Remember, Sabrina

Things you need to be sane:

1. exercise
2. communication
3. communication
4. snuggling
5. calm
6. sleep

Talking with Trent

Driving Trent to school today we had a talk about household stress. Yesterday he got some difficult feedback at school, and we spent some time together thinking about that and strategizing. I also called Michael and explained that Trent was kind of stressed and told him exactly why. When I got off the phone, this prompted a discussion about stress in general. Trent asked why *I* was stressed, and I explained the top four or five stressors (work, household, Michael's heavier workload, etc.). Then I complimented him on asking me this question and explained that it is a good strategy to ask others what they are feeling since it gives a person more of an ability to figure out how to manage stressors together. I told him that in general, collaborative approaches to problem-solving are better.

I didn't expect him to ask me about any of this, so I didn't have a planned answer. And since I don't really have any models for how to cover this kind of topic with children, I just treated him like an adult. It worked pretty well. He seemed to absorb much of it.

Then this morning, we talked a little more about it. He said he would be happy to help around the house, but he realized that he would only be with us for a few days during the next two weeks. I told him this was OK: just helping me face the challenges together on the days he was with me would really improve my quality of life. I thanked him for his willingness to help. He thought about it for a minute and then replied, "Thank you for being such a good mom".

That was a surprise. It really meant a lot to me.

I don't identify as a mom, but I do want to be very good to Trent.

For people starting their own businesses...

...or trying to learn how to do something new:

http://thestartuptoolkit.com/blog/2011/12/the-problem-isnt-you-the-problem-is-the-problem/

"The problem isn't you. The problem is the problem."

from kmusser

(no subject)

http://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/abstract/2011/12000/Meeting_the_Challenge_of_Practice_Quality.28.aspx

Got published in Academic Medicine. Yay!