People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.
-Dale Carnegie
If you've ever shared a conversation with someone who loves what they do for a living, you just want to bottle their energy and enthusiasm! I felt that way when I met with Master Tom Fox, owner of Kent Island Martial Arts. He is infectious with his attitude about wanting to help people each day, is passionate about fitness and nutrition and enjoys each day as it unfolds.
He met with me to talk about martial arts and family fitness. He helped me to get some good information out to folks on the radio about spending time with our kids via martial arts and the effects of positive peer pressure around encouraging good eating habits for kids. You can listen online at wctr.com and the segment will replay on Thursday at 1:30. I love that the martial arts develops the whole person and emphasizes respect. There is too much idle time for our kids, especially between the hours of 4 and 6pm, so Kent Island Martial Arts is a positive alternative. You can visit their website and find out about when classes are forming at www.kentislandmartialarts.com
Make it a great week!
-Andrea
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Family Honor
I have never been around a family like my husband's. He has an older brother and a younger sister, both of whom are married and have children. They have never said a cross word to one another or about one another in my presence and in fact defend one another to the core.
It has been very humbling and an honor to witness their ways of dealing with the loss of their mom, the true matriarch of their family. She was a strong woman who had a very strong hold on the family and was at times very opinionated on affairs that were not of her concern, but that she voiced anyway. Even under these circumstances, they loved her and respected her.
Her passing, although difficult, was a tribute to this woman who produced such amazing children. They have respected one another so kindly and gently throughout her illness, in preparing for her death and in addressing the administrative demands after her death. This weekend we all came together to help with clearing out her home. When there were items that they each wanted, they promised to mark them down and discuss how to address them fairly. There was no arguing, no vying for possessions and no resentment. At times they yielded to the other and promised to borrow an item if they needed to from the other sibling to whom they yielded. They included spouses and encouraged our participation and were open to our thoughts and input.
It was amazing to witness such peace and kindness and an honor to call them each family. I am especially proud of my husband who is not a fan of parting with things. He did not seek to 'save it all' and have items retreat to storage to never be used just because there were things he might like to use some day.
It was a lesson in humility and one I hope to never forget. In was interesting to see no matter how much we accumulate, in the end, it still doesn't matter. I am hoping to keep it simple from now going forward. Thanks Paul, Carl and Michelle and Ellen and Rick.
Warmly,
Andrea
It has been very humbling and an honor to witness their ways of dealing with the loss of their mom, the true matriarch of their family. She was a strong woman who had a very strong hold on the family and was at times very opinionated on affairs that were not of her concern, but that she voiced anyway. Even under these circumstances, they loved her and respected her.
Her passing, although difficult, was a tribute to this woman who produced such amazing children. They have respected one another so kindly and gently throughout her illness, in preparing for her death and in addressing the administrative demands after her death. This weekend we all came together to help with clearing out her home. When there were items that they each wanted, they promised to mark them down and discuss how to address them fairly. There was no arguing, no vying for possessions and no resentment. At times they yielded to the other and promised to borrow an item if they needed to from the other sibling to whom they yielded. They included spouses and encouraged our participation and were open to our thoughts and input.
It was amazing to witness such peace and kindness and an honor to call them each family. I am especially proud of my husband who is not a fan of parting with things. He did not seek to 'save it all' and have items retreat to storage to never be used just because there were things he might like to use some day.
It was a lesson in humility and one I hope to never forget. In was interesting to see no matter how much we accumulate, in the end, it still doesn't matter. I am hoping to keep it simple from now going forward. Thanks Paul, Carl and Michelle and Ellen and Rick.
Warmly,
Andrea
Sunday, February 6, 2011
My Day with Dr. Lou Aymard
I was so blessed to have Dr. Lou Aymard join me for 'Frankly Speaking' as my guest on Friday. We shared a car ride to the radio station and chatted the whole way there! I have such appreciation for him and was thrilled to be able to share some time with him.
Dr.Lou was so kind to meet with me in 2007 when I was a new mom and still wanting to use my counseling skills but wanting to weave any opportunity around my new son. I still remember the day clearly when I arrived at Anne Arundel Community College to meet with him in his office. I arrived with my infant son in his stroller and Lou was thrilled! He was so welcoming, assuring, and of course wanting me to come work at the Parenting Center! I was lucky enough to be involved in the launch of the program Parenting the Middle School Child which won national honors as a result of his hard work. The whole center was his concept and has been a tremendous asset to the Anne Arundel County Community residents. Lou has done so many things over his 40 years of clinical and teaching experience in the parenting and child development fields. He is an amazing innovator and always wanting to model creative ways to do things better, especially when it comes to matters of the family and or the welfare of children. He is the reason I am also a mobile crisis therapist with the police as it was his referrals that landed me an opportunity to work using my skills but doing so by putting my own family first.
We covered lots of things on and off the air having to do with the family like teaching children how to budget finances, (he suggests giving them a salary, not an allowance and that their expenses come out of their salary - gifts for birthday parties, buying lunch if they choose to not pre-pack).
We talked about the economic climate and how studies are showing a tendency toward domestic violence in cases where there was no history. We also touched on the buzz about bullying and how the examples we are seeing in the news and at schools should really not be labeled as bullying but as assault or violence. There have always been bullies but the violence, aggression and physical victimization to the point of death or suicide is a newer trend.
We also discussed the importance of spending time with our children in active play and being consistent with them and limiting exposure to programming that portrays violence. Lou encouraged us not to worry that children are not listening to you, worry that they are always watching you. What they see is what you get.
Dr. Lou offered some parting comments on what he called his four pillars of parenting. He encouraged our listeners to be familiar with the growth and developmental stages of their children across the lifespan, re-evaluate how we manage behavior (he is a proponent of positive reinforcement), talk so our kids will listen and listen so our kids can talk and consider any threats to parenting such as outside forces.
My morning went by in a flash! The few hours we spent felt like fleeting minutes! Thanks, Lou for all you have done and all you continue to do to promote family and the welfare of children. Thanks also for being my trusted colleague and helping me to stay connected in the field but connected to my family! For information about the Parenting Center at Anne Arundel Community College, please call410-777-2159 or visit www.aacc.edu/parenting
Make it a great week and be sure to spend some time with the kids - big or small:-)
~Warmly,
Andrea
Dr.Lou was so kind to meet with me in 2007 when I was a new mom and still wanting to use my counseling skills but wanting to weave any opportunity around my new son. I still remember the day clearly when I arrived at Anne Arundel Community College to meet with him in his office. I arrived with my infant son in his stroller and Lou was thrilled! He was so welcoming, assuring, and of course wanting me to come work at the Parenting Center! I was lucky enough to be involved in the launch of the program Parenting the Middle School Child which won national honors as a result of his hard work. The whole center was his concept and has been a tremendous asset to the Anne Arundel County Community residents. Lou has done so many things over his 40 years of clinical and teaching experience in the parenting and child development fields. He is an amazing innovator and always wanting to model creative ways to do things better, especially when it comes to matters of the family and or the welfare of children. He is the reason I am also a mobile crisis therapist with the police as it was his referrals that landed me an opportunity to work using my skills but doing so by putting my own family first.
We covered lots of things on and off the air having to do with the family like teaching children how to budget finances, (he suggests giving them a salary, not an allowance and that their expenses come out of their salary - gifts for birthday parties, buying lunch if they choose to not pre-pack).
We talked about the economic climate and how studies are showing a tendency toward domestic violence in cases where there was no history. We also touched on the buzz about bullying and how the examples we are seeing in the news and at schools should really not be labeled as bullying but as assault or violence. There have always been bullies but the violence, aggression and physical victimization to the point of death or suicide is a newer trend.
We also discussed the importance of spending time with our children in active play and being consistent with them and limiting exposure to programming that portrays violence. Lou encouraged us not to worry that children are not listening to you, worry that they are always watching you. What they see is what you get.
Dr. Lou offered some parting comments on what he called his four pillars of parenting. He encouraged our listeners to be familiar with the growth and developmental stages of their children across the lifespan, re-evaluate how we manage behavior (he is a proponent of positive reinforcement), talk so our kids will listen and listen so our kids can talk and consider any threats to parenting such as outside forces.
My morning went by in a flash! The few hours we spent felt like fleeting minutes! Thanks, Lou for all you have done and all you continue to do to promote family and the welfare of children. Thanks also for being my trusted colleague and helping me to stay connected in the field but connected to my family! For information about the Parenting Center at Anne Arundel Community College, please call410-777-2159 or visit www.aacc.edu/parenting
Make it a great week and be sure to spend some time with the kids - big or small:-)
~Warmly,
Andrea
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