When our children were applying to colleges, we tried to keep in mind that these were going to be their college years, not ours. we acted as consultants and cheerleaders, but we didn’t encourage one school over another. Instead we encouraged them to look at many options and to think about what they wanted to get out of the college experience. This included not only academic majors, class size, and teaching style, but also things like climate and lifestyle. Sometimes I had to bite my tongue. For instance, our oldest daughter was convinced she wanted to go to a Boston college. Knowing that she is definitely a warm-weather girl who liked the cold only when she was on skis, I just knew that if she went to Boston, she’d be calling in tears come January, wanting to come home and thaw out. Little things like climate, not just classes, can make a difference. I gently mentioned the Boston winter weather, but she was sure that’s where she wanted to apply. I was so relieved when she wasn’t accepted there! She wound up going to the University of San Diego, which was not only in a warmer clime, but much better suited to her in terms of both academics and lifestyle. Our son, a type-A achiever, wound up at my alma mater, but I never suggested he should go there because I had. Stanford was his first choice based on its academic rigor, entrepreneurial orientation, course offerings . . . and because he flat-out adored the campus and the lifestyle. The fact that his mother and grandmother went there wasn’t a factor. He applied at a few other schools, but his heart was set on Stanford and, fortunately, he was accepted. One of the things that makes me sad about the admissions scandal is that it’s caused many people to look askance at all private admissions counselors and that’s too bad. A legitimate, experienced counselor can be a valuable resource for some kids. Our youngest daughter had no clue where she wanted to go to college other than a big-city college. and there are thousands of good colleges out there and many in big cities, but not too many were on her parents’ radar. An admissions counselor was able to explore with her what she wanted her college experience to be, what her strengths and weaknesses were, where her interests lay and her learning style. The counselor was able to draw on her experience and knowledge of various schools to help our girl narrow her search to a half-dozen or so colleges. The cost was reasonable and it was money well spent. When it came to filling out the applications, we let our kids know that we were available to proofread, or make essay suggestions, but we weren’t doing the applications or essays for them. We also made it a point not to nag about deadlines—a few gentle reminders were all they got. We figured that they were young adults who needed to take responsibility for the process, especially since they were going to be on their own in college the following year with no one to remind them of reading assignments or term paper deadlines. Each of them owned the process, but in very different ways. Our oldest daughter, true to form, waited until the last minute to do her applications, dashing off her essays at the last minute. I’ll never forget her calling from the post office the next day because it was closed Saturday afternoon. She had to FedEx her applications which I’m sure didn’t make a great impression on admissions officers! Fortunately, she got into one school and, blessedly, it was the one I thought would be the best match for her. She thrived at the University of San Diego. But had she not been accepted, she would have had to live with the consequences, attending the local community college and re-applying the following year. Like I said, she had to own the process. Our son’s approach was so different that one had to question whether these two kids sprung from the same gene pool! The wall above his desk was posted with timelines and checklists for months, and he spent weeks polishing his essays, including asking us to proofread and make any editing suggestions. For the schools he applied to, all the applicants had top grades and scores, and loads of extra-curricular activities. I think John’s essay was what made him stand out; it really conveyed his values and personality and was extremely well-written and helped get him into all the schools to which he applied. We were lucky that all three of our kids got into schools that were “right” for them and did well in college. I think they did well because they had already learned the lessons of responsibility, initiative, hard work and follow-through. If you’ve read Six Word Lessons for Intentional Parenting, you know we started teaching those lessons early. You’ve heard me say that we were “consultant” parents, never “helicopter” parents. We were ready with suggestions, encouragement and consolation when needed, but we let our kids take responsibility for their choices and actions when consequences were small. By the time they applied for college, they knew we were there for support but that the decisions were theirs. It’s a very gradual process, starting in toddlerhood with simple things like food and clothing choices, but if you allow them to learn from them, your high school senior will be well on the way to successful adulthood. A graduate of Stanford University, Mary Waldmann and her husband Raymond raised three children who are now independent, well-adjusted and happy young adults. Before becoming a mother, she was a successful real estate broker, political consultant and public relations executive, and worked as a part-time communications consultant when her children were young. Mary is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Winning with Today's Media , Six-Word Lessons for Intentional Parenting, and Six-Word Lessons for Compelling Speeches.
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With the start of school, many of our kids will be participating in youth sports. And we’ve all been at games where a parent in the stand berates or verbally abuses the coach. Or they yell at the referee for a perceived bad call. Perhaps some of us have found ourselves yelling at the coach or a referee. Please, please do not be that parent! According to a 2017 survey of 1,700 coaches and referees of amateur athletics, sportsmanship at games is getting worse and parents are the biggest problem (reported in the Wall Street Journal, 2019). They also said that parental behavior is much worse in youth sports than at the high school or college level. Why do parents behave like that? We all want our children to do well. But sometimes we identify too much with our children. We perceive their successes and failures as reflecting on us, threatening our own identity and success. So we want to blame the problem on someone else: the referee for bad calls, the coach for bad coaching or unfairness to our child. But our children are not us; their successes and failures belong to them. Now I’m not saying we shouldn’t identify at all with our children. But we can get too wrapped up in outcomes: “I’m not happy if my son doesn’t play quarterback,” or, “I’m upset if my daughter isn’t a starter on the soccer team,” or, “I’m disappointed if my kid doesn’t score.” Instead of focusing on outcomes, we should simply enjoy the thrill of watching our children do something they enjoy. And what does it mean to your child if you’re yelling at or criticizing a coach or referee? First off, it frequently embarrasses your child. Secondly, it sends a message to kids that they can’t deal with their own problems, or successfully navigate situations on their own. And third, it sends a message to your child that bad behavior and rudeness are okay. None of these are messages we should want our kids to receive. So what can you do if you really think your child is being treated unfairly or not receiving enough coaching attention from the coach? First off, wait for an opportunity to talk to the coach privately. Call them or talk to them before or after a practice. Don’t do it immediately after the game. Give yourself a chance to calm down and be objective before you say anything. Present your concerns in a polite and positive way. And listen to what the coach has to say. You may not be seeing the whole picture. You can also ask your spouse or a fellow team parent to be your calm-down coach. Ask them to tell you if you’re getting out of hand and need to go to the concession stand or the parking lot to cool down. We should all focus on watching our kids have fun. Be there, encourage your child, but don’t embarrass them by acting badly. Our job as parent fans is to find a seat, sit down, cheer them on, but otherwise, shut up. Anything else will detract from giving your child a good experience. It’s enough that you’re there for them so just sit back and enjoy watching your kid play the game. A graduate of Stanford University, Mary Waldmann and her husband Raymond raised three children who are now independent, well-adjusted and happy young adults. Before becoming a mother, she was a successful real estate broker, political consultant and public relations executive, and worked as a part-time communications consultant when her children were young. Mary is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Winning with Today's Media , Six-Word Lessons for Intentional Parenting, and Six-Word Lessons for Compelling Speeches.
When you strive for perfectionism, it’s easy to be disappointed. We’re all human. Some days (and especially lately), it is enough just to do a good job; striving for perfection can be exhausting and entirely unnecessary. Most of the time, “done” is better than perfect! Perfectionism: the #1 cause of procrastination Many people view perfectionism as a positive attribute, but in truth, perfectionism can actually be very harmful to your success. Its important to feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment when you complete a task or project. Perfectionists are rarely, if ever, satisfied. Perfectionist tendencies can be limited to certain areas or activities. For example, perfectionism could be based on cleanliness, scholastic standings, table manners, athletic skills, work product, etc. Perfectionism is a major productivity killer. When we are struggling with multiple priorities in our lives and on our plates, sometimes just checking a task off your list will set you on a better path to productivity than trying to do the task “perfectly”. Momentum can be powerful. Perfection can lead to paralysis – the inability to even make ANY forward progress, let alone complete something. You never feel like you are doing something well enough, so it goes unfinished. Some days, though, what you feel is just “good enough” might be “perfect” to someone else! Shift your perspective and just make progress. Perfectionism may just be a roadblock that you can overcome by trying a few strategies. Strategies to beat perfectionism paralysis
Remember a few of my favorite Mantras:
Is this speaking to you? You’re in good company. I’m a Recovering Perfectionist! Is there something you are putting off or procrastinating on because you feel you can’t complete it “perfectly”? If so, you are in very good company! The good news is there are ways to break free from this cycle. I could easily be stuck in a cycle of perfectionism just writing this blog post, for example. Did I share enough helpful information? Did I miss sharing something important that could benefit someone? But at some point, I just need to know I did the best I could, at this moment. It might not be perfect to me, but it might be perfect to you, and better than not sharing anything at all. Let us help you break out of your cycle of perfectionism, if that is stopping you from getting things done. Contact us to learn how we can help you to move forward on your to do list and be free of perfection paralysis! This is a popular coaching topic that clients of our Six-Month Productivity Transformation package work through to accomplish what they want in less time. Schedule a free Discovery Call with Debbie if you’d like to learn more about that package and how coaching can help you accelerate your results with greater ease. Have more time for what matters most! Debbie Rosemont, Certified Professional Organizer and Productivity Consultant, started Simply Placed, in 2003 to help clients increase productivity, maximize efficiency and bring balance and control into their work and lives. Simply Placed associates work with individuals and businesses to create effective organizational systems, clear clutter, successfully manage time, focus on priorities and achieve goals. They help people work smarter, not harder, to increase their bottom line and peace of mind through consulting, hands-on organizing, and group training. They can be contacted at 206-579-5743 or info@itssimplyplaced.com. During August and September, many parents are seeing our kids off to college for the first time. You’re focusing on outfitting their dorm room, helping them pack, and making travel plans, but don’t forget to pause for one more very important task: anticipating and preparing for the emotional, social and academic challenges ahead. Even students with high grades, great scores and loads of extracurricular accomplishments may have trouble with the transition to college and they need your help to prepare. In the 2018 survey of 155,000 students on almost 200 campuses, the American College Health Association found that more than 85 percent of college students described “feeling overwhelmed” and half felt “things were hopeless.” And the figures are most likely highest among freshmen. What are the biggest challenges? 1. Fear of not being socially accepted or making new friends This is a major one. Being in a whole new social environment, many freshmen feel isolated, telling their parents, “I feel so lonely” or, “I hate my roommate and he hates me.” There is also the fear of rejection in fraternity or sorority recruitment activities. And when social life fails, so often does academic effort. 2. Fear of not making it academically. This can present an even greater challenge for students who excelled academically in high school but now find themselves in classes where all the students were academic stars in their high schools. I remember a freshman seminar on French revolutionary novels where I discovered that many of my peers came from prep schools and had already read the books—in French! I felt totally inadequate and remember calling my dad, saying, “I don’t belong here! I’m sure they thought they were accepting somebody else with my name.” He assured me that the admissions office hadn’t made a mistake and that I would do just fine, but I still had some real doubts my first few weeks. 3. Unrealistic expectations of themselves. Again, the academic stars of high school may assume they will always be at or near the top of the class. When expectations aren’t met, feelings of great disappointment, failure and self-blame can follow. The extreme is perfectionism, where a student can never measure up to his own standards. And parental pressure for success exacerbates problems. How to help The greatest danger from these challenges is that your student will keep feelings bottled up and not share them with anyone, particularly with a healthcare professional. The best preparation is to talk with your student about the challenges ahead and help them to plan how they will deal with them. If they are struggling, the first step is to acknowledge the difficulties and recognize that they may need help, whether from parents, dorm counselors, or campus health center professionals. But how can you know if your child is struggling and know when and how to offer encouragement or suggestions? College privacy rules make it difficult to find out how a student is doing, and dorm advisors and teachers are generally not allowed to call parents with concerns. Once they are eighteen, federal privacy laws prevent parents being contacted by or getting information from medical and mental health providers. However, students can grant permission for campus academic advisors and healthcare providers to communicate directly with parents so consider discussing this with your student. Colleges, faced with an epidemic of anxious or depressed students, are beginning to step up to the plate with increased counseling opportunities, mentoring, peer support groups and programs to teach healthy living. They are also trying to reduce the stigma of mental illness and making it a little easier for students to admit that they need help. The most important thing is to talk to your college student. Amid all the luggage and boxes, take time to sit down and help him or her anticipate and prepare for the social, emotional and academic challenges ahead. If your child has already left for college, introduce the subjects at the first opportunity. Provide ongoing open communication channels and emotional support. Don’t assume that they’re doing just fine—ask, but don’t probe. Remind them that even small failures are learning opportunities and can presage success. Set up regular phone or video calls. Student mailboxes are generally empty most of the time, so the occasional letter of encouragement—with or without a care package—can be the bright spot of your student’s day (enlist grandparents in this). With your love and encouragement, they can surmount all the challenges and make their college years happy and successful. A graduate of Stanford University, Mary Waldmann and her husband Raymond raised three children who are now independent, well-adjusted and happy young adults. Before becoming a mother, she was a successful real estate broker, political consultant and public relations executive, and worked as a part-time communications consultant when her children were young. Mary is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Winning with Today's Media , Six-Word Lessons for Intentional Parenting, and Six-Word Lessons for Compelling Speeches.
Excerpted from Six-Word Lessons to Avoid Project Disaster
As a young hot-shot information technology (IT) project manager I was convinced that I had it all together. I was bound and determined to show all those more senior to me how to deliver successful projects. It wasn’t until I messed up not one, not two, but three projects simultaneously that I grew up and recognized I wasn’t all that I thought I was. While that period in my professional career was particularly painful, it was also some of the best learnings I could have gone through. Since then I’ve had successes and failures, but the failures became less frequent because I learned to get comfortable with others providing a critical eye on my work and helping with the necessary precision questioning to keep me out of hot water. This is the genesis behind Six-Word Lessons to Avoid Project Disaster.
Following are 15 lessons focused on the project sponsor and the questions to ask to ensure active, focused, and engaged project sponsorship.
Want to know the ten most important attributes of a best-in-class project sponsor? Check out Be a Killer Sponsor. As I read one news report after another about the college admissions scandal, I can’t help but ask myself where we went wrong. How did we reach the point where parents bribe and cheat to get their kids into the “good” colleges? When did the “where” become more important than “why”—why go to college-- and “what”—what you do in college? I think parents frequently place more importance on where their kids go to college than the kids do—or would if left to freely make a choice. It’s one thing to encourage your child to do her best, to aim high and dream big. But when did we start equating self-worth—both our own and our children’s-- with the name of the college(s) they’re accepted to? Many kids feel overwhelming pressure to get into a top-tier college, even when it may not really suit their needs, interests or learning style. And there are hundreds and hundreds of small colleges that provide excellent education experiences and may better suit your child than a “name” school. When choices are limited on the basis of prestige, it’s by-and-large, the fault of us parents. Too often, we parents have our own self-worth wrapped up in our kids’ achievement, thinking that if my child doesn’t get into an ivy league school, I must not have been a good enough parent. Your child is not you. His successes and failures are not yours to own. When we forget that, we can push too hard for success in superficial terms because, consciously or unconsciously, we think it reflects on us. Other parents may try to live out their own unfulfilled dreams, for instance, pushing a child to attend Harvard because they wish they could have. Or we expect our children to follow in our footsteps and attend our own alma mater, stressing family tradition more than what’s appropriate for the student. And of course, there are bragging rights. What parent of a high school senior hasn’t been to a spring cocktail party where conversation turns to college acceptances--“good” schools often elicit congratulations and nods of approval while equally good but less prestigious names are greeted with a tepid “That’s nice”. Let’s admit it: there can be a bit of snobbery going on in all this college admissions stuff. Most kids want to please their parents and parental projections can be insidious, especially at a time when our students are struggling to develop their own sense of identity. We have to remember that it’s going to be their college years, not ours. And if we want their college experience to be a good and successful one, we should encourage them to choose a school based on their interests, abilities, learning style and lifestyle, not purely on the prestige factor or where we want them to go. Far more important to students’ success than the college’s ranking on competitive lists is how involved a student is after arriving. According to a 2014 Gallup-Purdue study of more than 30,000 college graduates, engagement on campus is a greater predictor of future job satisfaction and happiness than the status of the school. Students who engage in campus life, build relationships with professors, mentors and friends, and get involved in projects and extra-curricular activities are the ones who will succeed—in college and in life. That’s more likely to happen when the school choice is based on your child’s preferences and needs, not acceptance rates and perceived status. I can’t help but wonder how the students feel who’ve just discovered their parents cheated to get them into college. They can no longer be proud of getting in even if they might have gotten in on their own merits. They’ve been deprived of the satisfaction that comes with achievement. When it comes to college applications, we should encourage, support, ask questions about preferences but remain in a consultant role. You can offer help with editing or proofreading essays, but don’t insist. Don’t nag about deadlines. And for heaven’s sake, don’t fill out the applications or write the essays yourself! High school seniors are young adults and the process (and results) should belong to them. Let them own it. A graduate of Stanford University, Mary Waldmann and her husband Raymond raised three children who are now independent, well-adjusted and happy young adults. Before becoming a mother, she was a successful real estate broker, political consultant and public relations executive, and worked as a part-time communications consultant when her children were young. Mary is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Winning with Today's Media , Six-Word Lessons for Intentional Parenting, and Six-Word Lessons for Compelling Speeches. When your loved one crosses over the rainbow bridge it hurts. Holidays are rough for the first few years. I think birthdays are painful forever. You always have the compulsion to add another year of “what ifs?” and “if only (s).” My son’s birthday is coming up in a few days and even though he has been out of his physical body four times longer than he was with me, another birthday without him still causes my heart to ache. Cory’s cousin just crossed over the rainbow bridge three months ago. They were only a few weeks apart in age. I know Cory was there along with his uncle Terry to greet Travis with open arms. I thought of Travis on his birthday a few weeks ago. He was able to grow up and get married but he suffered from a painful disease for most of his life. That could not have been easy. He fought the good fight. My heart goes out to his family but especially to his mother. Age does not matter. He will always be her baby boy. When my brother’s birthday is approaching I start feeling sad. I miss him like crazy but my sadness is more for his grieving widow and his children. He should still be here with them. Then, that sadness turns into anger about the crappy medical treatment he received. A few days ago my friend’ Elle’s sweet mother Frances died. She had been to the hospital several times in the past week. Both times the hospital sent her home. The last time, she passed the very next day! That’s when Elle found out her mother had stage 3 kidney disease and stage 4 liver cancer. I am still stunned. Were they just being callous because of her age? Did they really miss those two BIG diagnoses? My grandson came home with a similar story about his friend’s grandfather getting blown off by the same hospital. His family was told not to bring him to the ER again, they would turn him away. Something terrible was said such as, “Get him a burger and let him die happy.” Really? Who says that to a frightened family? Does this hospital staff think that too many birthdays means people are expendable? (It sounds like a good news story. I may pass it along to a local journalist). Yes, birthdays are hard whether the person you cared about died years ago or recently or whether the person was nine or ninety. I don’t cry anymore but the longing and the missing are still part of my thoughts and inner well-being. So, just know that when the birthday of your loved one is approaching be ready for a shift. It is normal to feel extra sensitive and sadder than you have lately. When the day actually gets here, you will marvel at how well you did and then try to tuck away those feelings until the next one approaches. It might help to celebrate his or her birthday in some way. You can bake a cake, donate flowers in his or her name to your church if you have one, or drop off food to the local food bank, donate to a favorite charity, invite loved ones to write a favorite memory down and send to you, ask for photographs, buy a bouquet of flowers at the grocery store and gift it to a random person in the parking lot, or even just pay for the order of the car behind you in the Starbucks drive-thru. Shirley Enebrad is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist with 25 years of experience. For her many years of work with pediatric cancer patients and those grieving the loss of a loved one, she received the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service and the Angel of Hospice Award. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Coping with Grief and Six-Word Lessons for Surviving a Devastating Diagnosis. Many of us have had the experience of watching our child fail at something: a science fair project that gets a poor grade, a failed test, a major sports loss. While it’s painful to see our child fail, they are actually receiving a gift: the opportunity to learn from failure, to try again, and to learn resilience in the face of loss. As Jennifer King Lindley reports in her article, How to Raise a (Successful) Failure (March 2019 REAL SIMPLE), this failure-deprived generation is frequently saved from possible failure by parents who swoop in to bawl out coaches and wheedle teachers for better grades. Avoidance of failure can result even from the parents’ best intentions. She quotes Jessica Lahey, author of the book, The Gift of Failure as saying, “It’s painful to watch your child stumble. You want to show your love by making a problem instantly better.” Hence the so-called “helicopter parents” who swoop in to rescue a child from failure. But we need to take a longer view, helping our children to grow from life’s setbacks when the risks are small and we’re here to support them. Resilience—not letting setbacks destroy you, learning from them, trying again—is one of life’s necessary and important skills. We don’t rejoice in easy victories, such as the soccer trophy for participation. But the hard-fought victories, where we overcome failure by learning from it, trying again and working harder, are the ones that build our confidence and self-esteem. Parents who expect perfection, either explicitly or implicitly, or set too-high standards, can also discourage the risk-taking that leads to small failures from which children learn when they are young. My parents set very high standards and I believed—rightly or wrongly—that I had to be “the best” to gain their love. As a result, I avoided trying things at which I felt I couldn’t excel. Not being very athletic, I avoided sports completely until I learned to ski in my thirties. And I think I missed out on some things I would have enjoyed. While over the years I’ve learned that it’s fine to be “good enough,” I’m still very risk-averse. But, as Lindley says, “You don’t want to just throw your kid to the wolves. (‘Good luck with choosing a college! Bye!’)”. We need to encourage our kids to try new things, to challenge themselves and risk failures from which they can learn, but we also need to serve as consultants, offering advice—but, with older children, only when asked—and emotional support. See Part 2 to learn three ways to help your children learn from failure. A graduate of Stanford University, Mary Waldmann and her husband Raymond raised three children who are now independent, well-adjusted and happy young adults. Before becoming a mother, she was a successful real estate broker, political consultant and public relations executive, and worked as a part-time communications consultant when her children were young. Mary is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Winning with Today's Media , Six-Word Lessons for Intentional Parenting, and Six-Word Lessons for Compelling Speeches. See Part 1 here. Beyond encouraging risk-taking, how do we help our kids learn and grow from the inevitable small failures along the way? Start by stepping back and letting the small failures happen. Let the little one lose to you at Old Maid. She might have a meltdown, but don’t lose your cool. Say “Honey, I know it feels bad to lose and you feel awful.” If she sees that you’re not upset and that you love and encourage her, she’ll see that failure isn’t the end of the world. Encourage your child to play sports, a great opportunity for learning from failure. But don’t be the parent who berates the coach or frequently races to field with left-behind soccer gear. That defeats the purpose. Above all, try to avoid seeing your child’s failures as a reflection on your parenting—that also leads to the urge to helicopter in to prevent your child from failing. But everyone fails at something sometime and failing when the consequences are still small teaches great life lessons about trying again, working harder and learning from the inevitable failures. Remember that your child isn’t you—you don’t need to own their shortcomings. Second, teach your child self-compassion. Screwing up hurts. The article How to Raise a (Successful) Failure by Jennifer King Lindley, (REAL SIMPLE Magazine, March 2019) quotes Rachel Simmons, author of the book Enough as She Is: How to Help Girls Move Beyond Impossible Standards of Success to Live Healthy, Happy and Fulfilling Lives, who says, “We need to sit with them with those difficult emotions. Having parents take their feelings seriously is gold for kids—it is often what they most want. And they will learn that bad feelings aren’t going to destroy you.” Use active listening and validate their discomfort and unhappiness. Encourage them to practice self-compassion by saying, “If your best friend was feeling like this, what would you say to them right now?” Helping them through the emotional pain helps them feel capable of trying again. Third, emphasize the lessons. In the article, Kyla Haimovitz, a Ph.D psychology researcher at the University of Pennsylvania who has studied how parents react to kids’ failure, says, “Your reaction has a huge impact on your kids. Talk to them in a way that focuses on the process: ‘I’m sorry you are not happy with how things went. Could you try it in a different way? Could you talk to your teacher?’” What isn’t helpful is language that suggests their abilities are fixed: “That’s OK, honey, I wasn’t good at science either” or “Don’t worry, maybe sports just aren’t your thing. You’re really good at reading.” Don’t be afraid to share your own screw-ups. You may think being a good role model means you have to appear perfect, but it’s quite the opposite. Sharing your past mistakes lets your child see that mistakes are normal and so helps them to take their own failures in stride. Or talk about the struggles their heroes went through on their way to success. Finally, Lindley concludes, “It’s never too late to stop running interference for your child. If you catch yourself filling out the learner’s permit form for your teen driver, be direct and say, ‘I’m sorry I haven’t been treating you as the competent person you are. You can do it and I’m here for you if you need me.” And don’t berate yourself for interfering. We all make mistakes! Consider it just another learning experience and resolve to do better in the future. A graduate of Stanford University, Mary Waldmann and her husband Raymond raised three children who are now independent, well-adjusted and happy young adults. Before becoming a mother, she was a successful real estate broker, political consultant and public relations executive, and worked as a part-time communications consultant when her children were young. Mary is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Winning with Today's Media , Six-Word Lessons for Intentional Parenting, and Six-Word Lessons for Compelling Speeches. |
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