LeaderMom: Resources for CEO's of Work, Home, and Family

Thank You?

For the past few months, my daughter's teachers and I have been working tirelessly to figure out the best way to teach, inspire, and motivate an incredibly bright child with some learning challenges.

 

I can't say enough about the team of professionals that work with her and the dedication and commitment they have shown in this process.  Over the course of the school year, my daughter has gone from a child who didn't want to go to school to a child who is still challenged, yet gives 100% every day and goes back for more.

 

A curious thing has happened along the way in this process.  This incredible team of educators keeps thanking me.  "Thank you for being so involved!'  "Thank you for letting me know how this strategy is working (or not) on the home front."  "Thank you for keeping us posted."

 

Now, don't get me wrong.  This is lovely to hear but, until recently I would shrug off their gratitude and keep moving forward with the task at hand.  This team has taught me lessons this year - the importance of accepting acknowledgement and thanks, the time and energy it takes to set someone up for success, and the pricelessness of that success.

 

More to come on the details of these learnings.  But for now, thank you.      

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Great article on time saving tips for your next work week!

Happy Friday! 

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I am love, love, loving these pictures of clutter-free and organized workspaces!  I hope they inspire you to recreate and repurpose this weekend!

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Love this inpiring article from Parent's Magazine on spending quality time with our kids.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Choices

This blog post by Seth Godin got me thinking this morning (as his work usually does)...

 

On quite a few occasions lately, my daughter has said, "You choose for me, Mommy.  It's up to you."

 

Now she is right - some choices are up to me (you need to go to school today; you need to brush your teeth; you need to use good manners and language).

 

But others don't have to be (sure, that purple/pink/green/orange/plaid outfit matches; anything in the I'm Starving Box is a good snack option, any of your 482 books is a great one to read tonight).

 

As LeaderMoms, we can not only set up the structure for good choice-making (optional and not optional) but sit back and enjoy the results, humor, and surprises that come once the choice is made.

 

(By the way, Aliens Love Underpants was the resulting nighttime reading choice.  What could be better?)

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Awesome article on time investment!

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I think this article could also be titled, "The Ten Worst Things a Leader Could Say."

Happy Place

“To all that come to this happy place, welcome.  Disneyland is your land.  Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future.  Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America... with hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”   Walt Disney

 

I'm so psyched about my upcoming trip to Disney with my family.  There is something transformative to me about the Magic Kingdom.  It's as if when you arrive at Cinderella's Castle you have the ultimate permission to be a kid, to play, to dream, to have fun.

Here's the thing...as LeaderMoms, do we give ourselves this permission when we are not in the Happiest Place on Earth?  Do we allow ourselves the opportunity to play, to be present and in the moment, to have fun?

I know I need to contantly remind myself of that.  Do you? 

Clutter-Busting

I've been on a clutter-busting tear lately.  Closets, desks, drawers...they are all on my list to purge and organize.  These pictures have been inspiring me.  I hope they do the same for you!

Savings Back to You

Is it me, or do you feel rushed and stressed when you see the holiday items on the store shelves way before the season?  These premature displays make me feel as if I am dreadfully behind schedule - but it's not my schedule that I am behind on!

Taking a cue from Scarlett O'Hara ("I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow."), when this crazy-rushed-off-schedule feeling hits, try making a list of the things you are not going to think about today.  The act of getting them all down on paper and putting them to the side will clear your mind, lower your stress, and focus you on the things you really need to pay attention to today.

The result - time, energy, and sanity savings back to you!