1. Melted Crayon Art
2. Candles Made From Oranges
3. Legos (or Barbie Shoes) Liquid Soap
4. Knockoff Elastic Headbands
5. Friendship Bracelet Earbuds
6. Make Your Own Bubble Gum Machine
7. Watermelon Slushy
8. Tutu Bed Skirt
9. Chocolate Balloon
10. Crayon Valentines
11. Finger Knitting
12. Paint Chip Bookmarks
13. Jewelry Displays

Happy 13^th birthday LRD.  I love you so much and am so proud to be your mom.  You amaze me each and every day!

The youngest killed was 6 and there was a baby injured.  There were children in the theater in what was expected to be a fun filled night at the movies.  People were dressed in costumes.  Excitement certainly filled the air.  No one could have imagined or ever predicted how the night would unfold so tragically.  In a way that would leave our nation, our world, in stunned disbelief.

But within a few hours of the news breaking, I started hearing comments questioning the judgment of parents who would allow their child to attend a midnight premiere of a PG-13 movie.  Suggesting somehow that these parents shared the blame for the harm that came to their child.

It reminded me of what we heard following the murder of eight year old Leiby Kletzky last summer.  His parents allowed him to walk home from camp over a few practiced blocks in a safe area of New York City. In a horrible twist of fate, he was kidnapped and murdered during that short walk.  There was a rush to blame his parents for allowing him to walk alone.  Suggesting that they had somehow contributed to his death.

Leiby’s parents couldn’t have possibly imagined his fate in their worst nightmare.  He didn’t die because they let him walk halfway home alone from camp for the first time.  He died because the man who confessed murdered him.  The murderer was to blame, not Leiby’s parents.  Had they known that this was going to happen, of course they would never have agreed to let him go alone.  But who could have ever predicted that horror?

Fast forward to today.  A massacre in a movie theater.  Parents made choices all across the nation to allow their children to attend the midnight premiere.  Yes, it’s a movie that contains violence.  Yes, it is rated PG-13.  But despite that, there is NO way any parent would have agreed to allow their child to attend that movie had they known that their lives would be in danger.  They were going to a movie for crying out loud!  What happened is beyond belief.  But it is in no way the fault of any of the parents who allowed their children to attend that movie.

Sadly, our nation has experienced other mass shootings.  Churches.  Shopping Centers.  Schools.  Universities.  Places that are normally safe.  When those events occurred, no one said “Why did that parent allow their child to go to school that day?  What were they thinking?”  You never heard, “That parent should have never let their child go to church on Sunday!”  Not once was there a “How dare that parent let their child attend college?”

I understand that you might be against violence in movies.  I know that you may think that kids shouldn’t be out past midnight.  I know there are some of you that believe no child under 13 should be in a PG-13 movie.  There is a time and a place for those discussions.  They are each legitimate arguments and concerns.  But these issues are not what caused the massacre in Aurora, Colorado.  One gunman, whose reasons for carrying out this horrific crime we may never know, is to blame.

Searching for a cause is natural.  It’s a way of trying to reassure ourselves as parents that we can keep this type of nightmare away from our families.  We can say, “well I wouldn’t let my children go to a movie like that at midnight.”  Or “I’m not allowing my children to be exposed to violence in movies.”  That’s our minds way of reassuring ourselves that this horror couldn’t happen to us.  But it can.  It’s random.  It’s unfathomable.  But it is possible.  Blaming the parents of these victims only hurts them further.  And they are already experiencing pain we can’t even begin to imagine.  If we were in their shoes, the last thing we would need is society questioning why we chose to take our child to a movie.

So today, I challenge you to pay attention to how you’re responding to this tragedy.  Instead of blaming the parents of the victims, blame the gunman who perpetrated this tragedy.  For the victims and their loved ones, pray for healing and a peace that surpasses all understanding.  Be kind to your neighbor.  Smile at a stranger.  Hug your kids.  Love one another.  And remember, “there but for the grace of God go I.”

To that end I recently became an Authorized Facilitator of the Darkness to Light Stewards For Children Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program.  You’ll hear more about the program from me in the coming weeks, but one of my first tasks was to join other facilitators across the country in writing letters to the editor following the Jerry Sandusky verdict.

I’ve had some requests to post the letter here for those of you who don’t have access to the Opelika-Auburn News or Auburn Villager.  Feel free to share as we work together in the prevention of child sexual abuse.

Dear Editor:

Last week Jerry Sandusky, Penn State’s former assistant football coach was found guilty on 45 counts of sexual abuse against 10 boys over 15 years. I understand these allegations were hard to believe. I understand that an indictment of this magnitude would be a tragedy in any organization, but Penn State and particularly their football team was known for all-American values of honor, integrity, and hope.  Values that the Auburn family holds dear as well.

Jerry Sandusky deeply violated those values.  And Penn State violated those values as well because they allegedly failed to report these sexual abuse allegations to authorities.  It would be easy to end the story with the firing of key university staff and the quick conviction of Sandusky.  It would be easy to say that we should always report suspicions of abuse, even if we are unsure of what really happened or whether the actions were sexually abusive.  But in the wake of all that has appeared in the media, we must take a deeper look at our own responsibilities.

This tragedy is a wake-up call to every organization that works with children and youth. I hope that such organizations will educate themselves, the families and the children about child sexual abuse.  I encourage every organization to understand what they must do to respond to sexual abuse, to use effective screening tools and to put policies into place about appropriate touch and conduct.  I hope all of us in the Auburn-Opelika community will learn from Penn State and ask questions to help put effective policies in place before any child is harmed.  If you would like to join the movement to prevent child sexual abuse in our community, please email me at polly@childpsychmom.com.

Dr. Polly Dunn, Auburn

If you suspect abuse or have questions, call the National Child Abuse Hotline, ChildHelp, at 1-800-4-A-CHILD for guidance 24 hours a day.

Many years ago my brother tried to tell me that Dave Ramsey could change my financial life.  I didn’t believe him at the time.  In fact, it wasn’t until we had paid our last car payment and could scream “we’re debt free” that I was truly a believer.  Fast forward a couple of years and my baby brother was at it again.  This time telling me that David Allen’s Getting Things Done program could help me gain control over my mind and paper clutter.  Just like with Dave Ramsey, I bought the book and tried to master the organizational principles.  If my brother likes it, I’m usually an easy sell.  But truth be told I could never quite get it to work.  No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t combine the mom-worker-wife-homemaker-blogger into the neat little program that David Allen had packaged.

Enter ‘The Power of Moms.’  Using principles from Getting Things Done, ‘The Power of Moms’ developed the program Mind Organization For Moms.  In short, they took David Allen’s program and made it doable for moms.  Real moms.  Ones with backpacks full of artwork coming home from multiple kids every day.  Ones with voicemails, messages, emails, and papers coming at them from every direction.  Ones who crave being organized but don’t have a system in place that really works.  Real moms like me.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’ve always been an organized person.  But having four kids has stripped me of all of my natural organizational tendencies.  I’ve met my match.  My children.  I didn’t actually try the program until a few weeks ago.  I had heard about it a while back and wanted to, but I didn’t think I had the time to implement the strategies.  Not true.  I had plenty of time.  This program is worth every penny it costs and every minute it takes to get it started.  In fact, it has the potential to reorganize your mind and in the end, your life.

I now have a physical inbox that is truly empty, email inboxes also at zero, and a system that allows me to truly have a place for everything while forgetting nothing.  Nothing short of amazing.  The picture for this post is proof.  I wouldn’t dare post what it looked like before!  The Mind Organization For Moms program is available for $50 and honestly that’s a steal.  For $28 more you can get extra coaching on the program that walks you through its implementation step by step over two weeks.  Check out their website for all these programs have to offer.

I’ve been blogging now for almost two years and have never done a give away.  That’s right.  Never.  But I’m making an exception today.  I have one free Mind Organization For Moms program to give away to one lucky reader.  Just comment below by June 24, 2012, and one of you will be randomly selected to win the program.  It’s that simple!  And in the meantime, check out Mind Organization For Moms for more tips on how you can get organized.  For good.

Update:  The Mind Organization For Moms giveaway is now closed.  The winners have been notified.  Thanks to all who entered !

Thank you LRD for this precious poem and for being such a great big sister!

My baby boy turned 15 this month, and he has been reading series ever since he started that Harry Potter book so many years ago.  He’ll read books that aren’t a part of a series, but he much prefers to follow characters and story lines across multiple books.  He is truly ‘Serious 4 Series.’  So much so that when he gets in trouble the only punishment that really has an impact is not letting him read!  Lucky for him I just can’t get on board with grounding him from reading.  Video games, yes.  Television, yes.  Cell phone, yes.  Reading, not for this mom!

Moms of boys (and his teachers, school librarians, etc.) are always asking me what he’s reading and how they can get their guys more passionate about books.  So, in honor of his birthday we made a list of his 15 favorite book series out of all the ones he’s ever read.  And let me tell you, he had a hard time narrowing it down to 15!

Some of these books girls would like too, but mostly they are geared for boys.  In our list you’ll find out the title of the series, the author, how many books are included, and if the series is finished or ongoing.  Like the movies (his other passion), he gave each series a completely unofficial PG or PG-13 rating.  If you click on the link provided it’ll take you to the first book in each series.

Drum roll please………

1.  Harry Potter.  Of course!  Written by J.K. Roling,  there are 7 books in this series and it is, as you all know, complete.  My son gave the series a PG rating, but the later books in the series are definitely moving into PG-13 territory.  And if you’re really a fan you can watch all 8 of the movies and visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal in Orlando!

2.  Gone.  Michael Grant writes this series with 5 books so far and more to come.  This series is for sure PG-13, with every person 15 and older vanishing in a California town.  Too scary for younger readers, but a great series for teens!

3. 39 Clues.  There are 11 books in this PG rated series written by a collaboration of authors and published by Scholastic.  They are written at a 3rd grade + reading level.  These books are short, making them a perfect introduction to series reading for kids who are turned off by long books.  Although the original 39 Clues series is now complete, it continues in a second series entitled Cahills vs. Vespers.  There are 4 books so far in the second series, with more on the way.  There is also a web based interactive game, trading cards, and a movie by Steven Spielberg to be released in 2014.

4. Artemis Fowl.  This PG series is written by Irish author Eoin Colfer.  There are currently seven books in the series, with the eighth and final book set to be released this summer.  This science fantasy novel is a must read for boys!

5.  Percy Jackson and the Olympians.  Another favorite is this PG series written by Rick Riordin.  There are five books in the series and it is complete.  But it was so popular that it has continued on with a second series, The Heroes of Olympus.  With two books already, there are three more to go in this follow-up series.  And if you’re a true fan, there’s even a movie!

6.  Keys to the Kingdom.  There are seven books in this PG series by Garth Nix and it is complete.  It is a fantasy adventure that your boy will love.  Much to my son’s irritation I am constantly confusing this series with Disney’s Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson.  If you’re a Disney fan like me, you’ll want your kids reading that PG series too.  There are five books currently, with two more on the way and an online game.  Although it didn’t make his list, it would have been on mine!

7.  Cryptid Hunters.  So far there are only two books in this PG series by Roland Smith about twins sent to live with their archeologist uncle.  According to the author’s blog, there are more books to come in this series.  If you like his work, he has authored many other series books geared towards guys.

8.  Michael Vey.  There is one book in this series, with a second to be released later this summer.  But this PG book by Richard Paul Evans has already achieved great success and a large following.  It’s about a 14 year old boy who has Tourette’s syndrome AND special electric powers.  Looking forward to book two!

9.  The Hunger Games.  This PG-13 trilogy by Suzanne Collins needs no introduction.  I’ve read this one, and the post-apocolyptic scenario of children killing other children for sport was a bit much for me.  Nevertheless, the series and movie are wildly popular and deserving of earning a spot on my son’s top fifteen.

10.  I Am Number Four.  Written by two authors under the pseudonym of Pittacus Lore, this PG-13 series currently has two books, with another set to be released this summer.  These books are a great combination of teen action and science fiction.  For diehard fans, there was also a movie released in 2011.

11.  The Mysterious Benedict Society.  There are three books in this amazing PG series written by Trenton Lee Stewart, plus a prequel about the “boy who started it all.”  My son has loved these books and they are perfect for boys eight and up.  Readers get to solve puzzles and clues right along with the characters in this mind bending series.

12.  BZRK.  No that’s not a typo, the actual name of this PG-13 book is BZRK!  I think it must be pronounced like the word berserk, but that’s just a guess on my part.  There is only one book so far in this series by Michael Grant (also author of the Gone series, which is #2 on our list) about the battle for control over the human mind, but it’s a good one!

13.  Quantum Prophecy.  This three book PG series by Irish author Michael Carroll is written for kids age 10 and up.  Boys will love the plot, filled with more superheroes and supervillans than they could ever dream of.

14.  Ender’s Game.  There are two books in this science fiction series by Orson Scott Card.  But after the two primary books, there are multiple other offshoots of novels and short stories if you really want to delve in.  Although written for ages 10 and up, my son said it was more of a PG-13 to him.  Go figure.

15.  Lonesome Dove.  Last but certainly not least is this classic four book series about two Texas Rangers and the Wild West.  Although written by Larry McMurtry for adults, this PG-13 series can also be enjoyed by teens.  Lonesome Dove is still my brother’s all-time favorite book, and I’m glad he introduced it to my son too.

Well, there you have it.  15 book series that will keep your sons interested and engaged in reading well beyond their teen years.  In the comments section below, please feel free to share some of your favorite series for guys or girls.  We’re always looking for something good to read . . .

Happy 15th birthday BWD.  I love you more than you could ever know and am so proud to be your mom (even though your driving scares me half to death! JK!).  Keep reading and always stay true to who you are.

Just last week I spoke to a group of fifth graders at a local elementary school about what it was like to be a child psychologist.  I like going to career days because the children ask the most hilarious questions.  My favorite this time was whether or not one boy could bring his girlfriend to my office for couples therapy.  Hmm, let me think about it . . . NO!  But I did tell him that he could come to my clinic with his parents to talk about his relationship problems anytime he wanted.  Just no couples therapy yet.

Other than getting a big laugh out of their adorable questions and scaring them when I tell them how many years it takes to actually become a child psychologist, I enjoy talking to children about mental health in general.  With adults there is often such a stigma about seeking help for mental health issues.  But with kids, it’s much easier to get them to understand that it’s okay to have a problem that they need to talk to a therapist about.

Mental Health Analogy That Kids (And Grown-ups) Can Understand:

To get the mental health conversation with kids going, I always start by asking them what happens when they get a sore throat or a stomach ache.  What do they do?  They all raise their hands because they know this answer.  They tell their parents and go to the doctor.  Simple.  Their pediatrician works to help them feel better when they are sick.  Sometimes they need medicine if they are sick, but often there are other things that their doctor might tell them to do to feel better.

While their pediatrician is there to help their body stay well and recover from physical illnesses, they also need someone who is available when they have issues going on in their mind that are bothering them.  That’s where psychologists come in.  To help when you have a mental health problem.  I always make sure to point out that psychologists do not give any shots or medicine at their offices, they only use talking to treat mental health issues.  Another plus is that child psychologists have lots of board games and toys at their offices that kids can play with while they talk.

If you think about it, if you have a brain then you have mental health.  Everyone has it!  Sometimes your brain has good mental health, but sometimes there are problems in your mind that you need help with. It’s the same as your physical health.  In my opinion, there should be no more stigma attached to having a mental health problem like depression than there is for having a physical health problem like appendicitis.

So, in honor of Mental Health Month, let’s spread the word.  If you’ve got a brain, then you’ve got mental health!

]]> https://childpsychmom.com/got-a-brain-then-youve-got-mental-health/feed/ 4 https://childpsychmom.com/words-with-friends-4-kids/ https://childpsychmom.com/words-with-friends-4-kids/#comments Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:32:49 +0000 http://childpsychmom.com/?p=2243 A few weeks ago, my 14 year old son asked me where the dictionary was.  The dictionary?  What on earth did he need with a dictionary!  Normally he uses the computer to look up words, but he needed the actual book.  Like we used when I was in school, back before computers!

Curious, I got him the dictionary and watched.  Within a few minutes he was looking up words.  Then I had to know what he was up to!  Guess what it was?  Finding words that started with Q, J, or Z to play against his dad and I on ‘Words With Friends.’  For once, a video game actually made my child WANT to pick up a dictionary!  Something I hadn’t been able to accomplish in years!

What is this ‘Words With Friends’ you’ve been hearing folks talk about?  It’s sort of like Scrabble in a video game format that you can play on your smart phone, tablet, or computer (via Facebook).  You can play against total strangers, but I don’t recommend that for kids.  What’s really fun is playing with people you know, ESPECIALLY the kids in your life.

I’ve started playing regularly with my 14, 12, and 7 year old kids.  I try to keep each game at a level appropriate for them, making my words more  and more challenging as they get better and better at the game.  My words with my 7 year old are usually 5 letters or less, while my words with my 14 year old are as complex as I can make!  After about six weeks of playing, I’ve learned a few things about the benefits of playing this game with my school age kids that I thought I’d share with you.  Here goes:

1. It improves their vocabulary and challenges their spelling skills.  The beauty of it is that they think they are playing a game, not learning vocabulary and spelling words!  Amazing!
2. You can play the game at whatever pace you want.  Set aside an hour and play an entire game or just make a move or two when you can.  It’s up to you.
3. It’s a great way to play games with relatives that don’t live at your house.  My children play their grandfather who lives in Texas, and I play my nephew that lives in Tennessee.  It adds an extra layer of excitement to the relationship with a relative when you can play a game in addition to the more typical long distance interactions (like talking on the phone or sending an email).
4. There is a messaging feature that you can use within a game that’s sort of like sending a text.  So, my 7 year old nephew can send me what he calls a text even though he doesn’t even have a phone!  I’ve learned all sorts of precious things about him from his texts.
5. There aren’t any pieces!  This may or may not be a problem at your house, but if I tried to play real Scrabble with my older kids my 4 year old would have the pieces spread around the house before we had a chance to make our first move!

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not suggesting that you develop a ‘Words With Friends’ addiction or spend all of your time with your kids playing video games (come on, you know me better than that!).  But if you haven’t tried playing this game with your school age children then you’re missing out.  Just be sure to monitor them like you would playing any online game and only allow them to play with people they know.  Enjoy!

It made me more aware.  With the challenge to find things to be thankful for each day, I have been much more mindful of my surroundings and the people in my life.  I’m actually paying attention to all the good that goes on around me each day so that I can be sure to give thanks.  Let me tell you, there’s a lot of good in this world if we just slow down and take the time to recognize it.  From a beautiful sunset, to a kind word from a stranger, there is always something we can find to be grateful for each day.

It has been contagious.  Guess what?  When I act with an attitude of gratitude, the people around me do too.  If I say thank you or express my gratitude to others, they are more likely to share that spirit of thankfulness with someone else.  Just like that Liberty Mutual kindness commercial.  Who knew?  It works for gratitude too!

It helped me see good even in the bad.  One of my inspirations for participating in this challenge was this video about a group of bloggers who wrote about being grateful for 21 days.  During that time, many of them experienced tragedies and difficulties of varying magnitudes.  But overwhelmingly they all said that having an attitude of gratitude kept them focused on the good even when things were going bad. I shared it on Facebook and Twitter at the start of our challenge, but here it is again in case you missed it:

Little did I know that my own town of Auburn, Alabama would be hit by a tornado on Day 16 of our challenge.  I was AMAZED at the gratitude I saw expressed on Facebook and throughout the day in my community.  At the end of this post is a sampling of what an attitude of gratitude can look like even especially during times of distress.

So, let’s finish strong with one week to go before Thanksgiving.  Count your blessings each day.  Express your gratitude.  Share your love.  Slow down and appreciate the ones you’re with.  Just be thankful, today and always.

The ‘Attitude of Gratitude’ from my Facebook family in Auburn, Alabama . . .

• All I can say is Almighty God held the junior high school, high school, and elementary school in the palm of His hand while a tornado danced around all three. Thank you, Lord, as I had children in two schools and children I call mine in the other.

• Very thankful today as the tornado came within 100 yards of my house and 2 of my children. How else can you explain a tornado maneuvering in such a way that it avoided 4 schools but managed to go all around them, except to say that God was very much in control.

• I’m so very thankful that today we only had property damage from the storm that is mostly minor stuff to fix, and especially grateful that no one in the area was seriously injured (as far as I know).

• I am very thankful that my family and friends are safe and I am praying for those that have damage from today’s storms…it was absolutely crazy!

• Thanking God for His grace and mercy during the tornadoes today in Auburn!

• Today I am thankful that everyone survived yesterday’s tornadoes. God was definitely watching over our little town. I am also thankful for beautiful blue skies which make the clean up much easier.

• Is thankful there was no “people damage” from the storms yesterday. Also thankful for wonderful friends and teachers who were calm and kept my children calm and safe.

• Is thankful to all employees of our school system who worked tirelessly yesterday to keep our children safe and calm during the storm..Thank you all.

• Very thankful tonight that we are all safe after the storm. According to neighbors, the tornado came right over our house. Our fence is destroyed, and we will be getting a new roof, but my children and I are safe and it isn’t anything that can’t be replaced. Also very thankful for good friends that were at my house before I could get home checking on my animals and the damage. I am so blessed with wonderful friends. God is so good!

• Today I’m thankful that…1. My husband left his job site only a few minutes before a tornado hit it. 2. The tornadoes managed to go in between the gymnasium and the main building of the high school where students were 3. no damage or tornadoes to the junior high or middle school, and 4. The tornado spared my nephew’s preschool where many of my sweet friends work. God was watching out for us today.

• Thankful today that so far, all that I hear, all are alive and unharmed by the storm. Puts things in perspective…..

• Very blessed to be safe and sound after all the damage in AU today. I’m so thankful for all the teachers and administrators who knew exactly what to do today to keep all students safe. You are to be commended! Parents can be assured that their precious children were in the best of care!

• So glad my grandchildren and all the children at the Auburn schools are safe from the Tornado that hit the Auburn area. Thanks to all the teachers and staff at all the schools.

• Realizing how very blessed I am. My house and family was spared by the tornado. Some of our friends’ houses were not. Just 2 blocks away is total destruction. I am thankful that nobody was killed. That you Lord for protecting us!

• Trees & roofs (and BBQ grills, chairs, shutters, basketball goals, oh and trash cans) can all be replaced. Thank God our family has their parts intact. We serve a gracious God who always protects His children.

• My friends and family in several cities are safe and sound tonight, and the nasty April-in-November weather is heading out. Grateful that a miss is as good as a mile, but my heart is heavy for those with losses.

• Such a scary and horrible day in AU but I love the see how everyone rallies together to help their neighbor. Very thankful and blessed tonight!

• So very thankful that no one was hurt as storms and tornadoes traveled through our town.

• Feeling very very blessed. Our family and house are fine. My 7 year old told me very matter-of-factly about how “the tornado sounded.” (Loud). Holding my family tight tonight!

• Feeling very blessed tonight after being in the dark all afternoon. So thankful everyone is safe in Auburn.

• I just want to give thanks to God for keeping the high school along with all Auburn safe. Cars can be replaced, but people can’t be.

• Today I’m thankful for the safety of family and friends. Tornado hit just 2 miles from our house and that is too close!

• Spent over an hour in our safe place with my 25 4th graders. I had some scared kiddos on my hands and I am thankful we are all safe.

• All students, staff and teachers in Auburn City Schools are safe. Thank God.

• Very, very grateful for all of the calls and text messages and offers to help after the tornado hit our street. An army of angels arrived at my door to help remove trees from the roof/car and get tarp on the roof to cover the damage.  As my dear friend says “It’s all good.” Praise the Lord!!!!!

and from me . . .

• Today I’m thankful that no one in Auburn was seriously injured in the tornado today that passed within a mile of me at work, my kids at school, and my home. Feeling very grateful to have my whole family under one roof tonight.

• I am so thankful for the teachers and staff at Auburn City Schools for keeping our children safe and calm during the tornado yesterday that was a near miss at a number of the schools in our community. But the true glory in this storm goes to God. It may be hard to understand unless you know the layout of our town, but to have a tornado get so close to so many of the children of this community with none of them sustaining a single injury is nothing short of a miracle.

November means that Halloween is over and Christmas is right around the corner.  Right?  That’s what the retail industry wants us to believe.  The stores have already marked down the Halloween decorations to 75% off and the Christmas decorations are out on display.  They’re ready to push us into the biggest shopping month of the year, December.  But hold on!  Don’t get caught up in the shopping frenzy of the holiday season just yet.

Instead, consider celebrating this month for the holiday it’s most famous for…Thanksgiving!  Our society rushes from Halloween to Christmas faster and faster each year, leaving no time to focus on our nation’s holiday of thanks.

So from now until Thanksgiving I’m going to be participating in the Be Thankful Challenge.  Each day through November 24th I’m going to post on Facebook and Twitter what I am thankful for that day.

It’s not always going to be huge or earth shattering, just a simple acknowledgment of my thankfulness for the day.  And when the day is not going so well, it will be a good reminder that even on the worst of days there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for.

So, if you’d like to join me this month just answer the question “What am I thankful for today?”  You can share your daily response on Facebook or Twitter, write it down in a journal, or say it aloud.  Whatever works best for you.

Together we can do our part to slow down the time between Halloween and Thanksgiving and use it to give thanks where thanks is due.  I’ll bet by the time we get to Thanksgiving each of us will know how truly blessed we are.