i went to snap a pic on my phone today 3 photos were there what??? all 1,000 pics that were there this am missing poof gone no copy anywhere by this afternoon this week an old friend from high school a good friend of my good friends passed away poof gone missing just like that unapologetically hilarious & goofy he was known for his bass back in the day you heard him before you saw him he left behind two small children and one on the way why couldn't time stop for him or his little ones so they'd know their daddy now they'll grow up missing this week driving thru the town i called home for 5 years on my way to class missing i was the time i lived there alone with my son spirit of my teachers the peace thru hard times breaking free from my past missing i was that time in my life i'll never get back poof gone a part of me always but missing time past but i'm still here even if i lost my photos loved ones moved away chapters closed my old friend he's gone missing forever from life life fleeting it goes keeps going no matter what until it doesn't the worst thing to miss is right now to let time pass by without enjoying appreciating all that is missing today while we're living it no point in missing today because one day you'll be missing today anyways life it's yours for the living
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0% of parents have no struggles. Every parent struggles somehow, in some way. So as you're working with your parenting challenges, remember you're not alone. We're all learning and growing together. If we know every parent struggles, and struggling helps us grow, here's some pointers to maximize the positive from your struggles. So your challenges bring you UP, not down. Step #1: Say, "this is hard or challenging," either to yourself or to someone who's supportive to you. We gotta own it to grow from it. Getting weighed down by parenting guilt, shame, or denial might be part of your process, but don't get stuck there. Admitting and acknowledging that life is hard right now gives you the traction to change it. Step #2: Get feeling specific. "This is hard/challenging because I feel ______ when my child does this ______." For an extensive list of feelings, click here and scroll down to the second page. When you identify the feeling word with your lived experience, you brain releases feel-good hormones. It's like saying to yourself, "Yeah, I see you" Honoring what you're feeling, without judgement ---It's tres importante, and your jump start to change. Step #3: When do you feel like a good parent? Bring your attention to when you feel like a good parent. When are the times your child cooperates with you? Is it in the morning, or on the weekend? After you've had quality together time? When your little one has had time outside or is getting ready to go somewhere she/he wants to go? And maybe right now, your child isn't cooperating with you at all. Now notice what you are saying or doing when you feel like a good parent? Are you speaking calmly or assertively? Have you gotten down on your child's level, and are making eye contact? Are you using humor or play? If you can't think of a time when you feel like a good parent, then today, be on the look-out for that good parent feeling, Notice when it's happening and what you're doing, even if it's just a few seconds of good parent feelin'. Or if parenting is just feeling negative these days, honor that too. 4) Bring the good parent feelings to your current challenge. When you're stressed as a parent, the stress can take over. And all your actions and reactions to discipline (teach) your children came from this place of s-t-r-e-s-s. One way to interrupt the stress cycle is to consciously work to bring the tone of voice, body language and posture, things you'd say, and other communication strategies of your feeling good parenting self to your current challenge. This may seem counter-intuitive to the "old way." If my child is misbehaving, why should I be nice? Won't I be faking it? Well, here's the deal: If you or your children are struggling, you need even more kindness, understanding, and positivity to get you through. This doesn't mean you're a push-over, or not being true to yourself. It does mean you're utilizing your most effective parenting strategies when you or your children need them most. The "burn to learn" thinking is from the past And doesn't that make most sense? Burn to learn, punishment, and making you or your children feel bad isn't the way to motivate either of you to positive behavior. So, Say it's hard and truly acknowledge this challenge. Put a feeling word to your current struggle. Then notice deeply when you feel like a good parent. And bring those good parent feelings, actions & thoughts to your current situation. For every parent struggles. You're not alone. We're here to support one another. To learn and grow together. You got this. With love, Megan Mid August.
Time to squeeze out the last bit o' summer. And then soak it up. Quick. Back to School's just around the corner. So forget those dishes and get out there in that sunshine! (Join my FB Group here to access many of the Summer Magic 2016 tools to get the most out of your August!) Hope your summer has been full of lots of family magic. Fun in the sun. Fresh fruits & veggies. Swimming. And long days of lovin the light. Now's a good time to take inventory. Good ol' summer inventory. How many days of summer vacation are left? What are 1-3 things you still want to do, or want to do again? Simple things that are most important to you. Picnic on the lawn. Trip to the swimming pool. Star gazing. Concert in the park. Make your list. Then make it happen. Get it on the calendar. Invite some friends. And soak up that Summer Magic 2016 while it's still with us. Summer is my fav.
Always has been, every since I was a kid. It's all about living outdoors, as much as possible. Being one with the earth, and soaking up that sunshine. I do soak up summer, like I'm saving it for a gray January Oregon day. Summer is medicine for my soul. I love spending it with family & friends. I've had some serious summer magic this year. With a couple weeks at the OR coast with family visiting from all. A dance retreat weekend at my friend's farm. So much Portland summer fun with the kids. And this summer has been intense with two (!) moves, deadlines for my program for parents who are child abuse survivors, and significant stress. Life is always about ride the waves, the ups and downs of our existence. But this summer I've become a master surfer. Surfing through life adventures this summer. And through it all, the stress has taught me, how to find the calm within. The peace on the wave. Acceptance Enjoying the moment. Getting back up from a big fall, ready to go at life again. And the wisdom to know when to stop, to let go, take a break, and come at life from a different angle. Eternal summer in my soul. she told me she's taking the rest of summer off from facebook to enjoy summer with her kids hhhmmmmm..... that got me thinking not only how much time i'v spent scrolling but how much i'm not enjoying scrolling lately i'm only doing it when i'm so tired and have no energy for anything else instead of resting or sleeping i'm scrolling so when she said she got off fb (and was able to keep messenger) i got really excited already feeling liberated that my friends was my 1st cue..... the great thing about social media is it connects us with humanity babies growing up and being born weddings anniversaries deaths and sufferings too we are one people social media has the power to connect us all but we control it as soon as it feels like our phones are controlling us the tables have turned and i wonder is it a good thing? is there balance? where's the moderation? and what are we modeling for our children? for me it's a nagging feeling like my phone is always calling me to look just a minute just one more post just just just one of the moms in the power to the parents group i run to kick off the new year in parenting said a child described his mom on the phone like she was frozen frozen on a phone ugh is that part of parenting today? my son made me a little note with me on my phone and a line through it with a big NO! sigh for me facebook starts off as the parenting work i love but it's hard to stop there whether i'm responding to a parent or stuck scrolling saying "one more minute" to my son it gets old for both of us in my coaching work around media i work most often with moms and developing a media plan for them (not their kids) let's face it social media is some strong medicine that can turn addicting quick especially under the demands + isolation of modern motherhood and this august i have some serious deadlines to meet as i'm developing my programming for parents who are child abuse survivors some of the most important work i have to offer the next generation and work that makes me anxious and that i often want to avoid and scrolling is one way i can guarantee i'll get nothing done on the getting to gold project so this month august 2016 i've declared media free for me so i can enjoy the rest of summer with my son to give him - not my phone- my focus to feel free from a little device for 30 days and into the present moment of life around me and meet some big deadlines in my work to transform the intergenerational cycle of child abuse would you like to join me?
to enjoy the rest of summer with your fam to have one month of no "one more minute" to live in the moment of here and now and the world around you -not the world within your phone to connect with the humanity within you just for one month to take a media break to be media free it will be fun + liberating join me! (or modify it for your life of 1 week 1 day or even 1 hour of media free) if you're a part of the parenting for the next generation facebook community i'll be back september 5th just after labor day with renewed inspiration + ideas to support you in unlocking your inner wisdom + power as a parent so you can begin fall 2016 with empowerment + fun see you then + enjoy the rest of summer! with love, megan p.s. i'll be posting weekly blog posts so please visit me here this month! |
Mama Megan
Hi friends, I write from the heart to tell my life story, and the story of those in my neighborhood called life. Research shows that our children's emotional & mental health is contingent upon us parents being able to tell our life story, or "coherent narrative." This is my coherent narrative, my life story in the making, with some of what I love in life too. My goal is to share my life in a way that is real, uplifting & positive- sometimes serious, sometimes fun. In my practice, I inspire parents to empowerment through reclaiming our life stories and learning respectful discipline. My work is my offering to our children- our future. Wishing you all a happy family! Archives
May 2021
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