"We all desperately need more insight into what leads to happiness and what leads to pain." ~Pema Chodron
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In today’s podcast “Talking to Kids About Sex,” I spoke about a letter I wrote to my son in the summer after his 8th grade year. I post it here for you to read, ponder, copy or steal to your heart’s content.
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My mind got to wandering about all kinds of things that I haven’t talked with you about, either ever, or in a long time. All those embarrassing topics, you know. And I thought, hey, I’ll start a tradition of writing along embarrassing letter to my kids when they graduate from 8th grade. Even better, this time I’ll write it to you while I’m away, so by the time I get home you can pretend I never wrote it, if you want to. The first thing that got me thinking about this was some friends here and I were talking about circumcision, and I thought, you know, I don’t think I’ve talked about that with Jonathan since he was a little tiny kid! So here goes. You have probably noticed that your penis looks different than a lot of your friends’. I don’t know, but I imagine that most boys your age have circumcised penises. In the ‘old days’ (like when your dad was born) pretty much all American boys were circumcised. By the time you were born, some people were starting to realize that this was really dumb, but definitely not everyone. I don’t know the statistics, but I do know that male circumcision is still the ‘norm’ in the US. (In every other country in the world boys are not circumcised, except places like Israel where it is a religious thing.) Anyway, I thought I’d tell you why we decided not to have you circumcised. Basically, it is a totally stupid and awful thing to do to a tiny little newborn baby, to cut the tip of his penis off!! Most male babies are circumcised within the first few days of their lives, when they are too little for anesthesia, so they feel everything. It’s terrible!!! It makes me INSANELY angry that so many people are tricked into doing this to their little babies. The only reason it is done is so that they will look like all the other boys, and like their dads. Nobody just stops it and says WAIT! This is insane! Nobody do this anymore!!! Sometimes, some people claim that it is more sanitary, which is a complete lie, but it makes parents go along with it. The only real reason to do it is cosmetic. I figured, if you grew up and wanted to be circumcised, you could decide that for yourself. So if you do ever feel like you want to look “normal,” that is totally fine with me and is your choice. Now you are big enough for anesthesia so it wouldn’t hurt that much. But personally, I think a cut-up penis is actually not very normal. But that is totally your own decision. You could decide to get circumcised today, or you could decide in50 years, or never. It is your body.
So while I’m on all the embarrassing topics, let’s see, what else? You have a girlfriend! Which personally I think is pretty darn cute. Your life, your relationships, all of that, is totally your own business. You are the boss of your life, and you don’t have to tell me anything about it. And it is also true that you can tell me anything you ever want to. I feel totally honored that you told me when you liked [], and when she was your girlfriend. I would never have told my mom anything like that. In fact, I avidly avoided EVER talking about that with anyone, much less my stupid family! So I get that it is private, and that you might not want to talk about it with me. And I am thrilled and privileged whenever you give me any kind of a peek into your life. I don’t know what “girlfriend/boyfriend” means to you these days. Often that means that you hold hands or kiss. In Bryn Athyn there is a lot of conflicting information out there about all of this kind of stuff. Many Bryn Athyn grown-ups would say it is bad to kiss your girlfriend/boyfriend. I don’t know what you are taught at school, but that was what I heard growing up. Also I think Dad would probably say he thinks you shouldn’t kiss your girlfriend, I’m not sure. But personally, I think it is fine, as long as both of you really feel comfortable about it, and really want to. My rule of thumb is, if you can’t TALK about it first, then you are probably not ready to DO it – whatever ‘it’ is, holding hands, kissing, everything up to having sex with someone. And if two people talk about it, and they agree that they BOTH want to hold hands (or whatever)with each other, then that is a wonderful and FUN thing!! That is one of the best things about being in a special relationship with someone, getting to enjoy touching each other, and being touched.
Which leads us to the most “embarrassing” topic of all, sex. There are lots of things to say about sex! I could write a whole book. I’m pretty sure you know all about the birds and the bees. If you ever have questions, you can ask me about it, or dad, and also there are some books on our shelf that cover it all. (“Our Bodies Ourselves” is the best one.) The main things I want to say for now are:
1. You NEVER have to do anything that you don’t want to do, not EVER.
2. NEVER force anyone to do something s/he doesn’t want to do, not EVER.
3. The only way to be clear about the above two things is by TALKing about it. Talk about it with each other at the very least. It is also a good idea to talk about it with people that you really trust – close friends ,parents, aunts, uncles, teachers, etc. I know it is really hard to trust other people, especially adults, to talk about stuff like that. I would love for you to work on finding at least one adult who you feel comfortable talking (or writing) about it with.
4. It is ok to make mistakes. That’s how you learn. And this is also where talking about it is very important too.
5. The only mistakes that cannot ever be fully recovered from is having a baby, and getting a fatal disease. Unplanned pregnancies and STDs are a REALLY ENORMOUS EXTREMELY HUGE mistake and they can be easily prevented. So if/when you ever want to talk more about that, I hope you’ll let me or someone know so you can get the help you need to prevent those mistakes.
I know they talk about sexual abuse in school a little bit, but I want to say a few things that they might not have mentioned. The main thing is, people who have been sexually abused (or abused in any way, really) often have a part of them that is broken, and they don’t function in a totally healthy way. It’s like, if someone had their legs broken in half when they were little. If this person went straight to the doctor and got fixed up and did physical therapy and worked through it all and healed their legs, they might end up with perfectly functioning legs. But probably their legs would always be at least a tiny bit weaker than someone’s which have never been broken in two. And if you didn’t know that about their legs, you might wonder why it hurts them to do some kind of jumping or whatever. You can’t see it, and unless they tell you about it, you might not ever know. Of course, it would be a hundred times worse if, when they had their legs broken, they didn’t tell anyone, and even worse if they thought it was their own fault. Then their legs would heal in really weird painful harmful ways, and their shame and embarrassment would grow, and they would have a really hard time having legs that function normally, and they would feel really bad about it. Unfortunately this is usually what happens when people are sexually abused. It is bad enough that they are hurt in the first place, but then the years of not telling anyone and not getting help (which is what usually happens next) makes things much worse. Someday you might find yourself dating someone who was sexually abused, and you won’t know it. It is a wound that can be well-hidden, and unless the person tells you, you might never know. And this person might not behave in a totally healthy way. So, some things to keep in mind are:
1. if you or anyone you know is ever abused, the most important thing is to get help as soon as possible. Like someone with their legs broken in two, as bad as is, there are things that people can do to help the problem, and the sooner the better. Hopefully someday people will realize that being sexually abused is no more shameful than having your legs broken, and it will become commonplace to rush these innocent victims off to some kind of an ‘emergency room’ where they can begin the healing process immediately.
2. You can never assume that anyone you know was not abused. It could have happened to your friends, or your girlfriends, or anyone.
3. Anyone that has been abused will probably not behave in a completely healthy way, especially in things to do with touching and sex. They might not know what they really want and don’t want, they may be afraid of things you don’t realize, any bundle of things. If someone behaves in an unhealthy way, this could well be why.
4. It is really important, in a special or intimate relationship, to know your girlfriend/partner. Things that are deep down will affect your relationship, and these things only come to the surface with gentle attention and honesty and trust.
There are lots and lots of other things to say about sex, but I think that will do for now. I don’t think you are planning on having sex any time soon, but if you are ever considering it, whether it is today, or in 10years, or when you are married, PLEASE talk to someone about it! It is a BIG decision, and it is never a good idea to make a big decision without consulting other people who you trust. And, (like all big decisions you will make in your life), in the end it is totally up to YOU (and, in the case of sex, your partner.)
Another embarrassing topic is masturbation. I hope they talk about this in ‘sex education’ too, as well as “the birds and the bees”, but if they don’t, feel free to look it up in the ‘Our Bodies Ourselves’ book. Masturbating is when someone gives himself (or herself) an orgasm, a sexual climax. Hopefully if they did talk about it at school, they said it was completely fine and normal to masturbate. If they said anything else, forget whatever they said. Some people think it is evil or harmful to masturbate, and I imagine that many BA grown-ups would say this, sadly enough. It is very healthy and normal, and actually, almost everyone does it. It is more normal for guys to figure-out masturbating than it is for girls, which is kind of too bad for girls, because I think it really is an important part of growing up. So, if you masturbate, great- and if you don’t masturbate, I hope you will learn to enjoy doing that someday.
Still more embarrassing topics! Next one, pornography. (= images of naked people, and people having sex, in case you don’t know.) It seems like these days, kids are more and more exposed to porn because of the internet. I don’t know if you have gotten those junk emails/links to porn, but if you haven’t yet, I’m sure you will. Also it is pretty typical for kids your age to find a magazine and pass it around, etc. Anyway, I don’t know if you have been exposed to this or not, but if you haven’t yet, you will soon enough. I am going to guess that nearly all BA grown-ups would say that porn is evil, and like I do about most things, I strongly disagree with them. I think the main problem with porn is that people feel so terrible and guilty and ashamed about it, and that some people become addicted to it. I first saw a ‘girly’ magazine (the most famous one is called “Playboy” and there are thousands of others) when I was about your age and I thought it was really disgusting, I hated it. At some point, though, you might think it is interesting, or exciting, or informative, or boring. Whatever you think and however you feel, all of it is okay. To me, porn is like pictures or movies of the Grand Canyon, it might be cool but it is nothing like going there and experiencing it in person. When people think pictures of the Grand Canyon are better than being there in person, that’s too bad. But that doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with pictures of the Grand Canyon, they can be inspiring or interesting or educational or enjoyable too. But don’t confuse it with the real thing.
Another one – homosexuality. Another thing you will hear from BA adults is that being gay is evil. And, you guessed it, I strongly disagree. I think it is wrong to hurt other people, and other than that, there is no such thing as “evil.” (I even don’t think hurting other people is “evil”, but you get my point.) Anyway, I have lots of gay friends and it makes me really sad that most religious people think these wonderful people are bad. (Did you know that Michele and Rebecca are gay? In fact they are engaged!) It is hard to be gay in our culture because it is so unaccepted, but about 10% of people are simply attracted to people of the same sex as themselves. It is totally normal. I also get mad when people use “gay” as an insult, as if being ‘gay’ is bad. Also, I think lots of people aren’t really just ‘gay’ or ‘straight’ (opposite of gay), I think lots of people could go either way, depending on who they are attracted to at the time. Being in love is just as individual and unique as people are. This seems so obvious to me, but for some reason it is not obvious to most religious people. Anyway, there is lots to say about this, but the main thing is, I hope you will always be respectful of all people. Also, who knows, your sisters, or best friends, or even you – anyone could realize they are gay at any time. And so I hope you will keep that in mind, and be someone who people feel safe with and accepted by, no matter who they are or who they love.
Well, I think that is enough embarrassing topics for now. You survived! It is so much fun for me to see you hitting puberty, growing into a young man, and beginning to think about and try out more ‘adult’ topics and experiences. This is just what you are supposed to do! And you are really doing a fabulous job growing up and I am COMPLETELY and totally PROUD OF YOU!
By the way, you may have figured out that Dad and I disagree about most of these issues, so you will have to talk to him to get his opinions. Since you are going to a New Church high school, I am sure you will be exposed to his way of thinking plenty. But you probably won’t meet many people like me while you are in BA, so I thought a thorough letter from your crazy mother was in order.  If you want to write back to me, that’s great, but you don’t have to. And of course, if you ever want to write or ask me about ANYTHING, you know that I love it! Also, if your friends ever want to talk to me about anything, that’s cool too. Sometimes people want to hear a different point of view. Although my point of view is totally normal in the “outside” world, it is extremely rare in Bryn Athyn. BA certainly has its good points, but in my opinion there are a lot of goofy things floating around as well. I hope you will be able to navigate through it all, and come up with your own beliefs and opinions, and that you will always feel welcome and free to be exactly who you really are.
Anyway, Happy Graduation!
And I love you!
xox, Me (your mother)
Amy Childs | Happiness Consultant
I don’t have a formal or official “intake” procedure for many reasons, not the least of which is that I’m not a very “formal” or “official” person and I wouldn’t want to start off our work together by giving such a wrong impression.
But if I did have an official intake procedure, I might have a form for new clients to fill out and sign, and maybe it would look something like this:
My intention in working with Amy is:
[It can be really helpful to take the time to be clear about what you want to accomplish in your work with me. Sometimes new clients know exactly why they want to meet with me before we even meet, but many times we spend the entire first hour together just beginning to discover and articulate this intention.]
Agreements:
1. I am ready to hear about and experiment with new ways of thinking and acting;
2. I am willing to have my projections challenged;
3. I am willing to be reminded to take responsibility for my own life;
4. I will do all homework assignments given to me, or if I do not do my assignments, I will communicate about this to Amy responsibly and openly.
[Although I don’t ask my new clients to commit to these agreements, I will say that if these ideas are either foreign or abhorrent to you, then it probably won’t work out for you to work with me.]
I understand what I’m paying for:
- Amy’s focus at all times is on directing me toward my own true happiness;
- It is not Amy’s job to fix something, placate me, or to make me feel better;
- Amy is not a certified coach, therapist or medical professional;
- Amy does not follow any predetermined guidelines, agenda or practices, other than her own inner guidance and extensive personal experience.
After four sessions, Amy and I will determine whether to continue working together based on a brief discussion of the following questions:
* Do you feel better than you did a month ago? (“Better” could include feeling happier, healthier, less tortured, more supported, better understood, less alone, more clear-headed, less confused.)
* Have you gained insight into yourself, your relationships, or your life, that have provided a sense of relief, peace, acceptance or clarity?
* Did you complete all the assignments you were given?
* Are you paid in full for our initial month’s work together?
[If the answer to these questions is not primarily a resounding “yes,” then it's likely that I’ll recommend we suspend our work together for a later time. If the answers are all resounding Yeses (which is always my greatest joy!) we will discuss what our future steps together (if any) will be. I usually prefer taking a break after four sessions, to allow for clients to absorb, digest and integrate the things that we have discovered.]
But since I’m not a formal person and don’t have an official form, this little blog post will have to suffice. GoodnightIloveyouseeyouinthemorning.
Amy Childs | Happiness Consultant
Okay people, I challenge you to find anyone on this planet as adorable as Len.
Amy Childs | Happiness Consultant
While on a long bike ride from Philadelphia to Trenton, I solved a puzzle that I’ve been working on for well over a decade:
“What (if any) is/are the commitment(s) of a healthy primary relationship?”
I didn’t know if there was a solution for the puzzle, and there have been many times I’ve concluded that the answer must be there is no answer. (Which in a way is, of course, the closest answer.)
I’ve also come up with lots of different answers to the puzzle over the years – possible solutions that I’ve tried (in my own life) and recommended in the lives of my clients, who often serve as brave and eager guinea pigs in my research. All these answers met with varying success and have inspired many good things.
But never before, in all my practiced and potential solutions, have I felt the sense of clarity that YES! I solved it – until now. (…famous last words?….)
Let me rush to the disclaimer! All this is not to say that I’m certain I’ve solved the puzzle correctly. Any day now I may discover (or someone may point out) a flaw in my “solution.” But for now I am basking in the feeling of having solved it anyway.
So allow me to share my discovery with you while I’m still enjoying this moment.
The commitments upon which all healthy primary partnerships are based:
- A commitment to supporting each other in being all that they each want to be;
- A commitment to supporting each other in having the life that they each want to have;
- A commitment to receiving this support from each other.
Ta da!
One thing about solving a puzzle is that as soon as you know the answer, it’s hard to remember not knowing it; it seems so obvious that it’s almost as if you knew the answer all along. At least that’s how it is for me. It all feels too easy, too good to be true.
So maybe it is too good to be true, too simple to be true. Or maybe, it is simply good and true.
Three basic, almost too obvious and simple commitments, and that’s where a healthy primary relationship starts.
From there a couple can discuss, negotiate and design the shape, color and texture of the relationship regarding things like time, families, space, money, sex, sleeping, housing, logistics, agreements, children, belongings, recreation, food, routines, etc. Since I’m a fan of the movie Office Space, the term that popped to mind to describe all of these aspects is “flair.” Everyone gets to invent and add their own flair to their primary relationship. The commitments I listed don’t dictate how couples decide on or agree about specific flair, but they provide a fundamental framework for thinking and talking about flair, and serve as a constant reminder about the purpose of being in a primary relationship in the first place.
The only kind of relationship that is close to this model is the parent-child relationship, but the fundamental difference is the third commitment. I am totally committed to supporting my children in being who they want to be and in having the life that they want to have, but I am NOT committed to receiving this support from them. That is for the realm of partnership, not parenting.
One “argument” that someone might make is “but I’m already supportive like that with everyone. What’s the difference?”
Smart and thoughtful people in healthy relationships do indeed have something like these commitments as the basis for the way they relate to their loved ones. What distinguishes all of these supportive and empowering general relationships from a primary relationship is – again – the element of commitment. We may be naturally inclined to be supportive of all our friends, and do it when it behooves us, when it feels good, is easy, when we’re in the mood, or even when we push ourselves to be that way for the sake of the relationship or because of our love for our friends. But in a primary partnership, we do it no matter what. We do it because we are committed to it, even when it feels icky and scary and triggering and painful. This is where “the work” of being in a primary relationship comes in.
But the beauty is, this “work” can only result in both people in the partnership being true to themselves and supporting each other in that, come what may. There is no way to lose in a partnership like this, even if the nature of the relationship radically changes, even as feelings wax and wane, even when the flair becomes boring or obsolete and it’s time for something new. I also love that, when taken seriously and honestly, the commitment itself dictates when it is no longer appropriate to be primary partners, and requires that couples end their relationship in a supportive way (assuming both partners stay committed– which can be a big IF, I admit. But at least then it’s clear who’s the “asshole” at the end of it all!)
Unfortunately, solving the puzzle doesn’t take away the pain that can arise in a primary relationship (or in any part of life), and doesn’t offer much in the way of guarantees about how things will go. But speaking for myself (and I don’t think I’m alone in this), I can tolerate pain much more gracefully than I can tolerate confusion, and I think confusion about pain is the worst of all.
Maybe, if I solved the puzzle correctly (and if I am ever again in a primary relationship), it will help me face my pain in a less confused way, which sounds really good to me.
In the meantime, I’ll just sit around and live the carefree life of a single person – no commitments, no processing, no vulnerability, ahhh… and I don’t even have to shave my legs if I don’t feel like it!
Please pass the ice cream.
Amy Childs | Happiness Consultant
I thought I’d just post a little Howdy Hi and Hey. Normally on Mother’s Day I plant flowers, but today it’s just too dang windy and – honestly – my garden is already overflowing with more than my fair share of heaven.
I remembered that I have a blog, and somewhere I once learned that the purpose of such to write stuff in it. So I thought I’d give it the ol’ mother’s day try. A whole lot has been wriggling around in my head and heart in the past couple months, and although I myself can barely make sense of it, I thought I’d just say some of the things I do know.
Those of you who have been paying close attention to the podcast will have undoubtedly noticed the deafening silence I’ve been broadcasting over iTunes lately. Those involved in my groups and listeners who heard the “State of the Whatever” non-show know I’ve been struggling, and looking for a way to make the podcast work for me. With soul-searching and coaching I’ve come to realize that the podcast is not an extension of my career, but belongs in an entirely separate realm: it is my “art.” This means (among other things) that I need to stop thinking about clients’ and listeners’ feedback, preferences and needs, and focus only on my own self-expression. Although this simplifies the undertaking, it is also enormously confronting for me, as I am BY FAR most comfortable when making other people happy (or at least trying to). When I thought of the podcast as a way to serve others, even though it was hard I could still imagine that I was doing something worthwhile. But as (“only”) a means of self-expression … um, oh, (squirm)… I just dunno about that. I guess we’ll see if I ever come out from under the bed long enough to give it a whirl.
Another big change in the wind is that my free and cheap groups are coming to an end in a couple weeks. This too has been a difficult decision and makes me uneasy, for a whole different bunch of reasons. I’ve often said that the air is easiest for me to breathe during groups- it seems fortified with more oxygen and carrying less pollutants than the usual air I come across during the course of breathing. On the other hand, it has also become clear that I need to find more balance in my life – essentially, I need to do more things for pay, and less things for free. I don’t know how this will pan out for groups, for my business, or for my own ability to breathe, but since when did anyone really know anything anyway?
Recently I saw a sign that said “speak only if your words improve the silence,” and it struck me like a stone. Never a fan of words to begin with, now I find I’m even more enamored with wordlessness than ever. I resonate with the adage “least said soonest mended,” and love what my mom said as a guest on my podcast, “I never know if what I say is true.” Can I get an Amen! for that?
This morning when processing my feelings with a close friend I heard myself say “It turns out I’m much stupider than I always thought.” The words choked me up in the way that happens when I hit a mysterious nail on its mysterious head. Although it might sound depressing it doesn’t feel that way to me, rather it feels almost like a relief. I’ve managed to get where I am today even though I was never as smart as I seemed to think. So maybe smarts just don’t have all that much to do with it, after all.
Which is a thought that makes it easier for me to breathe.
Amy Childs | Happiness Consultant
The scenario goes something like this:
A client calls to talk about a phone call she received from her child’s teacher about her child’s {fill in the blank: bad grades, poor behavior, disinterest in subject matter, etc.}. The teacher asked the parents to come in for a special meeting, and now the mom’s stomach hurts and she’s not sure why, or what to do.
Working with a client like this includes a big range of variable aspects, because every mom is different, every child is different, and every teacher is different. But it’s good to have a fundamental place to start, and with that in mind I wrote the following. This is a pretend “letter” – not intended to be sent or even spoken, but to give my client a starting place from which to see the situation in a more clear way.
As I was writing it I realized that many parents (as well as children and teachers) could probably benefit from reading it, so I’m posting it here.
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Dear Friendly Teacher of my Precious Child,
First of all, I want to let you know that I’m not sending my child to your school for the reasons you might think I am. I am sending him to school because [he wants to be there; his best friends go there; he thinks it’s fun; your classrooms are awesome; you do lots of cool projects; you have a nice gym to run around in; you have a great art program; a nice library; there are lots of kids to play with; I'm overwhelmed; your teachers are sweet; you have special resources that I don't have; you have a big playground; you have microscopes; you go on fun field trips; I have to work; I love to work; I’m tired of having kids around the house all day…etc].
I’m not sending him to school because I think he needs you to teach him things that he otherwise wouldn’t learn. I am totally confident that my child will learn everything he ever needs or wants to learn, regardless of whether he goes to your school, or any school, ever. I fully believe that he is naturally curious, capable, intelligent and pre-programmed to explore everything that he will ever need to explore, to retain everything that he ever needs to retain. I need no proof of this (which is why his grades are meaningless to me) and I am not asking you to agree with me. But it is how I feel, and what I believe, and there is nothing you can say that will convince me otherwise.
I am so sorry that your job description is, it seems to me, impossible to fulfill. I am sorry you have to worry about things like curriculum and grades. I don’t think those things matter a bit, and focusing on them seems to cause you and all your colleagues so much undue hassle and stress. I’m also sorry you have to deal with so many disciplinary problems in your classroom, which seem to be a completely predictable and unfortunate result of caring so much about the curriculum and grades. I wish there was some easy answer, but I know that if you stopped worrying about curriculum and grades (and the resulting discipline problems) you would promptly lose your job. I think this is criminal, since I know you went into your profession because you have a special love and patience for children, and I wish that you could express it in a way that didn’t cause such hassle and stress. But I understand that this is how it is.
So I have a lot of sympathy and compassion for the difficult position you find yourself in daily. However, I need to let you know that I am not going to do anything drastic to or about my child, in order to alleviate the stress of your position. As I’ve said, I believe my child to be absolutely fine – learning and growing in the ways that are exactly right for him. I will explain to him what you wish for and how you feel – and I encourage you to do the same. He can make his decisions about his actions based on this, and I trust his decisions. Likewise, I trust your decisions about what you need to do, to survive the difficulties that are inherent in being a teacher. I encourage you to continue to work and communicate directly with my child about your feelings, desires, expectations and limits, so that he can learn about you and develop an authentic relationship directly with you. I think his behavior and performance in your classroom will be the most beneficial to you if he feels that his relationship with you is healthy, enlivening and important. This is one reason why I don’t want to get between the two of you, and why I hope you will continue to be clear and honest with him directly.
If there is anything I can do to help you, that does not involve triangulating, or controlling, manipulating or shaming my child, please let me know and I’ll do my best to support you. I very much appreciate how much of yourself you give to my child and to this planet’s children, and I wish you nothing but the best.
Thank you,
The mom
Amy Childs | Happiness Consultant
some more little bits about me
This used to be a part of my bio, but it’s not very professional or really that informative, so I thought I’d re-post it here instead. (Cuz now I have a blog!)
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I love turning the compost almost more than anything.
I hate talking about myself.
I’m wild about my neighborhood.
I don’t chat on the phone. Ever.
I’d say “I meditate a lot” if it didn’t sound so spiritual. But I do.
My kids are more awesome than awesomeness itself.
I don’t “believe.”
I do “trust.”
I’m not good with names.
I like to make fun of everything.
But I don’t like hurting people’s feelings.
I don’t care very much what people think of me, but I want everyone to be nice to my kids and to my parents.
I sleep well every night.
I love heights.
My latest motto: Whatever Whatever Amen.
Amy Childs | Happiness Consultant
wonderings and wanderings
Yep, that’s right Amy – it’s time for you to start a blog. Heavens to betsy!
(Oh man, that reminds me, I gotta thank my friend Betsy for those salted chocolate caramels she sent – OY!)
I’m not going to write a lot in here – I already have podcasts, tweets, facebook and several websites filling the cyber waves, which seems almost more than enough. But every now and then something comes up that either doesn’t fit into any of those categories – or it fits into all of them – and in those times I’ll post whatever it is here, on my blog.
My blog!? My blog?!
Yep… I guess I have a blog.
Amy Childs | Happiness Consultant
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