3 Reasons Why Parent Coaching and Professional Organizers are a good match!

1.   Parenting is chaotic.     One frequent challenge that comes up when I am coaching parents is a feeling that things are out of control in the house or in the car or wherever.   I remember before I was pregnant, I cleaned and organized various parts of the house.  Friends told me I was nesting and that I also would not have a chance to do deep cleaning/organizing for many years.   I didn't really believe them, but. . .well you know the rest.   

2.  Kids can mess up everything you clean and organize.    My daughter in particular is very talented in messing up an entire room within seconds.  My sense of sanity competes with her sense of creativity.   "Mom, don't move that--that's the castle and that's the pathway to the castle and if you move that the fairies will die."   

3.  You will feel so much better and, I believe, be a better parent!   A professional organizer is the ultimate in self-care.  

Since it seems I am always suggesting an organizer to my harried parents, I decided to hire one myself to help me set up my office.   Bonnie McCallister, otherwise known as D Clutter Queen http://dclutterqueen.com/ arrived at my house with an apron, labels, and a delicious hot lunch.  

I told her I was kind-of nervous.   To me, my papers were a mountain of "stuff."  When I tried to sort through them myself, I'd find myself sucked into reading old notes from workshops I attended or I'd just shuffle and shuffle unsure of where to put anything.   In fact, embarrassingly, that huge pile had remained in the corner of my so called office/husband's dumping room for dirty clothes for a year and a half.  

The first thing Bonnie and I tackled was my bookshelf.   Within a half hour my books were organized and beautifully displayed.  There was also room for my parent coaching materials.   All my notebooks were clearly labeled.   By the time we got half way through the mountain of papers (which Bonnie said wasn't really as big as I felt it was), things started to come together easily and effortlessly.   We worked, talked, sipped tea and felt sort-of amazed that my entire mountain was gone in the span of an hour.   

Bonnie took one look at my desk and exclaimed that it was way to small for the important work I was going to be doing and for my soon-to-be thriving Parent Coaching Business.   (Bonnie happens to have a particular talent for moving furniture around in a house without spending a penny buying anything new).   I remembered there was a table down in the basement and we moved it up as well as an area rug.  Suddenly, the room was completely transformed and I mean COMPLETELY!   

The best part of this experience was that Mira scored too!  My little desk was the perfect size for her.  We did some quick rearranging in her room and VOILA, my girl has a sweet little desk.    She is over the moon!

And I am one gigantic step closer to the thriving business I imagine. 

Bonnie and I ate a delicious lunch and talked over the experience.  It sure is emotional to go through old stuff, but having someone so sweet and non judgemental works wonders.   Good luck with your own organizational projects and don't forget, a parent coach can help you figure out what you need and want to move closer to your dream.

Mira and The Golden Ukulele

This weekend we visited Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington.   We were there to see Mira's half sister perform in the show called Ukulele:  The Variety Show.   

At dinner before the show,  Susannah asked us where we were sitting.  When we said we had tickets in the front row, she said,  "Oh, good."    We asked her why and she wouldn't tell us.    Hmmmm?

Our front row seat was rather close to the stage.  If I stuck my leg out, I would be touching it.    

The show was amazing and joyous, created especially for the student body to enjoy during finals week-- all about ukulele's with some other variety acts thrown creatively in.   Susannah was part of a group of clowns, weaving the story line together with their silly antics. And she was excellent.

At one point, Susannah and another clown moved a heavy box and made it seem like it was going straight into the audience.  "Aha,"  I thought to myself, "that must be the funny thing about sitting in the front row."

Later in the show, a group of funny sheep herders moved silently to each edge of the stage and stared down at the audience (which was uncomfortably funny) before breaking out in a rousing version of Tea for Two.   It was pretty hilarious and I was sure that was the reason that Susannah had been so glad we were sitting in the front.

The last act was the entire cast singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow.  The shepherd's suddenly appeared and interrupted the song.  They announced that they had been watching the audience the entire time and had picked out one person that they would be giving a Ukulele too.    They started walking in our direction.

"Are they really giving away a Ukulele?"  I wondered.   "Does it seem like they are walking towards us? Wait, I think they ARE walking towards us."      Before long, we were surrounded not only by the shepherd's, but by the entire cast.   A golden ukulele was handed down a line of cast members and thrust into the hand of Mira. 

As for Mira, she looked shocked, horrified  and VERY puzzled.   I was laughing so hard I was crying.  Can you imagine being 4 1/2 and having this happen to you?    I know this is a story we are going to cherish and retell.

The audience burst out in rousing applause.   

When we arrived out in the lobby, people were coming up to her and asking to take her picture.  

She was starting to get a little comfortable with her beautiful Ukulele and her few moments of fame.   She was starting to feel proud and special.

On the back of the Uke is the following inscription:

Play it daily
Your Ukulele
Strum loud or soft
On Key or Off
No matter, just play
And remember that one day you
Must gift this Ukulele too.

I share this story only because it was so special, hilarious and sweet that I wanted to celebrate it.    It's these tiny moments that mean so much.  It was the feeling of pride and joy that I saw on her face.  It was that Susannah had made it happen, knowing that it would delight her sister.   It was the inscription--playful yet so true.    Play on key or off---be your shining self.   

And you never know, maybe one day a golden ukulele will land in your hands.