By consciously choosing our words and tone, we not only guide our children's language development and influence how they express themselves — we also lay the foundation for healthy self-talk that will guide them throughout their lives.

By the time we were making our way back home Charlie bundled up in his stroller, the ground was lightly covered with fresh powder. The air was quiet and the snow crunched beneath my feet. As I was pushing the stroller home, I couldn’t help but feel so much gratitude for each snowflake falling, the stunning silence that snowfall brings, and being present to it all.

It seems like this time of year can bring a mix of emotions—fun, excitement, stress, magic, frustration, joy... What am I forgetting?

I think it’s safe to say that no matter what feelings arise, comparison and self-judgement or what I like to say — “shoulding” on ourselves — often creep in…

In the most literal sense — every second that we are with our children we are modeling for them how to be in this world: how we respond when we fall down; how we talk to the mailman; what our behavior is like when we can’t find our keys; how we celebrate winning; and even how we respond to our pets when they get into something they’re not supposed to (we love you, Chance!).