Many of you know that I have lived for over a decade in an under-resourced neighborhood in Durham. I love my neighbors and my community. And I have learned the truth of Aboriginal activist Lilla Watson’s sage axiom, “If you have come to help me you are wasting your time; but
Fun ideas for Children and Older Adults to do Together When my daughter was a year old my mother had a stroke. Since my mother was my child care and then she needed help, I stopped working so I could care for them both. My daughter got to spend most of
Little known fact: My dad started teaching me how to drive (stick-shift) at age 12 and the first episode was an emotional disaster…for both of us. I don’t think my Dad had thought this through. He was introducing me to all aspects of driving (steering, braking and accelerating with a
There is so much going on in our country right now socially, that I feel like someone has just placed a soapbox in front of me and dared me to climb up. Never one to resist, let's talk about parenting in shifting sands. Talking to your kids (of all ages) about
Have you ever heard the expression, “Guess I gotta pay the piper.”? It is often used about a situation where a price is paid that is considered too high or unfair, but failing to pay the price often results in dire consequences. This expression is based on the story of
I was at a family gathering recently. An elderly relative asked my teenage nephew, "So, what do you want to be when you grow up?" My nephew looked over at me hoping I'd rescue him from the situation. I didn't. But I also recognized the pressure a teen can feel
I was at a Saturday team-building workshop two weeks ago with folks from a non-profit I work with, and in a small group we were invited to write down 5 questions to ask each other. I received a total of 15 but only had to answer 2 (so it was
Most of you probably don’t know this, but my undergraduate major was geography. That’s right, geography. Is it because I love maps? Well, actually, yes, I do, and my friends and family can tell you that my “go-to” present is always the most recent edition of the Atlas of the
Parents, In a recent essay in the NY Times, Frank Bruni, op-ed columnist and author, exploded the myth that getting into a highly selective school is the key to success later in life. In line with my recent blog, “Parenting and the Sinking of the Essex”, I would like to
Many of us have schedules packed so tight we don’t have room to eat a meal sitting down much less read a novel or go for a long walk. With work, family, friends and other commitments, our days, weeks and months speed by us. It is easy to get caught
