What is the issue exactly? Because according to my husband, I have lots of issues!

My issue is that I like to get things done…effectively and efficiently. It doesn’t sound so bad in theory, but in reality, can become an issue.

With relocation to a new city and a new job comes a mountain of logistics. I haven’t felt overwhelmed because it’s a matter of completing a task and taking it off the list.

Secure housing. Check.

Register Lexi for school. Check.

Open a new bank account. Check.

Prepare ourselves for another temporary relocation during the next month. Check.

I find when I am distracted or need to focus on something new, I can no longer maintain my hard won balancing act.  I have been going through an international move – new country, new role, new home, new most everything.  I find I am often frustrated I can’t seem to accomplish what I was able to before.  Writing only happens occasionally; see the date of my late post.  My motivation to exercise and eat right seems to have fled or at least gone into hibernation. 

“Hi Coach! What’s the work-out for today?” is usually uttered with more force and volume than “What are we going to learn today?”  It’s a hopeful sign if kids do bother to ask what they are going to learn today, but you are bound to get a much better reaction from your athletes who choose to learn and practice their skills, than students who are compelled by our state laws to attend classes during certain hours of the day.

How do you handle telling your kids tough news? Do you treat it like an employee performance discussion at work where you wait until the right time to spring it on someone where the pain will be minimized? Many managers I know used to wait until Friday afternoon to deliver bad news to their staff so that the manager wouldn’t have to witness the aftermath. Others took the approach that it needed to be delivered immediately, regardless of the day and time. Then there were those that delivered the news over lunch-hoping that food would ease the pain.

I read this article on Monday by Catherine Pearson of HuffPost Parents entitled “Children’s TV Exposure Reaches ‘Startling’ Levels, Study Finds” and expected more of what I had already read in various parenting, education, and child psychology books: Too much television isn’t good for kids. Why?

Breakfast Hero

Save The Morning / Save The Day

Hero:  Someone who comes to the aid of another or puts her personal values into civic action.  Heroes risk personal harm to save the day.

Why it’s important:  Our heroes clarify and define the values we choose for ourselves.  Character is shaped by personal values. 

K-8 schools allow for ample opportunities for teachers of teens to pair their students with younger readers. Unless a high school campus also features a child development program with a pre-school component, pairing high school students with younger students can present some logistical challenges. I want to help my students to improve their speaking and listening skills.

People often ask what my kids are into and how I manage all the activities. Managing it all is a constant work in progress, but as far as current interests go, this is how it’s looking:

Number One Son: 12 years old

“I am not going to be able to deliver on the commitment I made to complete my part of the project in the time I stated. I apologize and realize that this not only impacts the project but also how you feel about my integrity and character. You may not have the same level of trust for me that you did prior to this, but I will work on following through on future commitments so that I can demonstrate that I am a trustworthy person.”

Lexi asked me who she would live with should my husband and I die. That may seem morose coming from a six year-old, but we don’t find any of her questions to be strange anymore. It’s just who she is. And we don’t shy away from tough questions. It keeps parenting interesting!

My husband and I have discussed the question of legal guardianship should something happen to us, but I was guessing that Lexi already had some thoughts about the topic since she initiated it.

“If something were to happen to us, Lexi, where would you like to live?”