The Blue Pig: Save Share Spend (Invest)
As a youth director, I had the privilege of working with Thrivent Financial and some of their employees. One of their resources so impressed me that I saved it for the day I might have kids and need to teach them about money. It was a blue piggy bank with 3 separate compartments labeled: save, share and spend. Along with it came a booklet of ideas and practical ways to utilize it for teaching young children money management. I kept that blue pig and gave it to our daughter when she was very little. She loved the pig and quickly grew to understand how to save, share and spend. Whenever…
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Under Construction
When I started this blog, it was pre-Covid, and my goals and needs were very different from what they are now. I considered reshaping the whole look of Her First Role Model but changed mind. Instead I plunged right into creating new posts. And that feels so good! Do you ever just want to plunge in and figure out the right swimming strokes after getting wet? I certainly don’t recommend this approach to all of life’s goals, but in this case I think it’s just right. I have been contemplating the next steps for Her First Role Model for over a year, but most seriously since 2025 arrived. I considered…
Mom, Don’t Breathe. It’s Embarrassing
Remember when I shared that my tween daughter’s relationship with me is hot or cold, and back and forth several times in the sam e day? One moment, she is clinging to me and afraid to stray 2 steps from me in the grocery store. The next moment, I’m dropping her off, behind the garbage cans, so her friends can’t see the ugly mini van we pulled up to school in. My response? I laugh. I haven’t always laughed. 2 years ago, I would have felt wounded and rejected. I would have forged ahead, despite her embarrassment, and threatened to yell out the minivan window being sure her friends saw…
2 Mascaras and 1 Deodorant
It’s been years since I last posted to my site, but not a day has passed that I still try to live into being HerFirstRoleModel. The last time I shared the challenges of such a calling, my daughter was a preschooler. Fast forward to her current status: tween! Yep, she’s arrived to that developmental age of “night and day”. Some days, she is content to be making slime or some other of her creative concoctions and other days, she is crushing over NHL hockey players and scrolling Pinterest for her ideal mate. Parenting can be a roller coaster, as it takes its direction from the unpredictable path of the tween…
Addy Chronicles: COVID Opportunities & BFFs
Physical distancing is hard. We all know that. And then kids really know it! My daughter has grown quite savvy with her mask wearing and keeping 6 feet of distance between herself and others . She knows not to hug, high five nor wrestle. No trading jewelry nor putting her face within 2 cm of her best friend while giggling or playing with her hair! All of these are physical actions that are second-nature to a 6 year old girl. So when wearing a mask becomes so common place that she forgets to take it off in the shower, my heart both shrivels in mourning and lifts in pride. She…
Who Needs A Party to Decorate: DIY Halloween Witch Legs
My family absolutely loves Halloween. It was my sister’s favorite holiday. The only decorations I’ve ever known my husband to have are Halloween things! And my daughter thinks the creepier the better! Two years ago we had our first Halloween party! It was amazing, and we instantly envisioned it becoming an annual event for our neighbors and friends. Well, last fall, I was still recovering from my depressive episode and only had enough energy in me for one party – Addy’s golden birthday was most important! This year…well…need I really comment about COVID?! Without a party, I thought we would scale back on the decorations. Nope! Not with this family!…
When Hope Still Hurts
My period is late – way late! And just to add context, I am also pre-menopausal. Aaron and I are in the process of adoption. We have accepted our fertility challenges and feel called to grow our family in a way we hadn’t ever imagined for ourselves. My forty-something friend is 12 weeks pregnant! Okay, confession time. Back to my period…I am late, like weeks late. My body has felt like I should be bleeding but nothing happens. With this context and all the various factors swirling around, I started wondering (hoping, really) that I was pregnant! I recognized that little flitter inside my stomach. The one that you get…
The Scarlet Tide
September is almost over and October is in view. This is my favorite season. For some reason, I have always had more hope and energy during the Fall. The smells, the sounds and temperatures remind me of my college campus, my seminary apartment in Chicago, studying and writing, walking to classes and meeting up with friends for study groups! These are joyous memories. They lift my spirits and remind me that opportunities are bountiful! I am burning my Autumn Blessings scented candle as memories and emotions flood my amygdala! And then Allison Kraus’ haunting voice reaches my ears as “The Scarlet Tide” plays on my iPhone. The saltwater builds over…
A New Mantra for Today’s World
I have written about mantras before! I use them with my daughter and found them to be helpful for me too! My newest is this… BE YOURSELF. EVERYONE ELSE IS TAKEN. “Living your best life” is something everyone is saying right now. But like most things, it seems to steer us toward competitive living where success is measured in money, toys and beautiful Facebook posts! So when I say “be yourself” I am not advocating you put on the “sunshine and roses” face just so your FB looks dynamite. I am advocating for an intentional action toward authenticity! What does it mean to be AUTHENTIC? This is what Dictionary.com says.…
Sun Doesn’t Always Shine
