Happy Monday! This might be more for you than for your kids (depending on their age), but you know I love a deep dive and here's one into the evolution of St Nicholas, mall Santas and all things in between.  https://join1440.com/t/santa-claus?pinned-resource=the-history-of-mall-santas

No rain, no flowers Posts from HealthyExpatParent.com/Facebook Wellness News Around the 'Net Happy Monday! We’re about to all have a lot more conversations with people, during these holiday events and (hopefully( with family. You ready?  https://www.wired.com/story/the-science-of-having-a-great-conversation-research-social-connection/ New podcast: FS Kids and College podcast # 2 - What is it students should be looking for, and how parents can support them in creating a balan

One of the best things we can do for our relationships -- parental, sibling, marital, friendship -- is to feed them.  What, exactly does 'food' for a relationship look like?  A couple of suggestions.   Laugh together. A new study out showed that the relationships that endure are those wherein those involved laugh together.  Not just at funny shows, or books, but through genuine interest and joy found together.   Do things you are both/all interested in.  Yes, this means you

Recording # 2 - FS kids and University A chat with Hannah Engel-Rebitzer, an independent Educational Consultant with Peak College Consulting, about what it is students should be looking for in university, and how parents can support this piece of the process .  We talk about location, academics, social scene, as well as a little about finances.  We talk about creating a balanced list and what that looks like.   Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2304981/episodes/1831679

Happy Monday! We’re about to all have a lot more conversations with people, during these holiday events and (hopefully) with family. You ready? https://www.wired.com/story/the-science-of-having-a-great-conversation-research-social-connection/

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory." ~ Dr. Seuss Posts from HealthyExpatParent.com/Facebook Happy Monday! Super exciting: Winter Olympics in February has already kicked off … I mean, the flame has started on its route. https://apnews.com/article/olympic-torch-relay-flame-lighting-milan-cortina-4e65b3fd17469322dd0023c4df1fb361?user_id=66c4c9515d78644b3ac6a2f2# ? First in a series of podcasts about Foreign Service Kids and Applying t

Here's what I know to be true: 1. Drink enough water. 2. Sleep as much as you can. 3. Eat leafy greens instead of things you can’t pronounce. 4. Move your body around as much as you can, preferably in nature. 5. Find some sort of faith in a force bigger than yourself. 6. Spend time with friends. Love your family. 7. Don’t work all the time. 8. Look for the best medical care you can manage. 9. Don’t monitor these things too obsessively, or you’re liable to go nuts. 10.  Stress

Please see below for episodes posted in the last few weeks.   194- SOBRIETY in the Foreign Service Life In our episode today, Emily shares her personal journey to sobriety, including her struggles with alcohol and the various resources and support systems she has utilized and continues to utilize throughout her recovery. She discusses her experiences as a sober Foreign Service employee, addressing challenges with medical clearance, navigating social situations, and building a

First in a series of podcasts about Foreign Service Kids and Applying to College.  We'll talk about what colleges are looking for, what kids should be looking for, finances, different types of schools, and more.  We welcome comments and questions!   Podcast # 1 -- What colleges are looking for in applications, and how parents can support their FS kids through the process? A chat with Hannah Engel-Rebitzer, an independent Educational Consultant with Peak College Consulting, a

Happy Monday! Super exciting: Winter Olympics in February has already kicked off … I mean, the flame has started on its route. https://apnews.com/article/olympic-torch-relay-flame-lighting-milan-cortina-4e65b3fd17469322dd0023c4df1fb361?user_id=66c4c9515d78644b3ac6a2f2#?

Unpopular truth: what's meant for you will sometimes feel scary, risky and new.  Ease and calm don't always mean you're moving in the right direction.  The biggest rewards usually come from having the guts and perseverance to create your own path.  ~ Yung Pueblo Posts from HealthyExpatParent.com/Facebook Finding professional fulfillment overseas can be challenging, but not impossible.  What can you do to make this lifestyle work for you, professionally? Join Susie Csorsz Bro

Ah, yes, perfection. Who doesn't love the idea? Here's the thing: perfection -- the idea of it, seeking it, achieving it -- is actually o ne of the most toxic ideas that grips our minds. We expect it, we crave it, we wish to see it in our lives and relationships, but reality and the idea of perfection are in a constant state of friction. Reality is ever-changing. It is transformation combined with unpredictability. Perfection is the opposite. It is an attempt to control an

Monday post: Are you a morning or afternoon exerciser? Turns out a.m. workouts actually are more challenging for your body. https://theconversation.com/heres-why-morning-exercise-feels-so-hard-267743

Join Susie Brown and Sex Education Expert Scotney Young talk sex ed: global sex education standard disparities, age appropriate sex/gender education, helping parents with difficult (and awkward!) discussions with their tweens/teens, empowering teens for gender equality, & what you can do to support child safety. Listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2304981/episodes/18223385-sex-education-your-tween-teen-and-you Scotney Young: https://www.instagram.com/rootsandboundaries?ig

Finding professional fulfillment overseas can be challenging, but not impossible.  What can you do to make this lifestyle work for you, professionally?  Join Susie Csorsz Brown and Scotney Young as they talk about different ways to find professional fulfillment, keeping sane, and what does networking do for you.   We talk about challenges and benefits of EFM employment, successful career transitions, portable career networking and more.  Listen here! https://www.buzzsprout.co

“Happiness and victory and fulfillment are nice little things that happen to us, but they don’t teach us much.  Wholeness is what we ought to be striving for, and part of that is sadness, disappointment, frustration, failure; all of those things which make us who we are.” ~ Hugh MacKay  Posts from HealthyExpatParent.com/Facebook Happy Monday!  Whether you are looking for a reason to be grateful you’re a human, need to impress your kiddo, or in need of interesting factoids to

Do you feel as though you and your teen are from different planets, speaking different languages and your responses rarely if ever align?  Ever wonder why you can be ever-so-efficient and your child is oh-so-not?  Listen, it isn't you, and also there is nothing wrong with your teenager.  Most likely their bizarre-to-you response — or lack there of — is due to the completely normal and expected developmental processes of their executive function (read: brain development).   Le

Happy Monday!  Whether you are looking for a reason to be grateful you’re a human, need to impress your kiddo, or in need of interesting factoids to drop at the next dinner party, this is for you.   https://www.fatherly.com/health/weird-facts-about-human-body ?

"Most people need love and acceptance a lot more than they need advice.” ~ Bob Goff   Posts from HealthyExpatParent.com/Facebook Happy Monday! Social media is such a beast. Not only can we not tell if something written was AI-generated, but also we can't tell what someone really looks like. What's real, what's not? No wonder young people are struggling with mental health!    https://lilydiamond.substack.com/p/women-being-seen-desire-dating-and New recipe: a non-gloppy slaw th

My mornings begin the same. Get up, fix myself some coffee, gaze out the window at the birds at my feeders, watch the sun rise. Here, I know the rain will never fall, but other places I have lived, this has been an option. This is followed by quietly talking with my spouse, my kitties. All of these things root and center me so that no matter what chaos comes that day, it began in beauty. To step out of my house and be greeted by the smell of trees and flowers in bloom. My go