As week five comes to a close on our closed-in, stay-at-homeness, we’re all trying to sustain the sustaining. Have you noticed the rhythm continues to ebb and flow? Or that the effort to find steady ground is a bit un-steady? Maybe it’s a good day/rough day thing, but it seems like it’s more hour-to-hour.

Last week I shared a few WTH (ways to keep your head) on both a Zoom call for parents and my Thursday Thoughts. Since then, so much has changed. And so much has stayed the same. We’re all still trying to keep our heads while we do all the things that need to get done from the confines of our homes.

Last night I collaborated with Steff Linden of Infinite Rainbows Children’s Mindfulness Programs. We had an enthusiastic and weary group of parents who came together to be seen and heard as we talked about the challenges of keeping everyone safe at home. Neither Steff nor I have all the answers. We do have decades of classroom experience. We each have many years of work with parents and adults goal setting, understanding child development, and helping clients maintain some semblance of balance and sanity.

COVID 19.

Who’s not talking about it?

Who’s not worrying about it?

Who’s sick of talking and worrying about it already?

One of the primary areas clients come to me to do coaching around is parenting and child development. Honestly, this is one of my very favorite topics to think about and work with others. Then again, I love all the parts of my job, except maybe the bookkeeping!

As I write am sitting in one of my favorite bookshops, after having spent a half-hour walking in silence up and down the aisles. I looked a “What to Read Next,” textbooks way beyond my intellectual capacity, local authors, history, children’s book and one that really made me giggle, Adulthood is a Myth.

As parents and teachers, we know our job is to teach our children how to cope with friendships, exploration, learning, and new adventures. We also model and teach them social-emotional and self-regulation skills like the delicate dance of advocacy and empathy, how to speak up and how to listen, how to explore, and how to (figuratively) color within the lines.

I want to tell a story about a client, and for obvious reasons, I’m conflating her name and parts of her story. What is very, very true is the strength, determination and warmth she possess. The heart of the story is WHY I coach and why I love, love, love this work.

The other evening, I met a friend for a drink before a meeting we were attending. As I sat down, the bartender said, “How are ya?” To my surprise, I answered, “hah, it’s been a week!” He cocked his head and said, “Oh, really now? You know it’s Tuesday, right?”

Last week I shared some thoughts on resolutions, affirmation, and intentions. Did you catch that?

Since then, I’ve read and seen so many posts on how to stick to those resolutions, and I would bet you have, too. I like to think more in terms of building habits that will stick, not find hacks for those resolutions.

It’s January 3rd. Three days into twenty-twenty. Have we had enough of the riffs on the new year, a new decade, resolutions yet?

I am a master at finding calm amidst the chaos, and I can help you do the same. In my 25-year journey as a parent, teacher, teacher of teachers, and adults, I know life can feel chaotic. I've learned ways to embrace the chaos and find moments of calm. As the founder of Grounded 2 Grow, I echo the sentiment in a recent Psychology Today article titled "Mothers are Drowning in Stress." Still, I know with support and accountability, individuals can connect, curate, and commit to both caring for themselves and others.