I believe I have weather whiplash. For the majority of the week our city was shut down due to about six inches of snow, off-and-on electricity, busted water pipes, and a 9 degree low. Fast forward to today and the high is 72. Welcome to San Antonio, Texas. Though we are used to swings in the temperature, this is extreme even for us. The interesting observation I’m noting is that people don’t...

Given the theme of the day I thought it would be good to remind parents (and teachers) that your kids love you – even when their words and behaviors don’t show it.  “My child slams doors, calls me evil and yells – but then at other times approaches me from behind, gives me an unprompted hug and tells me he loves me.  It’s like I have a crazy temperamental cat.  That’s not normal....

Welcome to February. With the novelty of 2021 having already worn off and still over a month to go before Spring Break, homes and schools can feel like emotional pressure cookers. Unfortunately, the combination of high stress and low tolerance levels becomes a breeding ground for conflict. Keep in mind that when overly stressed we shift into survival mode and react to situations more than...

Alone time – we all need some degree of it. Even me, a card-carrying extrovert, gets a bit overwhelmed if I’m always interacting with others. When I have time to just exist, without input or involvement from others, I usually slow down, look inward and invariably self-reflect. I am also put in a position to be more independent in my choice making – which means I have no one to blame but...

Earlier this week I found myself humming the theme song of a sitcom from my childhood.  Once I realized I was doing so, all became clear.  Remember “Gimme a Break!”?   I believe I was unconsciously serenading 2021, but to no avail.  It seems the new year placed another challenge on the St. Romain’s doorstep.  Literally. Welcome to the family, Fiona.  If you read my post from last week you know...

I love it when blog themes drop out of the sky at some point during the week. Quite often this happens for me on Sundays. Small Godly life lessons become clear just before I sit down to write, and today was no exception. So, we have a new little kitten. She appeared on my oldest son’s doorstep just before Christmas, and since he and his wife are already at their pet limit, my second born drove...

“Was he bad today?” Though I’m certain the question was asked out of genuine concern, I was disheartened when parents would pick up their children after school and ask me this question. When I hear the word “bad” being used in this context, I cringe. Words matter, and many of our word choices polarize into all-or-nothing categories that are damaging.   Good, bad, smart, dumb,...

Ever feel as though you are being pulled in seven directions? Or asked to do so many things at once that you don’t feel as though you are doing any of them well? If you are a teacher, you can relate. Great. Hold that thought. You may have noticed how student behavioral concerns often manifest in clusters, with deficits blending together. A child struggles to follow directions, get attention...

This week I was flipping through TV channels and came across the animated children’s special, Rudolph’s Shiny New Year. In it, Father Time told Rudolph that if the horrible vulture, Eon the Terrible, takes Happy, the Baby New Year, time stops and the current year never comes to an end.  2020 forever?  I shudder at the thought. This got me thinking about our upcoming passage to the new year....

It usually happens without warning. Unexpectedly, a memory is triggered and a song you hadn’t thought of in years surfaces. And once the tune finds its way into your brain, you can’t shake it. I had this experience last weekend and a song is still cycling through my head. I’m not complaining though. Let me explain. My wife and I were trying to record “Joy to the World” for a virtual church...