The diagnosis of a chronic and/or life-limiting illness in a child can overwhelm a family. While parents are coping with their own grief and fears, they also have much to learn and many decisions to make. One of the biggest challenges they face is how to talk to the child about the illness.
Storytelling
Storytelling is an ancient art. Once upon a time, humans relied on the spoken word to pass down information about origins, about beliefs and cultural identity. Nowadays, we have books, e-readers, podcasts, live theatre, social media, scrapbooking, television, documentaries, newspapers, magazines, all dedicated to telling stories. Some are “true” and some are “fiction” and most are comprised of a little of both.
Falling into Fall
Let’s face it; summer is ending. The sun is setting earlier, the nights are getting cooler. We’re seeing summer’s end clearance events, Back-to-School shopping ads, vacation bucket lists, and even Halloween candy on the shelves! Wherever I go, there are many reminders that our days of fun and relaxation are numbered.
What does my therapist mean when she tells me to be “mindful”?
I decided to dedicate a blog to answer this question. As I began considering my own understanding of the concept of mindfulness, I was forced to first consider what mindfulness is not. I found myself doing multiple things simultaneously. I focused part of my attention on the television show that was playing in the background. I ate a bag of chips while typing notes. I ensured that my cell phone was at arm’s reach, checking it for the time every couple of minutes. The general population calls this “multi-tasking”, a “skill” that many of us feel fortunate to have mastered. Still, I wonder, is attending to multiple tasks depriving us of the ability to fully experience each one?
R & R … & R
Rest, relax and Reconnect with your loved ones. Its summer time and that means vacations. And for a lot of you ambitious, driven and goal directed husbands, wives and parents that means you’ve made through another year and you’re in the final stretch headed toward some well-deserved time off.
Court is in Session
If your style of conflict with your spouse is to talk to (or at) him/her like you’re in a court room please take a moment to consider what couples you’re likely to find in an actual court room.