Confession: It is sometimes hard for me to allow Lane to express himself through his appearance, whether it’s coloring his hair, wearing goofy earrings, or sagging his pants. However, I realize if I stifle this important teen outlet of creativity, the risk of rebelling increases exponentially. I have no research or data to back this up. It’s just my opinion. Included in this episode: *summer activities for a 15 year old *executive functioning skills class for teens *hi...

Confession: I secretly judge parents and caregivers who do not expect their child or teen to help out around the house with regular chores. I don’t know how many of them are out there, but I certainly know a few personally. I don’t typically judge others, however, I’m gonna get on my soapbox about this one. Also included in this episode: *my shift in perspective from the dreaded teen years to parenting a teen is fun! *Lane's spot on application of a classic quote from the movie El...

Confession: I recently learned in a family therapy session that one cannot be angry and twerk at the same time. Fun fact! Also included in this episode: *more valuable content from Daniel Siegel's book Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain *the handy model of the brain *why the ages of 12-24 are the most dangerous of our lives *the importance of keeping open lines of communication with your teen and how to work toward it *how Siegel recommends healing from a disorganize...

Confession: I have started referring to myself as Lane’s bumpers on a bowling lane. I can guide and provide for him, keeping him out of the gutters in adolescence, while at the same time understanding he has free will. I need to trust in his ability to make good choices in the teen years. Lane needs to trust that I will be there for him, even when he doesn’t. Also included in this episode: *the sad reality of school lockdown drills *school tours and how Lane chose his new sc...

Confession: I used to think that the teenage years were something I had to suffer through before Lane grew up to be an adult. But I just found a book that changed all that. I now understand the massive changes the teen brain is undergoing and I look forward to helping Lane harness the power of his powerful new brain so he can thrive in his adolescence. Included in this episode: *my Mother's Day surprise! *Overview of the book Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain ...

Confession: I have to let go of what I thought high school would be like for Lane and accept the fact that he needs more specialized and individualized attention that simply is not available in a traditional high school. Luckily, there are lots of options out there for kids like mine. The trick is figuring out which one will be the best for Lane. SHOWNOTES: What We Carry: A Memoir By Maya Shanbhag Lang The Sixteenth of June By Maya Shanbhag Lang Talk to me! Click here to prov...

Confession: My best friend of over 30 years ghosted me two years ago. Believe it or not, she shut me out of her life not once, not twice, but a total of three times over the course of our friendship. Also included: *how and when we met *how we stayed close, despite the 1000s of miles between us *our roadtrip to attend the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta *a helpful article that helped me understand *details about the first two times she dumped me *my reflection on why I kept letting her back in...

Confession: I am constantly reminded that the more I learn, the less I know. This week that lesson came in the form of videos on vestibular and proprioceptive systems. What I learned in these videos was super informative and I wish I had learned about it when Lane was young. I also reflect on the the joys and frustrations of my motherhood journey. Included in this episode: *a sweet read aloud from Lane's adoption day *Lane reading books to our dog *what about th...

Confession: Before I was introduced to TBRI, I once had an epic meltdown, which included throwing all of my shoes on the floor of my bedroom in a rage. I threw every single pair of my shoes as hard as I could onto the hardwood floor while screaming at the top of my lungs. Not my finest moment, but I did apologize to Lane about it afterwards and we had a powerful heart-to-heart. Included in this episode: *why I believe anyone who works with vulnerable youth or in marginalized commu...

Confession: I wish I had found TBRI Trust Based Relational Interventions when Lane was in Kindergarten instead of 8th grade. In my humble opinion, it is THE SINGLE MOST POWERFUL intervention program foster and adoptive families need to be trained in. Included in this episode: *more on my high-functioning depression *powerful activities from my IOP two years ago *being authentic and vulnerable with friends and family *grieving the motherhood I thought I would have *how I found TBRI...

Confession: Reliving Lane’s Kindergarten year has been much more difficult than I imagined it would be. Luckily, it didn’t seem to have any lasting impact on Lane. In fact, he doesn’t remember any of it! Included in this episode: *another funny story from my childhood *blog entry written on 8/23/15: Lane is making great gains *disastrous meeting with his Kinder teacher at the end of the school year *hired a SpEd advocate to get Lane qualified for an IEP *last blog entry I ev...

Confession: Rereading my blog entries about Lane’s adoption day makes me a bit sad. I was so optimistic and naive. I never would have imagined ending up where we are now. I share two blog entries written right before and immediately after Lane's adoption day in addition to more horror stories of Lane's Kindergarten teacher. Talk to me! Click here to provide feedback Thanks for listening, Beloveds. Please take care of yourselves; if you don’t do it, who...

Today's Confession: I used to be proud of my career in elementary education…until I had a child who didn’t fit the mold and only then realized how the kids on the ends of the bell curve were not thriving. And in many cases, kids like mine are made to feel like a bad kid or stupid because they do not get the attention and supports they need to experience success. I take a trip down memory lane, detailing how Kindergarten was the start of my son's difficulties in the school setting....

Confession: I used to be my own worst enemy with negative self-talk that I wasn’t even aware I was engaging in. Now that I know, I’m working to becoming my own best friend with self-compassion, self-love, and positive self-talk. I'll share how gratitude is my superpower (when I practice it consistently), my new favorite gratitude journal, and a trick to turn your inner critic into your compassionate witness. SHOW NOTES: Ray of F*cking Sunshine Sticky Notes The 6 Minute Diar...

Confession: I swear a lot. Well, maybe not a lot, but I definitely swear. Some believe that it’s healthy for you to get it out, but, like all things, only in moderation. Also included: stories from my childhood, more about the How We Feel app, the 5 lies depression tells you, and funny stories about swearing! Oh, and how the Let Them Theory is helping me reclaim my peace. SHOW NOTES: How We Feel 5 Lies Depression Tells You By Emma McAdam Parents Under Pressure: Struggling to...

Confession: I didn’t learn how to process my emotions until my mental health crisis when Lane was in 7th grade. To those of you who are emotionally healthy, that may sound crazy. But it’s true. I share how music therapy helped me process emotions, as well as a helpful analogy to understand why processing your feelings is so important. You'll also hear about Lane's first concert experiences and extracurricular activities. SHOW NOTES: Hope music video- NF Happy mu...

Confession: I suffer from depression: major depressive disorder. But because I am high-functioning and an extrovert, very few people in my life know this about me- even many close friends and family members. I reflect on why my depression seems to hide in plain sight as well as explain some of my most troublesome symptoms of depression. I also share more fun stories of Lane dancing through the years! SHOW NOTES: Mel Robbins and Dr. Judith Joseph The Let Them The...

I this episode, I share my confession: Despite my extensive background working with children as an educator, I was woefully underprepared to parent a child with developmental trauma. Also included are stories of Lane's dancing abilities and how they showed themselves at a very young age! SHOWNOTES: Developmental Trauma Upclose from beaconhouse.org.uk TBRI Dancing with a porcupine: parenting wounded children without losing yourself by Jennie Lynn Owens Understanding Your Window of Toler...

Today's confession: In those early years, I often looked at other families and thought, “It must be nice to have a kid who…” (dot, dot, dot, fill in the blank). I still catch myself doing it sometimes, even now. But comparison is the thief of joy. I’m learning to let that shit go! I share how comparisons with other families caused me suffering, as well as the ways I learned to combat that with strategies to keep me grounded in joy and gratitude. Additionally, an ...

Today's confession: I can’t imagine what it would have been like to parent my son without the help of medication to manage his symptoms of ADHD and ODD. I explain that although I am no expert and I believe this is a decision not to be taken lightly, medication certainly helped Lane. I don't judge families who don't medicate their child; I ask that you not judge those of us who do. My audacious intent for this podcast is to be a beacon of hope for parents and guardians like ...