Earlier this week my son and I took a quick trip to Houston, TX. Our goal was to renew and secure valid passports prior to leaving for a family vacation, but when all was said and done, we ended up having a surprise adventure before the planned adventure. Apparently, I needed to be reminded about the importance of perspective, and specifically how it can have a huge impact on our emotional...

I think it is safe to say that my wife and I have a new outdoor stray cat that has adopted us. Of course, the scales were quickly tipped in our directions when we started feeding him. Yes – We are animal people. Cats, dogs, birds, deer – all God’s creatures great and small seem to feel right at home at Casa St. Romain. Porch Panther, as he is affectionately known, is an interesting...

So, I was thinking about past pets yesterday, specifically, my chameleon, Juan Pablo. Chameleons are interesting creatures. They can change their colors in less than 20 seconds, blend into their environment entirely, and when feeling threatened, puff up like blowfish with survival behaviors on full display. Sound like any kids you know? Our brains are wired for survival, and when we get...

Are you familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? This model highlights our need for physical and emotional safety. Included in a lower ring of needs are “love, acceptance, and freedom from fear.” Sadly, it took me many years of parenting to learn that although I treated it as such, “good behavior” is not part of Maslow’s model. When I was a young parent, I regularly addressed behavior issues...

Around this time of year, I often think back to a conversation I overhead at a restaurant several years ago. Two brothers were talking about the start of school. The soon-to-be first grader told the waitress he couldn’t wait! The soon-to-be eighth grader, not so much. This made me sad – and it made me think. For the most part, young children entering the education system love...

Drive-by staff development – I do a lot of it around this time of year. Run in–Present–Run out–Repeat the sequence with a new group. Mind you, I’m not complaining. I love my work. And I totally understand administrators need to fit in a great deal of requirements into a narrow window of time. I just need to do a better job of remembering what’s really important when frustration sets in....

This morning I came across a children’s sermon I gave at our church several years ago about Fred Rogers that got me thinking.  As I told the kids – when I was younger Mr. Rogers taught me we are all neighbors and that we should be kind to one another.  He also taught me that when I was upset, scared or confused, to look for the helpers – adults around us helping to make things better....

Ever find yourself frustrated and angry, while those around you (usually your children) are terribly amused?  According to Facebook memories, this happened to me about eight years ago while attending a family wedding.  “One day we will look back at this and laugh,” I recall my wife telling me at the time.  Apparently for me, today is the day.  Yes.  It was a wedding, which meant we had to...

Fixated – this is the word that came to mind this morning as I looked across the Dallas airport at hundreds of fellow passengers – all on their cell phones and electronic devices. I smiled when I realized the number of them that appeared to be families heading off on summer vacations. However, as I sat and waited on my connecting flight for about 30 minutes, I found myself hoping these...

A reminder for all parents now that summer has begun: your children will drive you crazy.  This is normal and to be expected.  Genealogy is a funny thing.  It is uncanny how our kids are able to intuitively exhibit the very behaviors that most readily bring out the worst in us, their parents.  Ironically, I feel certain the behaviors that annoy us the most are often ones we exhibited to some...