Home Is Where the Office Is

Recently, I asked our Home Officer Network and some other online Parenting groups what some of their favorite conversations starters were... now that conferences, trade shows, (and family reunions) are coming back in full force. While I was desperately hoping for good tips, what actually happened is that a whole lot of people made it known they are in this same quandary.  I AM NOT ALONE! So, after much research and many conversations with several of my more effervescent friends and co-workers, here is a handy, dandy list of conversation starters that may provide inspiration and confidence as you find yourself face-to-face with a contact, client, airport, or tradeshow floor.  1. Where are you from? (Provided by one of our favorite Home Officers, Giovanna P.) This is a great starting point because it naturally flows into questions, such as, "Did you grow up there?" or "What's the one place anyone has to visit if they go there?" or "If you couldn't live t

A couple of years ago, I was having lunch with an old college friend who teaches French at a public school in Orange County, California. I was sharing my struggles with implementing chores for my 2 girls, where we had found some success, and where we were hopelessly floundering. While his own kids were toddlers and younger, he shared that he could tell within a week or two of classroom time at his school which kids had chores at home and which did not. Those with chores were typically more likely to complete their homework and also have generally better behavior than those without. There were always exception, but he found this to be true throughout his 15+ years in the classroom.  Not even a week later, I was chatting with another college friend who teaches at a private girls' academy in Seattle, Washington, which attracts the daughters of tech titans, and other families of wealth and privilege. The subject of chores came up again, and she shared her observation (without any promp

I heard it on a John Maxwell podcast  on "Communication," and the words have been repeating again and again every time I see one of my kids.  Talk to me as though I have a "10" on my head.  The point Mr. Maxwell was making is that whenever you talk to a person, they know how important they are or how you feel about them by the tone of your voice. If we talk to someone as though they are "10," they understand they are incredibly important and valued, and then they respond as a "10." If we talk to someone as a "1," they understand they are the last person on earth we want to interact with, and they respond with that rejection, defensiveness, hurt, or anger. And there's an entire spectrum in between.  This struck me at my core because I thought of how often my kids run into my home office with a question, a story, a request, a problem... and I meet them as though they are a mere "5." I know I have to tolerate their presence b

I read something recently about becoming aware of the "micro stressors" in our day, like not being able to find the tween's favorite face mask (hello 2021), or the 8-year-old suddenly finding it necessary to crawl into bed with me every night around 3 a.m., or the computer deciding to reboot exactly 2 minutes before the Zoom meeting with our top client's Executive Team. *sigh*  We have a lot of those micro stressors, and they tend to build up into just plain old continuous stress . The inconvenience of that, however, is that we don't necessarily have access to our usual activities or go-to indulgences to recharge and relax. I, for one, am craving a vacation beyond a lap around a different neighborhood. I'd love a romantic dinner inside our favorite Laguna Beach restaurant. Or a huge Super Bowl party with friends and kids and shared chip bowls and all! Ok, maybe I'm never going to look at a shared chip bowl again. But, you get it.  So, to combat the micro

She loves unconditionally She protects with ferocity She provides with tenacity She encourages with pride She corrects with consistency She teaches with foresight She weathers with perseverance She listens with understanding She counsels with wisdom She considers with respect She challenges with reason She celebrates with joy She suffers with worry She embraces with gentleness She reaches with confidence She waits with patience She carries with strength    She loves         She loves To the baby crying softly, your Mamas are here To the child feeling lost, your Mamas are here To the teen seeking answers, your Mamas are here To the man who couldn’t breathe, your Mamas are here. To the country demanding better, your Mamas are here. 

Welcome to the wonderful world of working from home! The COVID-19 pandemic has delivered many new faces to this particular environment, and I want to offer a little perspective as a remote worker since 2006. A little background - I worked in both health care and corporate office environments from 1997 - 2006, then began my own productivity consulting business until 2008 when I had my first daughter, and then signed on as a remote employee for a company located on the opposite coast  So, I've: a) Worked full time in an bustling office b) Pioneered a sole proprietorship - working from a home office /workspace c) Assimilated into a remote work environment with team mates and clients in a variety of time zones d) Attempted to conduct regular business responsibilities with young children when childcare wasn't available or a child was sick And as of March 16th: e) Struggled to feel productive and/or successful as a - full-time remote worker - parent - short order cook -