End of Another School Year

Hello Universe!

I can't believe another school year is coming to an end. It went by fast but did have its challenges. This time of year I have found can be hard on students. Students are struggling with their emotions for some reason. I have noticed more kids frustrated and sad. My goal is to help kids know that there is more to life.

I am proud to say that I have created an awesome nonprofit organization to help kids with life skills. It's called Education 4 Kids and can be found at www.education4kids.org. With the funds raised, I hope to bring in programs to help kids learn how to deal with stress. I also want to concentrate on individualizing education.  All kids have special needs and this should be acknowledged.

This past week my daughter had made suicide threats. She is a very empathic girl and doesn't seem to know how to deal with these emotions. After counseling and ongoing talks, we have found that she uses these threats to get people to care about her.  She is not the only one out there. The kids of today are very sensitive beings. I don't mean that parents baby them or kids just don't know how to handle things like we did when we were young. I mean that God made them more sensitive to their surroundings. Many of these kids cannot handle loud noises. They can't handle crowds. They get overwhelmed or upset in chaos. These kids need to learn how to let go of this intense energy. Drugs are not the answer. When they become adults, they will continue to be the same and need to have tools to deal with life stresses.

By helping all kids learn to deal with harsh energies, they will perform better in school and in social environments. It is very important that parents see this. Sometimes the harder we push, the more detached they become. It's time to start understanding these kids.

Now that I am teaching all kinds of kids, I'm learning that there is more to education than just teaching the material in books. Kids need people to get them. They need to be able to express themselves.  They need to know the purpose of education and how it will help them be successful in life. They also need to have tools to help them focus. It is very hard to do at the end of a school year. Kids are so glad it is almost over that their energy is oozing. My mission in life is to help all kids "get" it. I hope I can provide the encouragement they need to know that they have a special role to play in our world.

Here's to another great summer cultivating new ideas!!!

Take care,
Keri

More Challenges of Parenthood

Hello Universe,

I cannot believe it is already April. My kids only have 6 weeks of school left before we start our summer break. My kids always look forward to our summers together. We have road trips, fun summer camps, and see people we haven't seen in a while.

This time of year seems to be challenging for kids. I don't know if it has to do with spring or they are just tired of being pushed. I think I now understand where the term Spring Fever comes from.

Raising kids is very challenging. Not only do they depend on us, we expect a lot of from them.  This can cause kids to lash out or be defiant. I think my son has finally hit his limit.  He is a very challenging sensitive soul. He will not do things if he doesn't want to.  Violence is not an option. He will take all punishment you give him. Sometimes this becomes exhausting as a parent.

I am currently taking a HeartMath course so that I can learn how to transform anger into positive emotions. Once I am an expert in this, I will teach my kids how to live through their hearts and then I will move on to other kids.  I really could have used this technique last night when my son decides to flip out on his family. He was screaming at the top of his lungs. We encouraged him to continue this so he could get his frustrations out which only made things worse. When his brother no longer wanted to be around him, he got more upset. He threatened his brother to the point of peeing on his bed if he didn't return to their room. You heard me right....and when his brother did not return to his room he peed on his bed.

Talk about a challenging moment. I could have yelled and screamed but as you can tell nothing works with this kid. Normally, I would have him take a shower to wash all of those negative energies away but we were way beyond this. Anyways, I told my son that if he was going to act like a dog that we would treat him like one. We made him go into the garage for a time out that he thought would last all night. We kept him in there for 5 mins to show him that he cannot be part of this family and act this way. His brother was so upset with us that he wanted us to give him a second chance. After 5 mins which I'm sure felt like forever to him, we let go of the door. He came in calmly but then threatened to call the police. Once I told him what they would do, he finally gave up and went to bed.

This left us exhausted and frustrated. There is nothing in any parenting book that teaches you how to deal with your own child. Each soul is different. What works for one child will not work for another. I am continuously learning each day how to handle the frustrated souls of my children. God gave them to me for a reason and hopefully I can do my duty and get them to adulthood. All we can do is the best we can and hope the next day we can do a better job. I will not beat myself up over this but learn from it and hope that I can handle the next outburst in a better way.

To all the parents out there going through this every day....hang in there. We must do what we need to do to help get these sensitive souls get to adulthood.

Take care,
Keri

Standardized Testing

I must say that the month of February flew by this year. I was spending lots of time working with kids in the classroom and a lot of time at home with a bunch of snow. Now that it is March, I'm ready for the snow to melt and the spring to arrive.

One thing that has arrived this time of year is standardized testing. This is another area that has lots of debate. I'm going to give you my 2 cents on this after a long time contemplating the meaning of life. I find that standardized testing is a waste of time. I work with kids and teachers and even superintendents. I have yet to find anyone who believes it is a good idea. There are classroom tests that kids take to determine what level they are at in reading and math. The teachers are able to evaluate each individual student to find out if they need more help or more challenging projects.

I believe this is all we need in our schools. Each of us decides where we want to live. Based on where we live, there are lots of schools to choose from. We can send our kids to the local public school. We might be able to choose a special charter school or even an alternative learning program. There are other options such as parochial schools and boarding schools. It is up to us parents where we believe our children will thrive. Well, I hope parents consider this when sending their children to school.

As I have learned, not all schools fit all kids. My kids are in 3 different schools. One is a parochial school, one is a public school, and one is an alternative learning school. I have found that each of my kids learns in their own way and should be able to attend a school that will help them learn, grow and love.

Now back to standardized testing...this is also different based on schools and states. I believe there should be no standardized testing at all. There is no reason for this. People may argue that there is a need to compare my kid to a kid in another state. Why I say? It doesn't matter.  This isn't a competition. Kids need to learn basic skill sets to succeed in life. It is up to the parents and teachers to make sure they get this. It doesn't matter what Johnny is doing in Hawaii because Johnny doesn't have to deal with snow delays and feeding the horses. Schooling depends on where you live and what you will do in life. Education should be determined at the local level. Each school district should adjust their curriculum based on the kids that attend that school. Each child should be able to learn that education in their own way. Traditional learning systems need to change. Our kids are growing up in a technology environment where they can search and learn anything they want online.  We need to adjust for this in our classrooms.

In the meantime, we need to let our teachers teach our kids and the parents parent the kids. We do not need outside people telling us what our kids need to know in order to succeed in life. They don't know our kids.  We do and it is up to us to guide them to be the best person they can be.

So stop stressing the kids out with unnecessary testing. They get enough of that on a day by day basis.

Until next time....

Take care,
Keri

Alternative Education a Must

Wow, it sure has been a busy month! 2015 has started off with a bang. I have so many ideas flowing in my head, I have been busy trying to implement one at a time.

I have figured out my mission in life is to change education for all kids. There is so much technology and knowledge out there that we must rethink how we educate our kids. Everything that is in our textbooks can be found online now. Kids are bored in the traditional classroom. Parents should not have to pay just to get an alternative education because the current one is failing our kids.

The kids growing up in today's society are more sensitive to the energies around them. They are forced to sit in hard chairs and listen to someone talk at them. How is that helping them to grow, learn and love? Not all kids can sit and follow the rules. Not all teachers have the right tools to deal with the energetic kids of today. They decide to label them ADHD if they do not conform. First of all, everyone knows the human attention span is only 20 minutes so why would we think our kids could sit there for 45 minutes doing the same thing over and over.

Classrooms must be redesigned to allow energy to flow and for kids to feel and release energies that are not serving them. I'm determined to help parents, teachers and the kids to get this done. Kids need wisdom not knowledge. They need to learn about real life and to find out what their true gifts are. After that, we build on those gifts on an individual basis. People don't learn the same way, so why do we continue to force our kids to fit in a square when they are a flowing circle?

The point I'm trying to make is that we all need to open our eyes and our hearts. We need to see that our kids are our future. We are here to guide them to make this environment  a better place. We are not here to dictate to them what they need to do. It is not a competition with other countries to see who is the smartest. Kids know in their hearts why they were sent here. We just need to start listening. I have listened and I am answering. I will change things for them so that they can grow into awesome adults and be everything they imagined they could be!! I hope you will join me.

Take care,
Keri

Reflecting on the Past Year - 2014

Well, I hope everyone has been able to spend time with family and friends this holiday season. I love Christmas and spending time with my kids. It also allows me time to reflect on the past 12 months.

I don't want to rehash the past but rather look at all the things I've learned. I also have a new perspective to see why things may have happened the way they did. I am on this cool journey called life. It brings with it hills and valleys, twists and turns, and sometimes straight and narrow. I try my best to accept the changes that come to help make me a better person and parent. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn each day.

I believe that 2014 was a very challenging year for many. I know that I was challenged beyond anything I have experienced in my past yet I'm still here chugging along. There is a reason for these challenges. What would life be like if we never learned or changed? Life is a journey that should be embraced. I believe that we are here to learn, to love and to grow. This allows us to become the best we can be. The more we love the better life is. This year I have learned to love my kids for exactly who they are. I have also learned that each of them has their own lessons to learn. I must stand beside them and guide them but not force them down the road I want them to take. They are here for their own lessons to learn. It is a hard task to do when you care so much about them.

So for 2015, I see a year of growing and loving. I see my kids doing things that they love. I see myself doing the things that I love. I see myself learning and growing to help change the world. I am so grateful for another year to see my kids learn new things. I love the life we have. I look forward to more adventures in 2015. I look forward to all the special moments that I will share with family and friends.

I hope each person that reads this knows that you are here for a reason. You are here to do great things. You just have to look inside of yourself and find the passion. Go after what makes your heart sing. 2014 was the year for me to open my heart and see that I have so much to do in this world. 2015 will be the year where we take what we learned in 2014 and soar! Are you ready to soar?

So take the last few days of 2014 to reflect and find all of the blessings and lessons that you received. When 2015 rings in, you will be ready to spread your wings and fly.

See you in 2015!

Take care,
Keri

Happy Parents = Happy Kids

Happy December!!

I was just reading an article about how to have a long lasting relationship. I figured that I would write my own take on this subject since I have been married for over 20 years. In today's world there are so many broken relationships. I must say my determination began as a child. I watched my own parents grow apart and move on separately. This can be so hard on kids. I'm one of the lucky ones where my parents put us kids first. There are so many people who don't see what their actions do to the kids whether they are married or not. Complaining about the other parent to the child is a big no no. It's not their issue to deal with. They just need to know that they are loved.

My advice first is to start as a child. Children should know that dating is a big deal. There is no real reason to have a boyfriend or girlfriend before you are 16. I see no reason in this. The entire purpose of dating is to find that special someone and hopefully spend the rest of your life with that person. Hanging out or spending time with someone is the key to a long term relationship. You must be friends first. All relationships must have friendship to last for many years. That is why I believe the mindset needs to change for our kids to have healthy relationships. Lust only lasts a short time.

So instead of writing tons of paragraphs on this topic, I will list out the most important things that I believe help create a long loving and lasting relationship.

1. Love yourself first!! You must be willing to accept yourself for who you are before someone else will. You cannot find love on the outside. This is why people go from person to person.
2. Be friends first. You must be friends who are willing to hang out and chat about anything because when it comes time for you to deal with serious issues, you need to be able to go to this person about anything.
3. Communication!! Most relationships fall apart because one person may think the other person can read his or her mind. You must discuss things. I won't be the one to tell you how because each person and relationship is different.
4. Spend time together WITHOUT the kids. This is so important. Most people don't realize how important this is. Yes, it is wonderful spending time with your kids as a family;however, kids grow up and move away. This other person and yourself will be the only ones there. You need to stay connected to keep a long lasting relationship going.
5. Continue to grow individually. We are all here on earth to learn and grow. We tend to get wrapped up in the day to day tasks. Continue to learn new things or take new classes. Do things that make your heart happy.
6. Believe in one another. You must be the cheerleader for each other. You should encourage each other to go after your dreams. Anything is possible in this world. Keep the faith that things always work out because they do.
7. Be committed. You must be committed to each other and be willing to work things out. There will be times when one person is giving 20% and the other one 80%. It will continuously flip flop. Be willing to pick the other one up when necessary.
8. Be positive. The law of attraction truly works. If you can find the positive when things look like crap, things will turn around. If you continuously fight about money, then you will continuously get more bills. If you believe the bills will get paid, they always do.
9. See things from the other's viewpoint (be open minded). We all have ideas and opinions. You must be willing to understand the other person's viewpoint because you will not always agree on everything. It is ok to disagree. That is how we learn from one another.
10. Be open to new experiences. As we all change, so do our likes and dislikes. Be willing to compromise and try new things even if you may not like it. This is another way to grow.

I could go on and on about what I believe is successful in a long loving relationship but it is for us all to find out. We must be willing to love and learn and grow! Why else would God put us here with one  another. Think about it. Why are we here and what would complete our life? It is up to each of us to determine what our heart needs. I happen to love my life and my family and I plan to spend many more years learning, growing and sharing my knowledge with the world. I want our kids to be successful in whatever they do in life. It all begins with your family and how you can help them be the best person they can be!

Enjoy the day!!

Keri

What to Give Up to Live a Happy Life

November has been a very busy month by far. With the craziness of Thanksgiving, shopping nuttiness, and holiday shows, I thought I would tackle the subject of Happiness. happiness means different things to each of us.

I believe the first success to happiness is to first truly love yourself. The more you continue to work on this the more your heart shines. Besides having inner peace, singing songs and spending time with family can definitely put a smile on your face. Laughing with close friends or dancing in the rain can also bring a giddiness to your life.  These things may only help you to temporarily hold on to that awesome feeling.

To continuously feel happy every day of your life, you must work on giving up the negative thoughts.  It may seem impossible to stay in the positive zone but it actually takes more energy to be angry or mean.

Try to work on these 15 things to improve the happiness in your life.

1. Give up always being right. Does it really matter in the big picture? No it doesn't. It is better to be kind rather than fight about who is right and who is wrong.
2. Give up the need to always be in control. I know this can be hard for some people but it can be harmful in the long run. We are all here to learn lessons and grow. We cannot make people be or do what we want. Everyone has a life to live and to learn from.
3. Give up all blame. We all need to start taking responsibility for our own actions. We need to stop blaming people or situations. We need to change the things we don't like. We waste more energy being negative rather than being kind and loving to others.
4. Give up negative self-talk. We can all be whatever we want to be in life. God wants us to have everything we want in life. We must make lemonade out of lemons. We attract what we think about so keep the thoughts positive. We can retrain our brain that we must believe to receive.
5. Give up the limiting beliefs. We all have grown up in different ways. We were all taught different things. If we open up our minds to anything possible, we can achieve anything. 
6. Give up complaining. Yes, we all do this. I'm sure we would all agree that complaining about things only gives us headaches and irritations. By eliminating complaining, we can look at situations in a more positive way. We can look at things from a different perspective. We can choose how we react to stressful situations and try to see it from a positive note.
7. Give up criticizing. We all have opinions and see things the way we do. We should try to understand how others see things. We all want to be loved. We all want to have a happy life so we must try to understand one another.
8. Give up the need to impress others. Some people continuously try to show people what they have accomplished. We try to make others like us by being what we are not. We need to be who we are truly meant to be. It doesn't matter what others think. It matters what we think of ourselves.
9. Give up the resistance to change. We must change to get what we want in life. As we grow and learn, change is inevitable. So just go with the flow. Everything works out the way it is suppose to.
10. Give up labels. We all do it. We all say things like she is weird or he is different. We must stop doing this to move forward. We need to be open to everyone.
11. Give up the FEARS. Fears - F (false) E(emotions) A(appearing) R(real). Fears aren't real. Our mind creates illusions to deal with all kinds of stuff. Once we can acknowledge this, we can move forward.
12. Give up the excuses. Excuses are like fears. They don't exist. We can do anything if we put our mind to it. So no more excuses.
13. Give up the past. The past is the past. Leave it there. Live for today and enjoy each moment.
14. Give up attachments. This is hard for many of us. We have all heard the saying that in the end you can't take it with you. This is so true. It is better to learn early on that people and moments are way more important than things. We also need to know that others love us for us and that should be good enough.
15. Give up living life to others' expectations. We all have a life to live. It is so important to live our life the way we want and not worry what someone else thinks.

We can't change others but we can start by changing ourselves. If each of us were to live a kinder and happier life, our world would be a better place. There is enough negativity in society. If we start giving up these negative ways, we can change the world one person at a time.

Here's to a peaceful ending to 2014!!

Take care,

Keri

Keeping Up with Keri

Boy, it feels like forever since I've updated you guys. Having 4 kids, our lives get a bit busy. When I do have some down time I am reading and researching information for my life purpose. I am working with Angels and trying to help kids.

The universe has been bringing the people to me so I know that I'm on the right path. There are so many kids out there who feel alone and crazy. They turn to drugs and violence because they feel that that is their only way out. If we adults would just take the time and listen (not judge), these kids could be in a better place.

One of the most important things I tell people is that you must love yourself first. Self love is the key to all happiness. It must come from the inside. For kids who are constantly told they are weird or unliked, it makes it hard for them to love themselves. We must help them undo these negative thoughts. These kids need to know that they are not alone and that there are others just like them everywhere.

We were put here to learn and grow and to love one another. If we cannot complete our lessons, we will come back. Past lives is a real thing. If someone has an unexplained ailment or fear that can't be helped, past life regression can help. It is an amazing thing to find out why we have an anxiety or a recurring pain that we can't explain. Once we acknowledge what has happened in the past, these issues can be cured. 

The more research I do the more I understand our mission. We must do our best to love one another. We are all connected. If we mistreat people, we will be sent back and may be mistreated ourselves so we learn from this. Isn't it just better to get it all right this time around. We must help kids to understand that they have their entire lives ahead of them. God gave them awesome gifts that they need to uncover so that they can help others. God wants everyone to be happy and to have everything in life.

Kids need different outlets to express themselves. Find out from them what they need to help them move to the next level. If they are feeling completely drained and exhausted, tell them to take a shower. They might have taken on too much energy from school or a store.  I am finding out that Myrrh is a great oil to use in a bath. It helps to calm and protect us from the harsh energies around us. It has worked for me! Kids need alternative methods to release harsh energies.

I will continue to help every kid I meet wherever I go. I just seem to know who needs my help. If I can save a life, then I know I have done my job.

Just remember that the kid sitting next to you may need your help. Give him a smile, it may just make his day!!

Keri

Losing Friends...Moving Forward

Hello again!
I happen to start my day reading an amazing article. It's about losing friends. I find the timing of this article funny because I had a dream about a past friend. I think after reading this article, I have figured out this person's reason for being in my life and then exiting.

Have you ever wondered why you are no longer friends with someone? Do you wonder why you lose friends or feel alone? Well, I'm here to tell you that it has to do with Spiritual Awakening. One day you wake and think, "what is the purpose of all of this?" You start questioning things you have learned. You start thinking outside the box. For those still inside the box, they think your crazy and then the next thing you know you are fighting with your friend.

I'm here to tell you that it is okay to cut your friends loose or for them to move on. I have been on my spiritual path and have had to move on from the negativity. My life purpose is to help kids be who they are meant to be so that our world is a better place. I no longer care what others think about that. If they dislike me so be it. Our kids are our future. The kids of today have special gifts that will help our world. We need them to know they are welcome in this world. We need to stop the group thinking.

If a child questions authority in any way, they are treated as an outcast. This is unacceptable. We need to raise more independent thinkers which I discussed in a previous blog. It is time to listen to our hearts and not go with the majority. I stopped watching the news because they want you to think a certain way. How do I know what they are saying is real or true? I don't. All it does is get me upset and put me in a fear based mood. How does that help me live a great life? It doesn't.

Once you realize you no longer care what others think, you are entering your spiritual awakening. You start attracting others who think like you do. Those other people move on. People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. This is so true. If someone leaves your life, the lessons have been learned. If you look back, you can see why that person came into your life, when they did, and why they left. If a person is in your life for a lifetime, then you are constantly learning lessons from that person.

We were all put here to learn lessons and to grow. I know I am learning each day and am growing so that I can help kids be themselves without ridicule. My daughter should not have to have apples thrown at her at lunch  just because she doesn't fit what the jocks think is cool. If I could be in that school, I would be telling those boys that different is in and that they are just insecure in their own skin. Our education system needs to change, but that is for another blog.

Well, I hope I gave you something to think about. Review your past relationships and wipe those tears away. Know that you learned something so that you could move forward in your life.

Take care,
Keri

Lighten Up a Little

I must admit that this past week has been a bit nutty. The energy has been making me crazy. It seems to be affecting a lot people. The drivers on the roads seem to not know what they are doing. Of course, this brought on a lot of irritation for me. I just like to get from A to B.

When I was at the store, I started to feel overwhelmed. I decided to go into the bathroom and wash my hands up to my elbows and ask the universe to take away all of the energy. I must say that when I came out of the bathroom I felt tons better.

I'm telling my kids to do this when they are at school or events. If the energy around them gets them all worked up, they should hit the bathroom. Also, I have found that when kids get home from school they should not start on their homework right away. This is the time for a bath or shower to get rid of all that stuff they picked up from school. They should wash their body of the energies. After they are done, they will be able to focus better and they will be refreshed.

I have been using this technique a lot this past week. I have been getting irritated wherever I go. After a nice shower or bath, I feel like me again. Energy is everywhere. The first thing I say to my kids when they start acting spazzy is "Maybe you should take a shower to get that nastiness out of you!"

Many kids can handle the energies but more and more kids are being born very sensitive. So when your teen comes home and starts snapping for no good reason, send them to the bathroom.

Water washes away more than dirt. It cleanses the soul and allows our mind to focus on the moment.  Try it next time you get irritated. Just make sure to ask the universe to take all the energy that isn't yours and to return it to wherever it came from.

I am expecting this week to get better. The sun is out and I plan to spend time outside since nature is also a calming source.

Take care and let me know if this works for you,

Keri