Too often, mental distress during pregnancy and postpartum goes unreported, unrecognized and unresolved. Women and men don’t want to talk about the unpleasant parts of parenting. They are afraid of the stigma of mental illness or attribute their distress to caring for a newborn. Family members either don’t recognize there is a problem or don’t […]

About a month after the shelter-in-place orders began, I decided to wash the family van – by hand. My daughters thought this was a fantastic idea. We gathered the necessary supplies and toted them to the front yard next to the dust laden vehicle. It had been at least a decade since I had hand-washed […]

This morning while deep in thought, my mind on autopilot, I put dog food in the cat food dish. When I looked into Ahab’s confused eyes as he sniffed the offending meal, I was snapped back into the moment. I don’t even remember what thoughts had been occupying my mind at the time. But, they […]

Stress management can make or break keeping a healthful lifestyle. For those of us living in families with children, we may need to de-stress together. Luckily there are stress-relieving activities that can be done at together. Plus, teaching stress management to your youngsters will better prepare them for adulthood. So, practicing stress-relief as a family […]

Realistic self-care activities are affordable, don’t involve food, and will make you feel good about how you spent your time. You will be better able to tackle that “To-Do” list when you are feeling good. Here’s a list of my favorites. Many of these you can do with kids. Meditate – It’s a great way […]