In that fiery place under the earth, I’m quite sure Alvin and the Chipmunks music would be blaring 24-7. If it ever comes on (usually by accident), you will find me under a thick, muffling sort of blanket. Just because Alvin, Elmo, or the Frozen soundtrack make me want to stuff … [Read more...]
The Great Joy in Humility
What does humility have to do with joy? Humility is about bringing deep compassion to not only our strengths, but also our weak spots, problematic patterns, or colossal screw-ups. It’s about the tenderness we bring to ourselves and the rough, mottled crevices of our … [Read more...]
An Awesome Christmas Present for Young Kids
by Erin Leyba, LCSW, PhD Want to give children something truly special for the holidays? Let them help you with your Christmas tasks. I will never forget the Christmas when I took my four-year-old son on the Polar Express train ride, to visit Santa at his local hangout, to … [Read more...]
Balancing Novelty and Routine With Young Children
by Erin Leyba, LCSW, PhD The right balance of novelty and routine can help us feel peaceful, content, and joyful. If we have too much novelty all at once, we can get overwhelmed, stressed out, or exhausted. We feel depleted by processing and adapting to so much of the new. … [Read more...]
Putting the “Happy” Back in Happy Hour with Young Children
by Erin Leyba, LCSW, PhD When you have young children (especially more than one), getting dinner ready can be a real challenge. No matter when kids nap or what kind of snack they eat at 3 p.m., they all seem to get voraciously hungry, super tired, and very crabby in that … [Read more...]