It’s a sad story. Residents of St. John the Baptist Parish in Louisiana are fighting back after the EPA released findings they have the highest cancer risk in the country – 700 times the national average, according to one study. This would stand to reason given the large plant manufacturing the chemical chloroprene located there. Though one may not be able to see it, the residents say you can...

Stop obsessing. Ever notice how one little annoyance, situation or child can grab your attention and hold it against your will? It seems as though the more you try to ignore it, the more it pops back into your brain. And sadly, we often get fixated on things we can’t control. The thought wormed its way into my brain on the trip to Canada. Although the Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Conference was...

And with the final fanfare this evening, the flame is extinguished, and another Olympic adventure comes to a close. I’ll admit – I’m captivated by the pageantry, pride, thrill of victory, and yes, agony of defeat of the games. My heart skipped a beat on several occasions when competitors had unfortunate falls. And I know I was not alone – I could feel the collective gasps of onlookers...

Did I mention how resilient kids are? I’m reminded of this daily at work. Young children can yell, throw things, shut down, and the next day (or five minutes later) it is as though nothing ever happened to upset them in the first place. I’ve discovered I’m the one that has a difficult time letting things go. I get frustrated and over-worked about things I can’t control and seem to walk around...

Ever hear a song and find yourself immediately transported back to prom or some other significant event in your life? Yep. That’s an emotional memory, which is a strong force in the brain. Although some cognitive information fades, the emotional footprint sticks with you long after the incident has passed. It was a great weekend, returning to Nebraska to work with 300+ educators over the...

A fresh start. A clean slate. A new beginning. Kicking off a new semester affords all of us the opportunity to strengthen our skills, sharpen our saws, and adjust our attitudes. What’s your New Year’s resolution? Every year something happens and I find myself wanting a “redo” button. I wish I had handled a situation differently, treated a child better, or just kept...

“What do you want for Christmas this year?” It’s a simple sentence I have uttered at more than one time in my years as a parent. When I ask this innocuous question, I really do have good intent. However, if my goal is to encourage selfless and thankful children, I might be doing more harm than good. When our children are young, we embark upon an exciting quest, and find, what we hope will be,...

So, after 10 years in this house with pets and young children, the carpets had to go. Of course, after the fact, we love our new floors, but it is amazing the amount of dust and dander that was stirred up in the process. I tried to keep things a bit clean as the floor was being laid, but to no avail. I had to let the dust settle. My problem? I’m impatient – and sometimes, this process can take...