islandparent Archives for Kelly McQuillan
Kelly McQuillan
Raising an Extrovert
(When Small Talk Scares You)
I am a textbook introvert, with a generous helping of social anxiety thrown in that makes me cautious with interpersonal...
The Power of a Mama Hug
I don’t often suffer from writer’s block, but I’ve certainly wrestled with it lately. After weeks of COVID-19 lockdown we’re trying to negotiate a...
Cultivating Joy
The world is in upheaval as we cope with the disruption, uncertainty, and fear of the COVID-19 pandemic. Collectively, we’ve never seen a time...
Helping Our Tweens & Teens Navigate Conflict
The “tweens” (between the ages of 8 or 9 and 12) are rough. Carefree childhood innocence rapidly slips away as kids encounter higher expectations...
The Importance of Friendship…for Parents!
February: the month of love. Love takes many different forms, and lately I’m feeling particularly grateful for the friendships in my life. Parenting young...
Dialing Down my Side Eye
A refresher in compassionMy son’s first “Ninja Warrior” class was a bit disorganized, with energetic preschoolers running amok. Truth be told, it was absolute...
Giving Thanks…Building a lifelong habit of gratitude
“Mama! Mama! MAAAAMAAAAA!!!”My three-year-old son summons me to the couch.“Yes?”“Water!” He shakes his empty sippy cup at me, continuing to watch his show. It’s...
How to Be Partners in Success
We all want our kids to experience success, which can take many different forms. Along with nurturing and support from home, the time they...
My Nest Is a Mess
I feel like stainless steel appliances were created solely to torture parents. The “faux” stainless we had in our last house was manageable, because...
The Birds & the Trees
“Mama! My bug friend!” My three-year-old son points gleefully at the insect slowly crawling across the window screen. It is, in fact, a leptoglossus...