Last year my son Eric encouraged me to do a blog. It was nice to have your progeny think well enough about me to think that you have something to say to others. He told me how to get a URL (web address) and gave me space on his company’s web server. He showed me how to pick a free blog template (from the Wordpress.com offerings) and deploy it on my blog. I ran into a few initial obstacles which he helped me resolve. (more…)

I’ve been doing this blog for a couple months now and I thought it appropriate to stop and reflect today on how its going so far. So here are some thoughts…

First of all, I want to acknowledge all of you have posted comments on my posts, including: Adam Fletcher, Bob Bruech, Caroline D, Cheri Isett, David Wolinsky, Emily Haraldan, Ida Hurt, Jim Strickland, John Thompson, Katie L, Kim Moreas, Leo Fahey, Nancy Shriver, Noreen Ringlein, Sally Rosloff, Blanche & Reuben Rosloff and Tom Kennedy (I think that’s everybody!) Some of you I know from my life in Los Angeles (my U-U Congregation and my partner Sally’s alternative energy and healing community), others from online communities I participate in (AERO, IDEA, EfHG, Ed Week Forums, etc.), and maybe others beyond all that. It is hard to write when you don’t have an audience, so your comments have been critical in keeping me going. (more…)

Hey fellow travelers… whether you are involved with raising your own progeny, someone else’s, or are just playing a role as an adult in some kid’s life, I want to share that experience with you, because there is nothing more profound than helping people (young or otherwise, and even including yourself) come into their own in this world and move forward on their evolutionary path.

Having spent over half a century in this incarnation on earth, and almost half of that as a parent, you can bet that I would have some thoughts, posing perhaps as wisdom, about this very fundamental role in human society, and I wager that you do as well. You cannot go through the experience of helping kids on their journey to agency and adulthood without feeling at times inadequate, moved to tears, longing to have another chance, blessed, relieved and many other gut-checking emotions. It is hard work, and as many have noted, you are more likely to feel guilt and get blame for failure than feel pride and get kudos for success. (more…)