Ever find yourself surrounded by people who are tired, hungry and a little grumpy? This seemed to be the emotional climate in the airport on my last trip. I was in a sea of individuals all shuffling through the line waiting for our bags to pass through security. Things were moving slowly, with several individuals having difficulty understanding the directions of the lady doing the...

“Dad, can we stop by Old Navy? I need some nice clothes.” This might seem like a normal request to some, but not for my second born son, who, according to our neighbors, regularly sat on our roof last year watching cars go by in a giraffe onesie. No – appearances have never held much weight for him. But lately, he seems to care a bit more about what he wears… and how he acts… and...

Hefty! Hefty! Hefty! Wimpy! Wimpy! Wimpy! It’s a 1984 TV commercial reference, but it conjures up a nice visual for the blog. Of course, the tag line refers to the strength of garbage bags. Do they hold in the trash or break open leaving a big ugly mess? What a great question. As I get older, I realize how important it is to pause and think before speaking. Inhibiting our words can be quite...

Stop the bus. I want to get off. Every have that discombobulating sense when you are bouncing from one thing to another? Welcome to my summer. Please understand – I’m not complaining. I have been beyond blessed to have a lot of work, travel a great deal, and spend great time with family and friends. However, I need some routine back in my life. Yes, I want a break from my break. This...

School’s out for summer. (Woo hoo!) “Step away”, I always say. Now is the time for educators to step away from school, paperwork, students, and administrative duties that often overwhelm and consume. Summer affords us the opportunity to take a break and gain perspective.   Disconnect – it is a beautiful thing. Of course, the “yin” of disconnecting comes with the “yang” of reconnecting. The...

Did you know the brain remembers beginnings and endings? The start and end of something capitalizes on novelty, which the brain attends to and better retains. If you have yet to finish the school year, you may want to use this tidbit to your teaching advantage. When I was at the store yesterday, I passed by a frantic teacher looking for small gifts to give her students. I assume it was...

Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Did you know this is an international distress signal? (the origin of which comes from the French word m’aider, which means, “Help me.”) How serendipitous for teachers, as it seems every day in May warrants the use of this call in some form or fashion. Educators agree – May is fraught with distress. This is when it is important to remember there is...

When a teacher becomes a mom, she is forever changed. Being a teacher-mom is a beautiful gift in that she plays the dual role of seeing her students through the eyes of parent and teacher. As with any change in perspective, this does not mean she accepts things like poor behavior or disorganization, but by seeing the students through different eyes, she automatically approach things...

Happy May. What is that adage? April showers bring May flowers? As an educator, flowers aren’t the first things that come to mind when you say the word May. Hectic schedules…yes. Long days…yes. Crazy behaviors…yes. Tepid showers and peaceful flowers…not so much. In my experience, May usually triggers storms. Sophie is our sweet schnauzer. Sweet, loyal and phobic of both men in hats and...

“Past performance is not indicative of future returns.” Hmmm. Though this is a business finance quote; I wonder… I actually think it is important to look at the past to inform the future. However, we do need to keep in mind not to overly dwell on it. That can be debilitating, and it is a trap parents and teachers should try to avoid. My oldest son graduated college yesterday and that was the...