The Parent Voice

Hello, my name is Hailey. I'm expecting my first baby in April.

It’s the last week of February and hard to believe it’s almost March. March brings spring, and then summer sunshine isn’t far away!

Growing up in Oregon you get use to the weather. You eventually normalize the grey skies, rain and lack of sunshine.

This winter Norovirus has been a real challenge. If your school did not shut down then I am sure you saw it in the news.

Happy New Year! We are a couple weeks deep in 2020 and I can’t believe it! I was fortunate to take a trip to Mexico with my husband and sons over the holidays.

I enjoyed reading the Chicken Soup for the Soul books while growing up. The books were filled with true inspirational stories of hope and happiness. The stories were written by many different people who had faced adversity or had overcome challenges. Somehow, they were able to draw from hope and see the good in the situation. It was inspiring to see how the writers took control of their lives and found good in difficult situations.

It is December and we are in the thick of holiday season celebrations. This is my eighth holiday season as a parent and I feel confident in how I celebrate. To me, focusing on simplicity makes for a more peaceful and joyous holiday season. More importantly, it honors the true spirit of the holiday season by allowing space to enjoy time with our cherished ones.

Have you ever seen the quote, “Change your thoughts and you change your world”?  Well, it’s true. How do we make our brain happy so that we may have a better lens to view life? Through working in the early childhood field and with medical personnel, social workers, therapist, counselors, and behavioral specialists, I have come to know the special effects gratitude has on your brain the science exists.

Three years ago, my son’s preschool class made mini-pumpkin pies. I still admire his teacher for leading the baking project. The pumpkin pie was small, cute, and the smell was both comforting and mouthwatering. Luckily, my preschooler shared some of his little pie with me and I am not sure if it was because my son made it but that little pumpkin pie was so yummy! It made me think that things are to be enjoyed no matter how big or small. Quality over quantity, a good motto to have this holiday season.

This past weekend I was able to hold a sweet baby girl while mom used the restroom and it took me back to those baby-era days. My sons are in preschool and elementary school so it is a different ball game, still demanding but in different ways. When my boys were babies, basic human necessities were a process and a lot of work to make happen. For instance using the restroom in peace and quiet was an unrealistic expectation. I frequently felt like I was sneaking away to do simple things like showering.