LISTEN TO SHOW #16

In this show we talk about co-parenting. Ideally, when parents separate/divorce it would be nice if they could put aside their personal feelings towards one another and continue to both parent (co-parent) the child(ren). I believe in every case it’s possible (unless the other parent is a legitimate psycho and sometimes they are - no pun intended), but I’m speaking of sane parents - it’s possible to leave you personal feelings at the door and make the child(ren) the priority and co-parent if you want to.

Grab Bag Items of the Week:

This week I am featuring two articles that talk specifically about co-parenting; how to embrace the idea, how to get over you hurt and anger to effectively work with your ex to co-parent and ways to approach the topic of co-parenting with your ex.

Co-parenting After a Separation or Divorce

Effective Co-Parenting (there’s a part one and two)

Listen to Show #15

WOW!! What a crazy school year this has been. I am more than happy to see it end. This has been the toughest year for me and the kids. It seemed like something was going on every second, but we made it through.

If you’ve been experiencing some rough parenting moments, let us know how you got through them. No one said parenting was easy, but my mama never told me it would be this hard—jeeeeezzzzz.

Grab Bag Item of the Week:

WISEBREAD

Wise Bread is a community of bloggers here to help you live large on a small budget. Despite what you may have heard, you don’t have to sacrifice your financial independence to enjoy life.

Sunday, June 1 my babygirl bridged up from Junior to Cadet. I love the Girl Scouts because it is one of the few organizations where every girl can join for a mere $10 and can really be a part of something special. I was a brownie when I was a kid. Girl Scouts teaches girls how to be leaders, how to be a productive member in society, how to play an active role in their community and how to live each day upholding the utmost respect for themselves and others. I have such a deep respect, love and admiration for this organization. If you are a parent of girls and do not have them in Girl Scouts, I highly recommend you look into it.

When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous ‘yes.’

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

‘Now,’ said the professor as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things–your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions–and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else–the small stuff. ‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

‘Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first–the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.’

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. ‘I’m glad you asked.

‘It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.’

Listen to Show #14

I know every parent has been through the dreadful process of one of two things or maybe both. 1) getting a million phone calls from birthday party guests asking you what your kids wants for their birthday or 2) having to write out customized lists for your kids birthday or for Christmas. Well, Yvette Segal has created a service to take that burden off of us - Mykidsregistry.com.

In this show I interview founder of mykidsregistry.com, Yvette Segal and she tells us how she came up with the idea, how it works and how you and your kids can get involved.