Author: Terri Shearer Trenchard

Teens…Eating…Growing…Still Hungry?!

Published by

I have a little boy . . . who’s growing big — and tall. I have a little boy . . . who often said, “I’m full,” but still kept up on those growth charts — and on the playground. I have a little boy . . . who is eating twice as much as usual and is — Still Hungry. Oh, yah. I remember now. From all my friends. This day would come. The day my son begins eating everything in the refrigerator — and looks for more — and more. The day my grocery bill triples — each week. My predecessors with older children told me about it. And now it’s my turn. It’s just such a change — for my little boy. He eats twice as much as ever, and is…well…Still Hungry. He heads for the snack drawer. Isn’t that where all hungry teens go? Wait, we need a different approach. Suddenly I grab the reins, realize the destiny of my reality, and refresh my thoughts toward expanding the “healthy snacks for …

Honoring Martin Luther King

Published by

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., we honor him, his tireless Dream, and his long-lasting words: “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” “I have decided to stick to love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” “The time is always right to do the right thing.” Let us forever honor him, his Dream, and his courageous, tireless endeavors for us all to achieve it.

Turning an Awkward Moment Into a Teachable One

Published by

There we are. Sorting the laundry. My 6 year old son and me. In front of the washing machine, I’m bending down, one arm full of lights, another full of darks, as my son looks cheerfully up at me and says, “Mom?” “Did you take that pill to have me?” That pill? What pill is my 6 year old asking about? What has he heard? I took that deep breath. You know, that d-e-e-p breath that we all have learned to (subconsciously) take. And I said (to myself), this is BIG. Big I tell you. Take another deep breath. I took another deep breath, and journeyed . . . breeaathe . . . from an awk-ward moment into a teachable one. Am I really going to have this (sex?!) talk before the Santa talk with my six year old son? Then I ran right into that teachable moment. That’s what we gotta do, we parents. We gotta run right in to their open, little, inquisitive minds and in to their thirsty little souls. Right when …

Wrapping Up The Happiness Advantage (in full force)

Published by

Going toward the Happiness Advantage and moving along strong. Jump on, and bring your kids. In 2-5 minutes a day, we’re reaching a more consistent state of “happy” and making our brains 31% more productive. Cool. (Check out the video below by esteemed Harvard professor, Shawn Anchor – well worth the 12 minutes!) We’ve been on the journey for 8 days, and we’re well on our way . . . To Increased Happy. And A More Productive Brain. It’s founded in science. We can actually rewire our brains, in 2-5 minutes a day, to scan the world for the positive, increase our happiness, and retrain our brains to work more optimistically, productively, and successfully. Here’s what we do, each day: – Write down 3 new things for which we are grateful – Write down (or journal about) 1 positive experience from the last 24 hours – Do an act of kindness, or praise/thank someone For those of you already on board, you’re almost there. For those just joining us, it’s a gratifying and pretty easy …

Day Six of the Happiness Advantage Come Along for the Ride!

Published by

Day Six of the Happiness Advantage On our way to a more consistent state of happy and a 31% more productive brain . . . in 2-5 minutes a day. That’s a bargain. Come along for the ride. It’s a good one . . . and bring the kids. It’s really pretty easy. Each day, we: Write down 3 new things for which we are grateful; and Write down 1 positive experience we’ve had in the last 24 hours And now, we will: Do a random act of kindness (or praise or thank someone for something) That’s it. Today & tomorrow: 3 new grateful things; 1 positive experience; 1 act of kindness, praise or thanks. Keep it up – we’re on our way . . . to a more consistent state of “happy” and a 31% more productive brain. Today & tomorrow. Go ahead. Do it. See you then. p.s. thanks to esteemed Harvard professor, Shawn Anchor, for his proven research on the Happiness Advantage

On Our Way to the Happiness Advantage

Published by

We’re on our way to the Happiness Advantage (credited to Shawn Anchor). Jump on for the ride and bring your kids — 2-5 minutes a day. (If you’ve just joined us, peek at the last post for more background.) Each day, we’re writing down 3 new things for which we are grateful. We’ll keep that up. Now, we’ll add in Step 2: Write down 1 positive experience from the last 24 hours. So, for the next two days: Write down 3 new grateful things & 1 positive experience. p.s. This trains or brains to scan the world — first — for the positive, rather than the negative. And, it helps us relive the positive experience. It’s like an automatic retrain of the brain for “happy” and, by the way, 31% more brain productivity. Stay tuned…..