant interaction with their peers allows them to develop a respect for the opinions and emotions of others, learn the value of teamwork, and to form friendships that will often carry into their school years. They are also given an opportunity to gain basic academic skills at an earlier age and adapt to the more rigid structure of a classroom environment prior to entering Kindergarten, easing what is often a difficult transition for childr