peek at my parenting cards

Want a sneak peek of the parenting oracle & activity cards? Check them out.

It's a 44 card set to raise kids to live intuitively & true to their spirit. It's full of activities balanced across the four elements, body-mind-heart-spirit. They go to print in next few months.

Let me know what you think!

aspirations not dreams

Been reading to my 14 year old son The Last Lecture, with a theme of achieving childhood dreams.

The obvious mom question to Chad was:

"So, what are your dreams?"

"Aspirations. Not dreams, Mom. I only have one really. To be happy." Chad is clear. "Well, it would be fantastic to run Nintendo, I suppose. Well, maybe not run it, but be the game idea person. Not the person doing the drawings, but the person supervising. The one with the ideas and people telling me how they won't work. But they do work. That would be fun."

No need for me to coach. Just to learn. Know who you are.

Is 'be happy' too simple, too vague?

Motto: aspire vs perspire

will timmy and eloise breakup?

Driving to school today, my son tells me about 'another irony.' "I told friends yesterday that Clayton and Ashley would break up real soon. And everybody said there was no way because they were doing so well (after all...they've been going out a long time...a whole month!). And guess what. They broke up yesterday."

"Hmmm. So you knew."

"YEH. I knew. I don't know how. But I knew. I always seem to get things like that," he continues.

That's how it works for me often, too. I just know. I know it as clear as I know my name. I just know. No logic. No reason. No evidence. But I know. It's called claircognizance (clear knowing) but whatever. It feels a lot like a thought, but it's not. If you pay attention, you will even begin to notice how that kind of 'knowing' is a different flavor.

He left the car by saying, "Well. Part of what I know is also that Timmy and Eloise will breakup within 2 weeks. We'll see."

As I drive off, I recall Chad "informing" me months back that I really ought to breakup with some guys quicker. Once you know, you know. Haha.

Point of interest: middle schoolers teach me how to breakup

UPDATE FROM CHAD. Yup. I called it. They broke up. No one else saw it coming and thought they had a really good relationship. But I called it.

my name is bill

"You can call me Bill," my son Chad tells his science teacher on the first day of 8th grade science.

The teacher pauses. "Bill? Are you sure?"

"Yup. Call me Bill." Chad assures him.

Sensing something's off, the teacher asks the class if there is anyone who can confirm his name is Bill. When Chad tells me the story, he boasts, "Mom! You wouldn't believe it!! 3 people in the class raised their hands!!"

"Bill is an unusual nickname for someone named Chad. Are you sure you want to be called Bill for the rest of the year, cuz I'll call you that if you want," his teacher jokes.

When I asked Chad why he did it, he told me, "Why not!? I mean, what's it going to hurt to be called Bill 2 hours a week for a year."

Afterall, he didn't pick his own name, so why not try on a new one.

His dad was not pleased. I laughed my head off. Chad requested I support him on back-to-school night. When I met the teacher I smiled and said, "Hi, I'm Chad's mom. You know, Bill. Thanks for letting him do this little social experiment with his name."

Teacher was great. He didn't care. Told me he'd call him whatever he wanted and he wasn't disrupting anything.

Great attitude. Change your hair. Change your name. Change your clothes. Change your attitude. Try on something new. Yeah, Bill.

Motto: Shake it up a little.

Yes. I drew that picture.

what clock did i create...comeon...be psychic

"What clock did I create?" my son asked me of his shop (ahem, excuse me, technical education) project. "Come on! Guess! Be psychic."

"Oh. I dunno. I don't usually get stuff like that, sweets. I get more life lessons and stuff like that." I replied.

"Oh, Momma. Yes, you do. Just guess."

Breath. "Fire!" I said. (knowing most of the kids made footballs, seemed unlikely)

"Could be," he replied. "Guess again."

"Fire!" I insisted.

"Guess again," he replied again.

"Okay then. A campfire! A candle with a flame! A ball of fire! Red. Golden?!"

"Yup," he admits with a chuckle.

"Really? Ha! Fun! What exactly is the wood clock you made?"

"A comet! It's a red ball of fire. haha, Mom! Told you that you do see things like that."

Motto: Play psychic games. Be surprised.

got "snagged" by son's intuition

Intense that one was. My psychic son knew what was happening (totally snagged me) in a 'delicate' situation and called me out on it very directly with a question. If I'm not straight with him, I risk shutting his intuition down...that's a no-no...if I'm straight with him, oh, man, there's going to be some explaining to do. Is he really ready to know the truth about this topic?

"Yup, you're right on. That is what's happening." I tell him.

If he's old enough to get it intuitively, he's old enough to talk about it. So we did. Like it or not.