Peeling Mom Off the Ceiling

Why Yoga?

What a great kickoff for the new Internet radio show! Lesley Hobbs was a fantastic guest. Here's the mp3 for your listening enjoyment:

Lesley Hobbs on my show

New Internet Radio Show!

I am absolutely delighted to announce a brand new venture for Peeling Mom Off the Ceiling: My very own Internet Radio Show, courtesy of Diva Toolbox! It will air every Monday at noon Pacific Time (3pm Eastern Time) and will feature conversations with terrific guests who have plenty to share about health, wellness, relaxation and fun...especially as it applies to harried, stressed-out moms! Click the link below for details. I hope you'll listen in! The shows will also be recorded and available for download for those who aren't free at that time.

A Story Before Bed

It's rare that I endorse a product on this site. Moms are inundated with things that will supposedly make their lives easier, which often causes more stress in itself! But I couldn't resist the opportunity to show you the beautiful new service from my friends at Jackson Fish Market.  Check out their latest and greatest creation: A Story Before Bed

It's a way for parents, grandparents and those you love to remotely read a book to children.  You really need to go to the site to check it out.  It's remarkable!

10 Tips for Balance

10 Tips for Balance

Posted using ShareThis

What's Your Body Telling You?

It's so easy, as we run around doing our crazy mom thing, to not listen to the signals our body is giving us.  I love this blog post by my good friend Jennifer Malocha of Wuhoo Fitness in Bellevue, WA. She's a fantastic personal trainer who knows all too well how hard it is to be a mom, and she has really great programs that help real women with real bodies get real results.  If you're in the area, be sure to check her out! Even if you're not in the area, she has a fantastic website that can help people around the world achieve their fitness goals. 

"I am sometimes guilty of ignoring what my body is trying to tell me because I am 'too busy' to slow down or I have to 'do my scheduled workout' or some such nonsense.  The reality is that when I slow down and allow my body the rest it needs I perform at a MUCH higher level.  It's funny though how easy it is to ignore the little warning signs and when I keep ignoring them it usually results in a trip to the doctor which MAKES me slow down. [click here to read the rest of the post]

Are you a "helicopter parent"?

I've been thinking a lot these days about the (relatively) new term "helicopter parent".  Wikipedia defines it as:

"[...]a parent who pays extremely close attention to his or her child's or children's experiences and problems [...] They are so named because, like helicopters, they hover closely overhead, rarely out of reach, whether their children need them or not."

I've certainly seen my share of "helicopter parenting".  Heck, I've even done my share of it!  And I really think it plays a huge part in the stress and anxiety that produces moms who need peeling off the ceiling.  When we make our children our projects, and try to spare them every bit of pain and difficulty we can, what are we doing to ourselves (let alone what are we doing to them?)

Regardless of whether or not this hovering to "protect" our children is a useful stance to take (and I would argue that it is not), the question remains "Is it even possible to protect our children from every bump, bruise, and difficulty in life?"  Of course not.  And so we have yet another way for modern mothers to feel that they are failing at their responsibilities. 

Of course I am not advocating letting our little darlings run amok 24/7.  But what if we allowed them some unstructured time every day?  Does anyone reading this remember exploring outdoors with their friends as a child,or hanging out with nothing to do, and then coming up with creative play solutions? It didn't used to be a mother's job to entertain her children or structure and supervise their play, and it shouldn't be now.  School?  I would also argue that while parental involvement is great, nay, crucial to a child's success in school, when a parent is doing their child's assignment for them a line has been crossed. And it's a line that isn't benefiting anyone.  "But he'll get a failing grade!" I hear some of you protesting.  Yes, and he'll get a valuable lesson on consequences and responsibility (and you'll get a break!)  We're doing, I think, a much bigger favor for all parties involved when we give our children room to fail.

A Good Night's Sleep

Are you getting enough sleep?  Probably not. A good night's rest is one of the most key and essential things you can do to reduce your stress and anxiety. "But," argue harried moms, "how can I possibly go to bed early when there's so much to do?" Think of it this way: Being well-rested will improve your efficiency for the following day.

How many of you have had this scenario:  You mean to go to bed at a decent hour, but look up from your computer and see that it's suddenly 12:30am. Oops!  How'd that happen?

Try this trick:  Set a gentle "go to bed" alarm. I've got one on my laptop (the place I'm most likely to be at night) that says "Power Down and Get Ready for Bed". This is my cue to turn off all electronic devices (sounds like I'm on an airplane now!) and go wash my face, brush my teeth, get my PJs on and climb into bed. We use alarms to wake us up in the morning...why not one to help us go to sleep?

(This post was inspired by nutritionist Angela Pifer's Healthy Choices Wellness Program )

Massage 101: How can I get a great massage? New article is up. (http://ping.fm/TsdpZ)

"Peeling Mom Off the Ceiling" seminar in Bellevue registration is READY! (http://ping.fm/WVEcS)

Setting a big "hydration" intention for this visit to Dallas. 2 liters of water/day. Will report results (besides the obvious one).