Do you ever overthink things? I do – and too often the mental clutter I create escalates my behavior. I do it to myself by focusing on my challenges. And I’ve discovered my mental habits are just as hard to break as my physical ones. My wife and I spent the week in Columbus, Ohio helping a close friend move to a beautiful area called German Village. In her strategic attempt to declutter,...

Did you know anger is referred to as a secondary emotion?  It is usually triggered by other emotions, like fear or frustration.  Anger is part of our survival makeup, protecting and shielding us from other vulnerable feelings.  I have encoded this small piece of information into my long-term cognitive and emotional memory to help me deal with some pretty volatile situations – at times with...

Another election week has come to a close – and with it, tons of behavioral implications of which I took note. For me, it was an emotional roller coaster. As expected, I cycled through feelings of pride, hope and sadness. With each election: I am proud of our democracy. The fact that we have a voice and are able to vote makes my heart swell. I remain very hopeful with the outcome – even...

Words matter. What we say not only sends a message to others about our beliefs and values, but also about the type of people we are. “Is that helpful or hurtful?” “Will that pull people up or push them down?” “Include or exclude?” “Move people forward or hold them back?” There are many ways to say it, but they all mean the same thing: Words have power, so choose them carefully. Ever play the...

Older folk are familiar with these adages: “Leave things nicer than you found them.” “Think not of what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” These messages focus on others, not self. They encourage individuals to look beyond their own wants and needs and show concern for others. They emphasize selfless rather than selfish acts. Unfortunately, a new message has...

I’ve been thinking a lot about my mother-in-law this week.  She is 90 years old and lives independently in a retirement community.  Though she still drives and is in good health, she spends most days alone, due to the pandemic.  We connect through phone calls, but like most of her peers, she does not use a computer, so other virtual formats are not an option. My heart goes out to people who...

Ever need a break? Tensions get high and we look for an escape – a place to step away and feel solid ground beneath our feet. We’ve all been there, having experienced stress brought on by family members, co-workers, kids, and of course, life situations. The St. Romain household welcomed family refugees over the weekend, courtesy of Hurricane Delta. It seems like just yesterday they were with...

I have spent the majority of my adult life talking about human behavior – specifically children’s. But this week I’ve been reflecting on adult behaviors and how they serve as a model for kids. A disturbing trend has been gaining traction in the past few years. There is an elephant in the room. And rather than being trampled by it, I am choosing to discuss it. To say there is tension in our...

Do you know kids who are obsessive? They get stuck on one point or issue and completely miss the bigger picture and pattern of what is happening. I’ve seen this trait in many students over the years. It can be debilitating. Truth be known, I suffer from this affliction. It usually plays out in one of two ways. In the first scenario I get hung up on one detail of something and can’t move on....

“Do you have time to talk me off a ledge?” This was a text I got last Sunday from a frustrated colleague and friend. That kicked off the first of numerous discussions I had with people during the week about behavior issues. And trust me, concerns are evident on numerous levels – between teachers and students… parents and their children… administrators and parents… Conflict surfaces...