Read more about the article Two out of three ain’t bad
ENHAN
My thoughts

Two out of three ain’t bad

Our afternoon was spent hiking in the woods. While I was successful in getting Elliott to join us, Gavin wanted nothing to do with it. It ended up being Elliott, Emmett, and me. We had a really good time. Emmett's new boots kept him from hurting himself, which is a good thing. It's was stunning to see how beautifully Fall has embraced Northeast Ohio. The park was super crowded and that made it a bit less pleasant but we had lots of fun anyway. The boys got along for the most part and I definitely feel like I was my mood was improved by spending time in the woods. I'm I didn't get as much done today as I was hoping to but it was still time well spent. At…

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November 7, 2021
Read more about the article Third times a charm
ENHAN
My thoughts

Third times a charm

The last couple of days have been rather busy for me. I've been dealing with side effects from my covid booster. Nothing major. In fact, it's been easier this time around but I'm getting hit with fatigue. I'm tired all the time and sleeping doesn't really make it better. Again, it's better than COVID and I'm grateful to have access to such an effective vaccine. I took Gavin to get his booster this morning. He did great and so far, his only issue is a sore arm. I do expect him to be under the weather for the next day or two but maybe he won't experience any side effects and I'd be more than okay if that were the case. Emmett's been having a difficult couple of days so…

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November 5, 2021
Read more about the article Emerging from darker times
My thoughts

Emerging from darker times

I wanted to pop in and let you know I'm still breathing. It's been a minute but it's not because something is wrong. Quite the opposite actually. The boys are doing great and Gavin is continuing down the path to independence. I'm so proud of everyone because we've emerged from such a dark time in our lives, and we're living our best lives. As for me, I'm doing great as well. I've come such a long way and while I'm tired, I absolutely love my life. I have some amazing opportunities with work, and I'm even planning a trip for next year. I've reinvested in balancing my public and private life, which is why I don't share everything that's going on. I'm in a very healthy, rewarding relationship, and I…

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October 12, 2021
Read more about the article How to Know if Your Child Needs Mental Rehab: Things to Look For
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How to Know if Your Child Needs Mental Rehab: Things to Look For

Children’s mental health disorders occur when there is a significant change in the way a child behaves, learns or handles their emotions. This often leads to distress of some type, creating difficulty in day-to-day tasks. Behavior disorders, anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) are the most common, though others can occur, including depression and bipolar disorder. How Common Are Kids’ Mental Health Problems? Consider a few key statistics on children and mental health as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ADHD is the most common form of mental health disorder in children, impacting about 9.4 percent of kids ages 2 to 17, or about 6.1 million children. About 7.4 percent or 4.5 million children in the U.S. have some type of diagnosed behavior problem. The agency reports…

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October 9, 2021
Read more about the article Why I still wear a mask, even though I’m fully #vaccinated
ENHAN
My thoughts

Why I still wear a mask, even though I’m fully #vaccinated

I wanted to take a second and put this out there because I truly believe that it's really important. Everyone in my immediate family (myself and the boys) are fully vaccinated for COVID. We're in pretty good shape in my house and I'm so incredibly grateful for that. That being said, not everyone is so lucky. Anyone under the age of twelve, cannot currently receive the COVID vaccine. It's coming soon but all these kids are still at risk until then. I even wear a mask at the gym, which is not fun at all, especially with a filtered mask. I made the decision to do that and I will continue to do so because there are people in my life who cannot yet receive the vaccine. The best way…

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October 7, 2021
Read more about the article Moving forward
ENHAN
My thoughts

Moving forward

It's been a pretty good day. We got off to a rough start with the boys and school but everything worked out. I was finally able to get a tree service out to gut the back of my property. I've been trying for months to get someone out and it's nearly impossible right now because of labor shortages. They came out first thing in the morning and did a great job. I'd like to have them come back and deal with a few other things but it will probably have to wait until the spring. I asked them today and they said they appointments are being scheduled almost four months in advance. It's kinda crazy but COVID has impacted so many things. At the end of the day, I got…

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October 6, 2021
Read more about the article Poor kid is having an anxiety attack
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Poor kid is having an anxiety attack

Emmett woke up this morning and doesn't feel well. He's not sick, at least not physically sick. Emmett is a child who deals with anxiety and it can be debilitating at times. When he gets anxious, it tends to manifest physically, usually as a stomach ache. He's not physically ill but is experiencing physical symptoms. Make sense? Anyway, he's really stressed out over COVID and going to school in a pandemic. He's seeing his friends and teachers become infected. Thankfully, to my knowledge, everyone has recovered. Also, Emmett is fully vaccinated. The risk to him is minimal but not zero. He understands that but it's the not zero part that makes him anxious. He's feeling afraid for himself, his family, and everyone else. It's very clear to him that there…

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September 28, 2021
Read more about the article Little moments of clarity
ENHAN
My thoughts

Little moments of clarity

Woke up today feeling pretty good and eager to go for a walk. I was up long before everyone else and I'm sitting in my living room, enjoying the quiet. I've been preaching about self-care for years because it's so vitally important. I try to focus on self-care in my own life on a daily basis. There are times however, where I experience these moments of clarity, and today was one of those moments. It's not that I don't recognize or appreciate the importance of self-care, but today as I sat on my couch, in total silence, I was very much in the moment. The peace and quiet was captivating. I appreciated being able to hear my own thoughts, without all the usual distraction. It was a fantastic way to…

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August 28, 2021