Writing

One of my favorite, and most effective, principles in parent coaching is this: “Where you give your attention is what you will see more of.” And it’s a strategy that every single person in this country needs right now, parent or not.

One of my absolute favorite, beautiful things is watching adults' eyes light up after I've told them about the mission of Block Party USA.  Joyful memories are suddenly unlocked, their eyes sparkle, their faces soften, and with a big smile, they begin to tell me about the block parties of their childhood. It's powerful. 

Dear Friends, Like most of you,  I am well aware of the impact of phones disrupting my attention and connection , and the ease at which I get “sucked in.” So I immediately loved the idea of OFF February, an inaugural global campaign to eliminate the distraction and temptation of social media apps on our phones for the 28 days of February,  but my body had an entirely different reaction. As OFF Movement founder, Diego Hidalgo, and I talked through the campaign, the reality hit

Dear Friends, As this year is just beginning, I want to share something more personal.   The last 15 months of my life have been way too full of challenges and loss. When I bewilderedly asked my therapist if this was “normal,” her humorous reply, “This is not where you want to be on the bell curve of life,”  was deeply validating.   I am grateful for the perspective and wisdom I’ve gained through the pain, even when I wouldn’t have chosen the path that brought it. Much that h

Dear Friends, Happy New Year! Truly happy. This year, 2026, and the 250th anniversary of America , has me full of hope.   As I reflect on what made our independence possible in the first place, I keep coming back to this: our interdependence on one another . We did not get here alone, and we will not move forward alone.   Now is the time to act with intention. To make our relationships, not our tasks or our technology, the priority. Like our forefathers, we must be brave. Be

Dear Friends, In today’s newsletter, I’m talking about college kids coming home, tips for having the holiday you want, and talking to strangers. Feel free to skip to the sections that you're most interested in. Strategy with College Kids Home You’ve been SO looking forward to having your college kid come home for Thanksgiving, but things feel off or worse. We feel disappointed and sometimes hurt by them “sleeping the day away” or making plans with friends. Between our kids'

As published on Global Day of Unplugging and reprinted here. Reflections after one year of our K-12 district going phone-free bell-to-bell in Wilton, Connecticut. It was March 2024, and our panel of teachers and administrators shared what they were witnessing in the elementary, middle, and high schools at “Parents, Schools & Technology: Conquering Mean Behavior Together.” Elementary school teachers talked about overhearing sexually advanced and inappropriate terms and knowle

Dear Clients, Colleagues, and Friends Some of you may know that block parties have been a passion project of mine since introducing them...

As published on LetGrow.org and reprinted here. It was October 2018, and the phrase “Let Grow!” had permeated much of the K-5 parent...

Dear Clients, Colleagues, and Friends, Happy August! This month, I will hold weekly Block Party USA Zooms as it’s PRIME block party...

Dear Clients, Colleagues, and Friends,  You don’t need me to tell you that it’s not going well in the U.S.  If we continue on this...

Dear Clients, Colleagues, and Friends, I hope that your summer is off to a wonderful start. Summer can be a welcome change from the...

Dear Clients, Colleagues, and Friends, May is mental health awareness month for a reason! The already ridiculous pace of life somehow...

We need to do better folks. Words matter. Especially true when they come from wise, educated, well revered expert authors — and...

Dear Clients, Colleagues, and Friends, How’s it going, really? I’ve been talking with a lot of parents who are feeling exhausted and...

D ear Clients, Colleagues, and Friends, Happy Valentine’s Day! The day of love - and not just with a romantic partner. Today is about...

Dear Clients, Colleagues and Friends, Before you log off for the year (which I hope you can do!), have a quick read because I get it....

A teen, your child, dying by suicide is every parent’s worst nightmare. It’s inconceivable, yet not an entirely “unfounded” fear, given our current stats of 22% of all high school students and 30% of all female high school students had seriously considered suicide within the past year. Only second to that horror is learning about another family’s teen in your town, or a neighboring town, dying by suicide. It’s hard to know what to do as a parent. Do we tell our kids? The tru

Dear Clients, Colleagues and Friends, How is it going? Has the back to school honeymoon worn off yet? For your child/ren and for you?...

(hint: Have You Ever Apologized to Your Child?) There is a current trend on TikTok of parents “teaching” their toddlers and young...