You're Never Too Old to Kegel

Hello parenting enthusiasts!

I have been neglecting my blogging duties of late - OK for the last YEAR or so, and yet no more! I resolve to return to my regular activities, filling your heads and hearts with tips and tricks for navigating the treacherous waters known as PARENTHOOD! Let's begin with:

KEGEL EXERCISES!!

You read it correctly, kegels. Moms everywhere were probably coached numerous times on the importance of building up the pelvic floor muscles in preparation for childbirth and beyond. I remember a particularly militant Bradley Instructor (Shout Out to Lori Charleson, BEST Bradley Coach and Doula EVER!) hounding her students constantly about this very mundane activity. She wanted her moms-to-be squeezing those puppies upwards of 200 times a day!! And because I'm afraid of her - not really : ) I did them. And it helped. A lot.

Fast forward four years and two babies later. I'm working full time, parenting as best I can and completely neglecting my kegels. Those exercises went by the wayside ages ago. Never even game them a second thought...until last week when I was experiencing a sneezing episode so intense that I tinkled a little in my pants. What the *&^? I could not believe it. My pelvic muscles had let me down! Or rather, due to my lack of maintaining them, I let myself down. My leg, in dribbles to be frank about it. Absolutely horrifying. Thank goodness I was at home and needed only to swap out some clothes in a quick minute. What if I had been elsewhere? Ye gads.

Did I learn anything from this? Yes, you'd think. She WAS horrified, you say. She must have mended her ways, you postulate. And yet, no. Apparently this event did not significantly alter my reality to the point where I jump started those kegels again. I wrote it off as a fluke. That I was unprepared for this most severe and probably uncommon sneezing fit. It won't happen again, I thought.

I thought wrong. It DID happen again. And I DID pee my pants just a little, AGAIN! Only this time I was not horrified. I was chagrined. It was my fault. I had only myself to blame for my pants wetting. Oh the humanity!

So, for once, I ask you to NOT be like me. Do not wait until wetting your pants just a little every time you sneeze becomes a regular event in your life. Take charge of your pelvis and do your washing machine a favor. Start keggeling. Here's how. Go to this link and squeeze your way to a better you. You'll thank me later!

Mayo Clinic - How to Kegel

Happy Parenting (and Keggeling!)

Parenting: In It To 'Win' It!: Twin Cities Bullying Workshop Series Starts Soon!

Parenting: In It To 'Win' It!: Twin Cities Bullying Workshop Series Starts Soon!: Hello Fellow Parenting Enthusiasts! Bullying Workshop Series I'm sharing this information about seminars offered in the Twin Citie...

Twin Cities Bullying Workshop Series Starts Soon!

Hello Fellow Parenting Enthusiasts!

Bullying Workshop Series

I'm sharing this information about seminars offered in the Twin Cities area on Bullying I received from one of my Bunco moms. I'm going to try and make the evening sessions, if anyone wants to join me. I'm passionate about addressing this pervasive issue in a multi-disciplinary approach so we can treat both the victim, the bystander and the bully with fairness, understanding and compassion. Understanding the nature of bullying is KEY as we find our kids face ever greater complexities in their social lives.

Thanks for giving this your thoughtful attention.

Ever searching for the Win-Win Parenting Solutions,

Things You Won't Learn In School, Yet Need to Know Anyway

Happy New Year Fellow Parenting Enthusiasts!


Nothing like a few 'Rules' to get the year started, eh? The origin of these little ditties is unclear- some say Bill Gates, others not. I saw it posted on my FB page and thought it was interesting enough to share. They will most certainly evoke a response, be it positive or negative. What do you think?

Rule 1: Life is not fair – get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won’t be a vice president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it’s not your parents’ fault; so don’t whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from 

paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent’s generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they’ll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you “FIND YOURSELF”. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television and video games are NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.