One month in…so far so good. Thank goodness!

So, September and the first month of school have come and gone, hopefully without incident for you or your children. I hope that they are happily settled at school into the normal that we have all been missing for so long. I know that my youngest is super happy to be back in the land of the living instead of his entire social life being based on online gaming (insert Mom “ugh” and eye-rolling here). Get this, he’s met girls in person this year and is showering without me having to beg, and I mean literally beg. That’s definitely my thanks for this Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be big pomp and circumstance. You can be thankful for the little things. I’m thankful my children are healthy. I’m thankful for my friends who support me, and I do not take that for granted in any way. What are you thankful for? This is a great tie between our last quarter of self care, and Thanksgiving. Remind yourself each day that you always have something you can be thankful for. Concentrate on those happy thoughts, and not the yucky stuff.  

Parenting….am I doing it right? Are there resources at The Cove?

I am so happy that we have some amazing Trusted Partners whose expertise is in the parenting and kids field. Parenting for Connection is one, and I can tell you Robbin McManne is one fabulous woman. Nicole Arnold of Flourishing Moms is another amazing woman who is here to help you tweak what needs tweaking, especially with your teens. Allison Loucks of Extraordinary Relationships can help you with the “ex” and with anyone new in your life, so that you can have a peaceful and happy blended family. And Dana Etherington at Cedar Tree Therapy is another super option with great references, and who also supports teenagers. Straight Up Health is also an amazing place for virtual and in person sessions for your youth to young adult aged family members. And Moms, you can reach out to Flourish for everything Mom related including talk therapy sessions. There are so many fabulous options so you can find the right fit and location.

“Therapy” is not just for those in need of mental health support. Getting your teen to speak with a professional is so beneficial for their self-confidence in that they feel like they have regained some control. There are always topics that they want to share with a third party, and not Mom. Moms are great and all, even if you have an amazing relationship with your kids, but sometimes it’s just easier to spill the honest truth to a stranger. Please take advantage of these amazing women that are at your disposal and are all highly recommended by other moms.