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Keeping High Expectations while Letting Go of the Outcome
Have you ever been given a gift with strings attached? I think most of us have a negative reaction when we hear that there are conditions attached to something. Perhaps it is a compliment that is followed by a “but.” Too often as a parent I was guilty of saying that my child did a [More...]
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Focus on Attitude, Reap the Results of Character
Attitude over Aptitude Effort over Ability Character over Talent A school in Ipswich, MA was recently in the news when the principal there decided that awards night for students receiving honors should be moved to a day ceremony in which all could hear the inspirational speeches associated with the event. At first, it was thought [More...]
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You Don’t Get Something for Nothing
Here’s another one of those adages that rolls off the tongue so often that we don’t think about it, much less really ponder its wisdom. I get three things from it: Work hard and you just might get something. Don’t work and you should expect to get nothing. When it appears that you have gotten [More...]
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Take Off the Blinders
As parents, we always want to believe the best about our kids. Sometimes, even when we are presented with evidence that “something is not right,” we can look the other way. In my family that happened with our #2 son (I’ll call him Frank). Consider the lesson I learned about the importance of wanting to [More...]
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Attitudes – Productive and Unproductive
“Nothing can stop the person with the right attitude; nothing can help the person with the wrong one.” Look at the following examples of attitudes we can carry: Productive Unproductive Caring, concern Selfishness Helping others Dishonest Hard worker Chip on shoulder Truthful Quitter Optimistic Leave me alone Willingness Don’t notice me Perseverance I don’t care [More...]
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Perfectionism and Parenting
One thing I have observed with raising my kids is how many of my qualities they have picked up. I am happy that the “apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” when it comes to some of my good attitudes! However, I cringe when I come face-to-face with some of those not-so-good attitudes they have picked up. [More...]
