The first week of school. Fun, exciting and difficult. Its about learning more than just academics. The first couple of weeks back to school around here are NOT FUN. BE WARNED! We are grumpy, emotional, angry, resentful and well, tired. For most, any major life change has a significant emotional impact on us. Many of us adults are in steady jobs. Yet, for our children, their entire world is turned upside down every year. Can you imagine starting a new job every year?

A letter to my husband (and a reminder for me): I love you! I love us! I love our special alone time in the evenings, when the kids are in bed and every once in a while when we get together for lunch! Our kids take so much of me, of us. I know I don't give enough to you and when I finally have time, I'm exhausted. This is our life. This is the life we chose. We need to count the minutes we do get and know that we are doing all of this for our kids and for our family. But w

"Make your day awesome". "Make your day great". "Its up to you". This is how I leave my children every single day. When I drop them off at summer camp, school, wherever, I always say, "Make your day awesome. Its up to you". Its not "good-bye" or "have a great day" as some would say. This simple change of words reminds my kids that they own their attitude each and every moment, of every day. Words are so powerful. Words can be hurtful and break you down so easily. Someti

It's that time of year again! Stomache aches, not sleeping well, lack of interest in fun things, lashing out and more. I usually mistake this for allergies, sickness, boredom or overall spoiled kids. But then I remember, its "Back to School" time!! Or as some say, "the Back to School Blues". As much as I get excited about getting back to a regular schedule, I forget about how this whole "back to school phenomenon" makes my children feel. There are no major changes for us

Do you have a best friend? Do you feel that cliques still exist in adulthood? How do you talk to kids today about friends? Does it get easier as they get older? Honestly, with my own experience, I don't know if it is really any easier as an adult. I encourage my kiddos to have healthy, mutually beneficial relationships. For a 6 and 8 year old, how do I explain this? I, myself, am terrible about initiating relationships with friends. In my day, we didn't have play dates,

Educating my children about guns has always been top of mind for me. I grew up in South Dakota, the Pheasant Hunting Capital of the world! Every fall, during opening session, I would join my dad and his crew of friends, walking the fields, hunting pheasants. I would always "warm-up" by shooting skeet with them before the hunt began. I feel like somehow I just knew guns could be dangerous. I don't remember talking about it much as a child but I know our family was very ca