The Beginning

Everyone has to start somewhere. I am starting my first attempt at blogging with something very near and dear to my heart; parenting. My sisters are the main source of thanks for this attempt. Years of not having children of my own made for patient understanding on their part; allowing me to co-parent in the sense of adding way too much of my own advice to what they were doing and how they should be doing it. Funny, now that I have 3 very small children of my own, I can't remember a single thing I said and if it even helped them. But, they have reminded me several times during my chaos and turns of temper tantrums that I do have good ideas.

Once, while waiting for my own children to come, my sister Jessi asked how I should handle a certain situation she was having with her first toddler. I told her that I would only share my advice if she promised me that when it was my turn, I could call her and she would tell me what I said. The problem is, when we are parenting our own children, we are in the box with them, with that moment, with that problem. We have a hard time seeing the situation for what it really is; maybe it has to do with tired kids, maybe it's that we are expecting too much or too little, and maybe it's that we aren't thinking about the age and developmental appropriateness of it all. Whatever the reason, we are blind. Sometimes it takes an outside, non-biased person to see the picture for what it really is. Then, we can see clearly the situation and take the appropriate actions.

Well, that is why I am here. For whatever reason, and due to my education, my work experience, and now my own "Field" experience, I want to be that outside advice-giver. I love it when my sisters call me and say, "So and so had this happen today in school, what should I do?" Or "I just hate this new thing he is doing, how can I change the behavior?" Instinctively, I give them my advice, which is just that--advice. And they go to and give it a try. So, I am calling out to all you parents out there that are just like me and living in survival moment, day to day, sometimes hour to hour. What are your questions, concerns? What are the behaviors that you can't stand and need help changing? I will pick one question a day to post for you and will answer with the best advice my mind, my education, and my resources have. The goal: to be "The Pick of the Day". You want me to pick your question; because I do have some great ideas for you.

email your questions to: flammerl@yahoo.com