Relationships & Family

It's Up to You

admin — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:36:18 -0500

Lots of us have been there. Stuck in a job that gets us down. You know the feeling. You dread Mondays. You watch the clock, praying for the workday to be over. This can be a recipe for misery. On average, Americans spend 80 percent of their waking hours at work. That's way too much time to be unhappy. Every job has its challenges. Everyone has bad days at work. But if you find yourself screaming, "I hate this job!" once too often, it's time to change your life a little—or a lot.

How to Have a Wonderful Wedding

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:49:54 -0600

I'm a professional wedding coordinator. I help couples plan their weddings, arranging the details for food, music, flowers, invitations, dresses, ministers, transportation. There are hundreds of things to consider to make the ceremony and reception come off smoothly.

Findings: How to Be a Great Godparent

mcherkezian — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:31:13 -0600

It all happened so fast. My best friend Sandy telephoned from Florida to ask if I would consider being godmother to her second child, a son.

Godmother! I was honored. I was flattered. I'd never been asked to be a godmother before.

"Sure," I replied easily.

"You don't have to answer right away," Sandy said. "Being a godparent is a serious responsibility. Maybe you'd like to think it over for a few days, maybe even pray about it."

5 Tips to Develop Positive Kids

mcherkezian — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:31:06 -0600

I have a confession. Despite the fact that I work to develop positive leaders, schools and teams, I’m not naturally a positive person.

The research says it’s not my fault. Turns out some people are born with a more positive disposition while others are born with more of a negative disposition.

But there is hope. The latest research in neuroscience and positive psychology demonstrates that we can mold our brains and ourselves to be more positive, which is great news for me and my children.

The Challenge of the Holidays

mcherkezian — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:23:49 -0600

In so many movies, families happily gather together to celebrate the holidays.

In reality, while many do enjoy visiting and spending time with parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins, it’s not a universal experience.

Out of Empty Nest Valley

jbloustein — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:17:19 -0600

To our left, the Santa Lucia Mountains jutted into the cornflower blue western sky.

To our right, the Pinnacles Mountains rose likewise into the cloudless east.

And rushing alongside our tour bus windows in a blur of emerald, teal, mint and kelly green was the verdant flat patchwork quilt of California’s Salinas Valley.

The tour guide’s microphone crackled with upbeat commentary.

Life Hurts. Just Ask My Toddler

jbloustein — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:44:22 -0500

“Owwwwie...owwie, owwie, owwie,” my 18-month-old daughter wails as if I had just slammed her fingers in the car door.

To punctuate her agony, she throws her head back and enters toddler rigor mortis.

She is certainly in pain and she wants the world to know it. But there isn’t one injured inch on her body. No, this display is to communicate suffering purely of the emotional variety.

The Eel and the Bartender

admin — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:38:00 -0500

A green moray eel was donated to the New England Aquarium by a bartender from a neighboring state. For years, the eel had lived in a tank next to the bar, but it had begun to outgrow its home.

The Power of Choices

jbloustein — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:48:32 -0500

I have Olivia’s crib still up in her bedroom. Considering she is only 18 months old, that may not seem so strange. But Olivia hasn’t slept in her crib for nine months.

When Olivia learned to stand up, her perfect sleeping habits instantly stopped. And in my sleep deprived state, I decided to join the ranks of co-sleepers. (My twin sister Susan has co-slept with both of her kids.) I put a mattress on the floor in her room and slept with her there.

Maddie's Lesson

jbloustein — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:21:01 -0500

It is 9:30 p.m. and I am still wrestling my squirming toddler, trying to get her to go to sleep—and it isn’t helping that my seven-year-old son keeps getting out of bed and peeking into her room.

I try to shield Olivia’s eyes and shoo him out, but she spies her big brother out of bed and ready to play. Jackson scrambles back to his room and I snuggle her and hold her tight, kissing her head and singing “Jesus Loves Me” in her ear.