Thanksgiving and Christmas Plans for You to Think About (Column Related)

We're entering the thankful time of year. The blessed time of year, the gifted time of year. But we are also entering the chaotic time too.

Long lists of menu items to purchase, and foods to cook. Multiple people to buy for, and thousands of stores to shop. Traveling, entertaining, extending ourselves and our budgets...

But, what if we can't?

Sometimes the season is just too much. We can be left feeling depleted or just want it to be over. I'm sure this wasn't exactly how the season was supposed to feel like when holiday traditions first began. I'd like to think it was meant to be more about being together and loving one another, and being grateful for what we have (or don't).

Like last year, and the year before that, I asked my readers to find ways to do other things outside of the box to change their experiences during these two big upcoming holidays. I shared ways that would help them and their kids know what the season was for and how to become more grateful for those mystery packages under the trees.

This year, I value peace and want more of it, more happiness, good health, and just to be with my family (even if some of them are far away). So I'll 'REACH' to find ways to be with them also, even if just in spirit or a thoughtful card sent).

Just like My One Word last New Year: I want families to 'Reach'. Reach out to each other, remember that this life is temporary and the bonds we have can only stay tight if we keep them tied.

That's what my November Column is about: Reaching & Thanksgiving...

HAPPY PRE-HOLIDAY. STAY CALM AND BREATHE ON.

Back to School Anxiety: Bullying

Download “School Boy Being Stressed” by David Castillo Dominici via freedigitalphotos.net I recently wrote about how to help your child if they’re struggling with going back to school because they were bullied. My biggest most important tip was to listen, because I honestly could not write a ‘How-to-make-them-not-afraid’ column. Frankly I thought that was absurd. Fear is sometimes real. Anxiety is sometimes truly there, and for a good reason. Our job as parents isn’t to try to make it go away, it’s to try to find out the true source of those worrisome feelings. If you’d like to read more, click here. And if you’re child is struggling to find excitement about the new school year, don’t deny it, just accept it and move forward gently. Here’s some more on bullying: Family Matters Links: A Touching Story/Song Bullying: A thing of the past A Peace Poem By My Teenage Daughter A Deeper Insight into My Thoughts on People Who Bring Harm to Others Other Links: Stop Bul

6 Ways to Support Teens and Mental Health (Column Related)

Enjoying a trip to see family and exploring the outdoors. May was Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s over now, but it shouldn’t be. I’m not a medical professional or anything even close, but I am convinced that every person on the planet (no matter age, economic status, profession, race, or gender) is vulnerable to events that can alter their state of mind. If you’re not sure about this, just research the increase in the amount of people seeking psychological help due to the pandemic, then try getting an appointment with a therapist or counselor that doesn’t require weeks or months on a wait list. There are so many things damaging our mental health that we don’t even realize. Add underlying issues not yet detected and undiagnosed…it’s a bad situation made worse, and the need for support more urgent. Many teens are struggling with mental health issues right now and many of us don’t even know it. How could we? Not too many teens feel comfortable talking to adults about ‘their stuff’ a

Green Punch Buggy....!!!!

Green Punch Buggy...No Punch Back! As I was writing this blog post, my son came to me showing off his Lego creation. And don't you know I got hit at least five times since on my computer screen was displaying at least five different punch buggies, of five different colors thanks to Google Images. (Bad timing I'm thinking...) How can we possibly have world peace with these silly cars in the world!? ;) Don't the owners of these cute-but-obnoxious-cars understand that driving these things around town promotes violence!? ;) Anyhow.... The original purpose of this blog was to ask parents everywhere this question: Do you find yourself saying 'PUNCH BUGGY *BLANK-COLOR*! ' to yourself, even when the kids are not in the car??? I do! Isn't it funny how those games we used to play as a child are still around? I bet our parents say the same thing.... HAPPY FRIIIIIIDAAAAYYYY! P.S. I got hit at least ten more times, since as my son stood beside

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