Mom and Dads Guardian Angel
According to the most recent U.S. Census data, nearly 37 million Americans were aged 65 or over as of July 2005. More than 5 million are aged 85 and over. Most of these have children who are worried about them….
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Author Archive: Christine G.
Mastering the Blended Family Circus
Starting over is always a challenge. Starting over with a new partner and a blended family is a nearly-impossible juggling act. It all looks so easy in the beginning, when you are looking at the world through rose-colored glasses. You…
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Finding Time for your Friends
August 27, 2014 Friends and Peers
Everyone has the same amount of time. You can’t make it, find it, or hoard it. How you spend it depends on your priorities. When you bemoan the fact that you don’t have time for your friends, what you are really bemoaning is the fact that you…
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Divorce Proof your Marriage
July 4, 2014 Marriage and Divorce
Can a marriage be divorce-proofed? Not without an infallible crystal ball which alerts the prospective spouses to every possible problem. Marriage is a huge risk, just as life is. People change, feelings fluctuate, disasters happen. Every marriage is subjected to…
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Helping Friends through Divorce
July 2, 2014 Marriage and Divorce
A divorce in progress rocks the foundations of any social group. Some people take sides; some try to remain neutral; others resort to avoidance. No matter what you choose to do, one thing is certain: things will never be the…
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Open Ears Open Heart Staying Connected through Communication
Virtually everyone agrees that communication is vital in building and maintaining a relationship. Theories, techniques, and good intentions abound. The bottom line is: there is no magic formula. Every relationship is different. Communication is hard work, demanding time and energy….
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Connecting with new Friends in Senior Society
May 16, 2014 Friends and Peers
When my mother entered the kingdom of seniorhood, she was determined not to slow down her social life. “For every friend I lose, I am going to make two more.” Those are fighting words, brave words, words to put into…
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Bonding with your Inlaws and Outlaws
You can choose your friends, but you are stuck with your neighbours and relatives. You might as well make the best of it. Every person has at least one serious character flaw and at least one outstanding virtue. The trick…
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The Holiday Tug of War
April 27, 2014 Marriage and Divorce
One of the biggest challenges newlyweds face is the task of juggling the needs and demands of his family versus her family. The conflict often escalates to disasterous proportions during the holidays. Family traditions are particularly strong during traditional festivals….
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Speak Softly and Leave the Stick at Home
When one is growing up in a turbulent Detroit neighbourhood in the 1940’s, it may seem that the only way to survive is to fight fire with fire. However, his difficult environment inspired Marshall Rosenberg to develop an interest in peacemaking. Dr. Rosenberg believes that the key…
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Happiness is not a Wedding Ring
April 3, 2014 Marriage and Divorce
In the “good old days”, marriage was taken for granted as the normal state of men and women. Since the Sixties, increasing sexual freedom, personal empowerment movements, and feminism have changed the rules of society in many ways. Nonetheless, despite…
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The Clean Team getting the whole Family Involved in Laundry
Family co-operation with household chores has become a priority in many homes. When both partners in a relationship have full-time jobs, everyone’s help is needed to maintain a pleasant, functional home. Hands-on involvement in meaningful tasks teaches children responsibility and builds self-esteem. If…
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Look before you Leap into Marriage
March 8, 2014 Marriage and Divorce
It looked like the perfect match. Bob and Jane had known each other for almost a decade. Friendship had grown into romance. Both were professionals, with similar interests. They were well-established financially, and had invested in real estate. Bob had a picturesque…
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Adoration Mediaeval Style
Are you so obsessed by your sweetheart that you can’t eat, sleep, or think of anything but love, love, love? Do you express your adoration with a steady stream of gifts, poems, songs, and symbolic gestures? Are you ready to…
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Questions Children want to Answer
“Did you clean your room?” “Have you finished your homework?” “Why does your teacher want to see me?” “Did you take the rest of the cookies?” “Are you crazy?” “What did I do to deserve this?” These are the kind…
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All the right Intentions Taking Elders into your Home
At first glance, moving Mom or Dad (or even both) into your house may seem like an ideal solution. You’re running back and forth to their place all the time, and you are worried about when the next emergency will…
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Children and Elders a Good Fit
When a small child is brought into an elder care facility, the room lights up. Residents come to life, because life has invaded their space. If the child interacts with them, they feel young again, important, wanted. Small children are…
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Questions Children want to Answer
“Did you clean your room?” “Have you finished your homework?” “Why does your teacher want to see me?” “Did you take the rest of the cookies?” “Are you crazy?” “What did I do to deserve this?” These are the kind…
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Easing the Burden of Grief
January 9, 2014 Crisis Support
When someone we know is bereaved of a loved one, we often feel helpless and awkward. Many of us resort to euphemisms, distractions, home cooking, and good advice. These strategies often add to the burden of the bereaved rather than…
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Beating the Stepmother Stereotype
So you’re going to be a stepmother. If you read fairy tales, you will notice that stepmothers are distinctly lacking in positive character traits. They are ugly, selfish, and cruel. This negative perception of a stepmother is not her fault. …
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Tips on Communicating with your Child
November 12, 2013 Communication
Mom, Dad, Can You Hear Me? When we parents talk about communicating with our children, we are generally concerned with being heard by them. If the kids would only pay attention, soak up our wisdom, take our advice, do what…
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Gentlemen are you Listening Ten Things Women want you to know
September 19, 2013 Communication
Despite all the talk shows, reality channels, self-help books, and buzzwords about couples communication, the male/female gap continues to resemble the Grand Canyon. Do we really need one more list of things women want men to know? Probably not. However,…
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Thoughts about family dysfunction
When a family cannot function well enough to benefit its members, who owns the problem? When a family turns toxic, whose responsibility is it to take action? The members of a malfunctioning family system generally blame each other. If someone…
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The Hidden Hazards of Giving too much
August 1, 2013 Relationships and Family - Other
When you give and share and expect something in return, like a compliment, a simple thanks, a favor or whatever it is, then you are not really loving. You are actually doing business. Why? Because business is about expecting returns….
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