Same Old, Same Old

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This was originally posted by the Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub here.

Do you have a favorite routine in your day?  Perhaps it’s your morning coffee…or sitting down with a good book after a long day at work.  Maybe your favorite routine is just sitting back and doing nothing during the very few precious minutes you get during the day when somebody is not asking you for something.  Whatever your favorite routine is I’m sure that if something keeps you from enjoying that routine your whole day gets thrown off and it can be really hard to focus or enjoy much of anything during that day. Continue reading →

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So You Had A Bad Day

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This was originally posted by the Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub here.

Have you had one of those days recently where you just feel down and nothing seems to cheer you up? Perhaps you spilled your coffee before you could even take a drink and then you stepped on that same toy that your child keeps leaving out in the same spot…no matter how many times you’ve asked them to put it away when they are done. It has happened to all of us and unfortunately it’s probably likely to happen again! Usually, we can just chalk this up to one bad day or a bad week perhaps…but we try to give ourselves some grace and start again with better hopes for the next day. Continue reading →

Preschool Check-in

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This was originally posted by the Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub here.

Back in the fall I wrote about my feelings and worries about sending my oldest off into the world of preschool. While my wife and I had a lot of mixed emotions at the time, we knew it was the right choice for him and that he was ready. I thought a few months in that now would be a good time to give an update on how things have gone so far and some observations we have noticed. Continue reading →

Parenting Educator Recognition

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Late in the fall I had the privilege of reading this in an email:

  • Hello Michael,

  • Thank you for submitting an application to the OPEC Recognition System! We are pleased to announce that you have successfully achieved the requirements of education, training, and professional experience to receive recognition as a Parenting Educator 1 in the OPEC Recognition System.

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A New Passion

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There are so many ways that I was affected and inspired by my grandpa.  One thing that I enjoy that I know is all about him is my love for products and trinkets made of wood.  My grandpa loved to work with wood, and although he was always self-deprecating and often called his work “junk”…our whole family loved his creations and we all have multiple gifts from him still decorating our shelves and homes.  From dressers and aquarium stands to pens, tops and cups of all shapes and sizes he loved to tinker and create these pieces of art from all different types of wood.  My eye is drawn to wood-crafted decorations and utensils wherever I go, especially if they remind me of pieces that I think fit my grandpa’s style. Continue reading →

Celebrating Ourselves

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This was originally posted by the Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub here.

It seems like as one year wraps up and another begins there is a lot of time spent looking back and reflecting on the year that was. Unfortunately, I think a lot of the time we focus on the things that didn’t work out or didn’t go as we planned. Perhaps our first thoughts and memories are of the challenging things that happened or the mistakes that we made. While it’s good to reflect on our circumstances and our shortcomings to try and keep the same things from happening again, I encourage you at the end of this year to think about something else as well…to focus on the positive things that happened to you and your family…and even better…to think about the awesome things that you did to help your children. Continue reading →

The Gift that Keeps Giving

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This was originally posted by the Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub here.

How great is that feeling you get when you give someone the perfect gift?  Whether that’s doing something for them so that they felt important or special or getting them the exact thing they’ve been wanting for what seems like forever, you remember the feeling you get when you see the surprise and joy on their face.   Continue reading →