Why do I love working with families?

Here is my Turning Point...

Over the phone, I was giving my best parent advice to a struggling parent, as I often did as an Early Childhood Specialist.  I was walking purposefully around the backyard as I was imparting my parental wisdom.

My 3 year old, Sam was charging out of nowhere, poking me in the butt with a stick.  I did not skip a beat with doling out my sage parenting advice as I lunged towards him.  He darted off.  I couldn’t catch him, he was too fast. I tried to chase him down.  I became noticeable breathless.  I concluded the call. It was right then …

I realized I was a better parent before I actually had kids!

I convinced myself, he was forcing me to repeat, remind and yell, He was not listening.  In fact, I started making a tally sheet of all the times I had to repeat and remind and lecture because he just ignored my demands!  I looked over the tally sheet with all those angry black marks, trying to conjure up a suitable punishment and then it hit me…

The Ah ha moment of truth ……. 

These marks did not represent all the times he was bad, they were all the times I didn’t follow through!  I set a limit and never did anything about it -  just repeated, remind, yell and got frustrated.  

I laid in bed that night, realizing my jaw ached.  What was going on, I wondered.  The reality set in as I realized my jaw ached because all day, in my frustration I clenched my teeth as I talked, yelled, screamed at my small boy.  

I visualized that mean, contorted, face my Sam saw everyday of me his “loving mom” with teeth clenching, finger pointing and my voice growling.  I started crying, a lot!

I was not a good parent!

I vowed - then and there that I would “Crack the Code” to parenting.  I would become the best parent!  My life changed that day.  How I viewed my young son.  The ways I approached parenting, and the tension in our home. 

Although I have vast education and experience, my Sam was my best teacher!  

My Sam turned out to be a truly remarkable young man!  When I lost my Sam to a heart condition at 17 years old.  I was devastated. As were his many friends and our community.  Sam left a legacy.

I too, have the same heart condition as well as my second son, Jesse.

After a massive heart attack, coming out of a coma - I heard my Sam, say, 

“It’s not over yet, Mom - it’s not over yet!”  

That is when I made the commitment to support and empower other parents.  

To bring the confidence to parents, to empower them with skills as their children got older and to bring as calm and harmony to families and homes.

It’s not over yet!