My Spiral, My Journey

Last spring, I had the honor of being part of a one day retreat for women. We talked about what we wanted to change in our lives, we named the things we wanted more of, and we mapped out the baby steps that would gradually get us to our goals.

In those days, I spent a lot of time feeling frustrated. My toddler was “melting down” each and every day, I was often out of patience, and we were both overwhelmed. In my heart, I knew that our struggles were telling me that something was wrong. I knew the path we were on wasn’t leading toward my tender vision of childhood and parenthood, and I knew there was a better way.

At the retreat, I drew a map of my way out of that frustrated place. I drew a spiraling path, full of things that would help me connect to my daughter. I drew a path toward peace.

Now my spiral hangs on the fridge to remind me of what's important.

I finally read Simplicity Parenting from cover to cover, and was touched and humbled and inspired by the words written on page after page. I put more and more of Kim Payne’s recommendations into practice and saw immediate results. A slow, predictable rhythm, fewer choices, and fewer distractions really helped bring peace and calm to our days. As I began to release tension, I could clearly see my daughter as the young child that she was, and I could more easily be a consistent source of comfort and strength in her times of need.

Now, I am a Simplicity Parenting© Group Leader, sharing these techniques with other families. I want to help families slow down, and make space for the simple joys of childhood. My workshops give parents the tools they need to make small, do-able changes at home that will deepen family connections and create more time for fun.

I will be offering - A Simple Holiday- a free talk for parents who want more meaning, more magic and more connection this holiday season. Learn how the extraordinary “Power of Less” can help your family find peace this holiday… and all year long!
Details about A Simple Holiday and other workshops will be posted here and on my Facebook page very soon!

With Gratitude

The Group Leader Training in Great Barrington was an amazing experience. I am filled with gratitude for the Simplicity Parenting Team who has diligently and lovingly compiled a beautiful, thoughtful and comprehensive training program. I am in awe of my co-learners, and so grateful for their focus and honesty and good humor throughout our three days together. I look forward to hearing about the remarkable groups they will surely form in their communities!

And I am so grateful to my support system at home- my sweet husband who encouraged me to follow this dream, his parents who were so willing to help care for our children while I was away, and a group of very special moms in my life who have been inspiring and challenging me for the past year. Brought together by Hannah, our conversations center around the ways we nourish our bodies, but our talks always expand to shine new light on many of the issues we face as women. With the help of these remarkable women, I have built tremendous confidence, learned the value of self-care, and developed a greater sense of my purpose. I am excited to step onto a new path, to begin supporting Rhode Island families who want to slow down and find joyful moments, and as I take these first steps, I am deeply held by the love and support of those around me. 

Why Simplify?

With too much “stuff” piled on our shelves, written on our calendars and whirling through our minds, life can start to feel complicated. Suddenly there is much to worry about, and hardly any time for anything. And then I start to notice—more fighting, more crying, more tension in the house— and I understand deeply that we’re sliding off track. In those moments, I know that it’s time to make some changes.

It’s time to simplify.

At the end of the day, I am seeking a peaceful life. I want to create a peaceful life for my family. I want a home that welcomes us and shelters us from the craziness and busyness of the outside world. I want to notice nature’s changes and cycles and feel my connection to them, to know my place in the universe. I want our time to be for the pure joys of living and playing and exploring. And when there is conflict (and there will be conflict) I want us to know how to find calm and compassion so they may guide us back to each other.

I do believe that when we strip away all of the excess- thoughts, commitments, toys, noise, stress- we discover that what we are seeking has been here all along- the comfortable home, the connection with nature, time to enjoy life, calmness and compassion. Yes, the peaceful life is already here, underneath all of the “stuff” that gets in the way. So let’s clear it all away (and learn to keep it away!) so each day can be an expression of our family’s true purpose.

Preparing: Part 2 (Reflections)

Prior to having children, my husband and I talked of many aspects of starting a family, but we never thought to discuss the way in which our little family would navigate the larger world. Or even, how our home would provide peace and shelter away from life’s fast pace. At that time, we were still moving at such a fast pace...we couldn’t have known the questions to contemplate.


While pregnant for the first time, I was blessed to have discovered beautiful writings on mindfulness that opened my heart to a new understanding of parenting. I have carried with me an understanding that these days are fleeting and the ordinary moments, magical. Even so, as I think back to my daughter’s earliest years, I remember feeling pulled in two directions- a foot in my old life, still working outside the home, still moving fast, and the other foot searching for a soft place to rest with my baby.

It wasn’t until my second daughter was born, and I actually left my career behind, that I could find the softness I had been longing for. It was then that I read Kim John Payne’s book, Simplicity Parenting, and uncovered a truth deep inside myself. His words brought my own beliefs about the innocence of childhood clearly into focus, and I began to see myself differently, and to understand my purpose more deeply. A mother was more fully emerging.

Today, my husband and I talk regularly about the outside influences that impact our family life. As we organize our home, build friendships with other families, volunteer in the community, and otherwise venture beyond our little nucleus, we are continually looking at the changes that each decision brings. Most importantly, we’re becoming able to make adjustments when we notice that the pace or quality of our time together has been affected by something we have done. As confidence in our parenting grows, we find it is becoming easier to define the type of childhood we want to provide for our daughters, and to use our words and actions to establish boundaries which protect that precious time.

Preparing: Part 1

In two weeks, I will be going to the beautiful Berkshire Mountains for a 3-day Simplicity Parenting Group Leader Training program. I will be there to more deeply understand Kim John Payne’s work, to connect with people who are passionate about it, and to learn how to help other families implement small changes that bring tremendous joy to their daily lives.


I have wondered and daydreamed about this opportunity for awhile, and to be moving forward and actually preparing for it is a thrill!  I'm starting to prepare for my adventure by setting some intentions for the Simplicity Parenting training...

More than anything, I intend to be open throughout the three days, listening to the wisdom of my facilitators and fellow trainees, reflecting on our discussions, and sharing my own knowledge, questions and challenges. I do have personal parenting challenges (those lessons I seem to need to learn over and over again), and I hope to make peace with what has been, while gaining new insights, building confidence and gathering courage to change old patterns when I return home. I intend for this training to provide a deep well of inspiration that I will draw from again and again as I raise my children.

I also intend to share all of this inspiration with families in our community! My friend and health coach, Hannah Marcotti and I have already started to plan an amazing 6-week course, Simple Mama, for busy moms looking to slow down and re-connect with their passions and joys. Following my training, we will have even more to add to our course! I’m really looking forward to sharing these ideas with moms who- like me- are seeking simpler, more enjoyable, more fulfilling experiences with their children.

Secrets of Adulthood

I recently read a charming book, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. The author dedicates one year to learning as much as she can about what makes people happy, with the hope that she’ll uncover some tricks to increasing her own happiness.

Before she embarks on the project, the author creates a list of lessons she’s learned over the years, which she calls her “Secrets of Adulthood.” It’s a clever little list, and it got me thinking….what have I learned so far? I came up with ten things:

1. Moms set the stage for family life. We create a space, set a mood and provide a rhythm within which the family thrives. (For me, this no longer feels like pressure, it’s starting to feel like a very special privilege).

2. Getting organized actually creates space in my mind (and my house) for creativity and spontaneity.

3. I feel better when I drink water throughout the day. And when I stay away from sugar.

4. Reading aloud is more fun when I pay attention to the words.

5. On a tough day, my body will tell me when its time to breathe.

6. My children are right- there are very few good reasons to stop playing.

7. Fresh air can fix anything.

8. My journey is all my own. It’s okay to make mistakes, because I’m learning as I go.

9. Each of my children is on a journey of their very own, too. They came from my body, but they aren’t extensions of me, and I can’t control them. The best I can do is to stay present for them, and set a good example of how to live peacefully in the world.

10. Green grass is a state of mind. I’m going to trust that I am exactly where I am supposed to be, doing what I was meant to do. I already have everything that I need to be happy.

Maybe I’ll think of a few more to add. It’s a work in progress…just like me.