Dear Friends, Jennie here: I hope your summer was wonderful and restorative! Since, the transition back-to-school is a doozy for most, I thought it might be a good time to send out a little note about the start of school. I feel I must remind you what you already know about Stamina at the beginning Read More

The primary goal of adolescence is for kids to develop a separate self with a mind of their own. Learning to speak your own mind is a very important goal. For parents, in the habit of setting limits and telling their younger kids what to do, this new communication shift will be a major one. Read More

Dear Friends, Jennie here: Now that the dust has settled after the start of the new school year, I wanted to blog a bit on a topic that has definitely been a challenge for me as a parent. Those of you that know me, know that I am a boy mom to Reilly (age 9.5) Read More

Whap, whap, whap. The doggy alarm clock has gone off. And here comes the nose, and then the snarfing. Mr. Sherlock, our Covid rescue dachshund, is awake. He also wants me to be awake too, because he is hungry. Mr. Sherlock was found wandering the streets of San Antonio, and a dachshund rescue group brought Read More

It was finally winter! The SnowPeople tumbled and frolicked in the sparkling snowflakes, chortling with pleasure at the frosty air. Friends greeted friends, so happy to be outside after the long summer and fall hibernation. Families hugged each other and did their happy dances! But amidst all of this excitement, a quiet noticing began to Read More

In this year of COVID, being home takes on a whole new meaning. Being healthy, and being together, becomes a blessing like no other. We have awakened to the expanded possibilities, and beauty, of family time together. We sorrow for families that have experienced loss. And now, with the holidays around us, it may be Read More

Dear friends, Jennie here: as some of our kids begin the process of trickling back to in-person learning, I need to remind you what you already know about Stamina at the beginning of the school year. When I was a classroom teacher (and before I had kids), I would come home and immediately go to Read More

My mother has always used the analogy, that parenting is like painting a portrait. Every conversation, mistake, teachable moment, experience and circle-back conversation is like a brush stroke slowly and gradually building the foundation of your child and shaping who they will become. It takes focus, repetition, patience and humility. The process of creating a Read More

We know you love your kids. But being in quarantine can be a very real stressor. While it can lead to a lot of quality time, it can also lead to a lot of testing behaviors as kids try to figure out this new world routine. Not to mention that growth spurts will guarantee that Read More