Raffi's Child Honouring course: Parenting for a Better World One morning not long ago, I was about to attempt to fix a clogged drain in my shower. With minimal enthusiasm for that task, however, I opted to check my Instagram messages before starting. Much to my surprise, I had received a note from Raffi Cavoukian, […]

I've had it with gentle parenting. To clarify, I'm still giving children love, respect, and a whole lot of grace as they learn to navigate this thing called life. More than ever, I see the value of positive parenting not only in my own child, but also in those with whom I interact regularly. I'm […]

Ever since I learned to stand on my own two feet, I've been walking up and down a particular hill in the city where I was born. This hill, which happens to be on a university campus, is one of my special places in life. I now live thousands of miles from it, but anytime […]

I hope he doesn't remember this, but the first time I met Teacher Tom, I was a bumbling idiot. Now, here's why it's particularly embarrassing. You see, because my mom was in the entertainment industry while I was growing up, I had exposure to more than my fair share of celebrities. Then, as an adult, […]

The "terrible twos" have a reputation, even among non-parents. The moniker has become so commonplace that at just the very mention of a second birthday, well-meaning friends reference the possibility of impending doom, as if the milestone is going to summon something akin to a year-long root canal. Is it warranted, though? As a positive […]

Can I confess that we celebrated Easter this year on Cinco de Mayo? We were traveling unexpectedly during the "real" holiday in April and didn't have the forethought to toss any recycled plastic eggs in our hastily packed suitcases. Besides, the date people celebrate Easter changes every year, anyway, right? (This is one major advantage […]

I was sitting poolside in Florida, all by myself. I italicize that because it was a fairly momentous event. I am hardly ever alone. As in, pretty much never, not even for a minute. So, it felt like a fairly big deal to have my husband entertaining my daughter in the nearby pool (but out […]

You wouldn't know it by looking at her, but my daughter is "five and three quarters" years old, as she'll tell you. However, she is tall. As in, she wears clothes made for eight year olds. As she whispered to me when someone asked her age recently, "Even my underwear says it's for kids who […]

Once again, I love how life works sometimes. One of our favorite children's book authors, Asia Citro, just happens to live close to me and posted about her upcoming book festival in one of my Seattle-area Facebook groups. Surprised that she was local, I messaged her and asked for an interview. Although her schedule precluded […]

I never really had friends growing up. In fact, I can’t think of one name that comes to mind when I think back on my childhood, including high school. I really wanted to write this for the women out there who truly struggle with building relationships because there are so many benefits of having friends. […]