RECENTLY PUBLISHED ARTICLES
Published in The Bourne Enterprise, April 13, 2012
Momma's Journal: Mean People Stink…….Really Stink
By Jean M. Lanahan
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Thirteen million American kids will be bullied this year.
Thirteen million American kids will be bullied this year. •Three million students a month are absent from school because they don’t feel safe there.
Three million students a month are absent from school because they don’t feel safe there. •Bullying is the most common form of violence experienced by young people in the nation.
Bullying is the most common form of violence experienced by young people in the nation. These facts, and so many more, I learned while visiting www.thebullyproject.com a website describing the documentary “Bully” which is coming to movie theaters soon.
“Bully” opened last week in New York. Lee Hirsch, an Emmy Award-winning producer and director was bullied when he was young and harbored his feelings for many years. But in 2009, when news that two young 11-year old boys, 1000 miles apart, hanged themselves after being repeatedly bullied, Lee turned his full focus to making this film.
“Bully” is described as a character-driven documentary offering an unflinching look at how bullying has affected five kids and their families. The film writer rejected the Motion Picture Association of America’s “R” rating due to voilence and strong language and brutality (and suicide content).
The writer’s intent with disclaiming the “R” rating to enable teens to see the (now) unrated movie: “Like it or not, it's a realistic portrayal of what every middle schooler and older hears every day. This gives the film veracity and credibility with kids, and it will justifiably shock parents.”
From what I have learned, it seems the underlying goal of “Bully” is to encourage kids to stand up to bullies, not stand by, while parents – or should I say all adults – need become more educated and better aware of harmful acts of bullying.
We all know that bullying is a widespread and serious problem that can happen in any neighborhood. Unfortunately, may of us have learned that the hard way. Bullying involves repetition, imbalance of power, and intent to cause harm; and to make things worse, in this day and age it happens 24/7 - and it's everlasting because of internet and cyberspace.
Bullying affects the entire family as well as the community in whole. Targeted kids suffer feelings of powerlessness and depression; their parents often feel some of those same emotions of helplessness and powerlessness as they "fail" to protect their children. As parents, how could we not! Protecting our children is our number one duty.
And then there’s the bigger challenge faced by parents with regards to bullying - knowing how and why and what's really going on. Research finds that most kids are far more likely to talk to their peers about bullying than their parents, and more often, many are so fearful they don’t tell anyone. And that includes us, parents!
From what I’ve read about this documentary, “Bully” highlights many of the challenges faced by all members of the school community when it comes to bullying - from bus drivers to teachers to administrators. It talks about vital parental roles in supporting their kids, and teaching and modeling empathy at home. What if, however, the act of bullying is kept 'secret', or what if your child is the perpetrator? Or worse, what if and adults witnesses the harassment but neglect to report it or even acknowledge it? That's what scares me to death.
The documentary’s website tell us that victim’s parents are generally portrayed as supportive and loving, while school administrators come off in a much less positive light. And in addition to foul language, suicide, physical abuse, and "cutting" are addressed (“but in a way that presents the consequences as well as the behavior itself”, according to the website.) All the more reason, in my opinion, to make it mandatory for kids to be accompanied by an adult.
In no way am I indicating that I’m an expert on this topic, but I am parent to two talkative, teen-aged girls (need I say anymore?). I have yet to see the movie, but when it comes to our area, I intend to accompany my daughters and do my best to answer questions they may have - or offer a hand to hold or shoulder to cry upon. That’s after I download from their website the Guide to the Film BULLY: Fostering Empathy and Action in Schools (a guide to help adult and student audiences confront the stories in this film and explore the meaning for their schools and their wider communities).
I know it’s been said thousands of time before, but raising strong kids truly does take a village.
Jean lanahan of Sagamore Beach encourages everyone to log onto www.thebullyproject.com for more information about the documentary and then join your favorite teen to see the documentary.
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Published in The Bourne Enterprise, March 30, 2012
Momma's Journal: Spring Is Here
By Jean M. Lanahan
I don’t ever remember experiencing itching, watering eyes and a scratchy throat in March. What’s going on? Tree pollen doesn’t usually upset my sinuses until sometime late in April, or even May. I’m not complaining as tree pollen precedes the change of color of our trees, lawns and gardens. From grey and dull to green and plush.
Despite the chill in the air these last few days, spring is here. Birds are chirping. Crocuses have risen. Daffodils are smiling at the sun that shines for more hours in the day. If I’m not mistaken, I’ve seen a few mosquitos and bees. Bees are welcomed but other insects that will be plenty because of the warm winter, we may have to pay a price as the temperature rises.
Spring is my favorite time of year, although I’ve been known to say that with the change of every season. Things get a little boring after a few months of the sameness. As a native New Englander, I welcome the changing of seasons but winter, as mild as this past one was, I’m happy to say goodbye.
Now it’s time to get a new calendar, a poster-sized one to chart all the happenings around town. There’s so many places to be, games to be played and shows to see.
If you and your family took a winter hiatus, get your seat belts on. It’s busy time. Kids are filling their sports and dance bags as we speak. Parents driving minivans and SUV’s during dinner hours or on weekend mornings are lined up at every drive through donut shop from here to Falmouth.
The first Spring season soccer games will be played this weekend, and softball, that’s happening too. The Bourne High School Drama will perform 42nd Street on April 5, 6, and 7. (Reserve tickets at BHS Box Office 508-759-0699.) The BHS drama club performs their final show of the year every spring and it’s a sentimental time for so many of our seniors who have poured their heart and souls onto the stage the past 4 years. The drama club amazes me, it’s like “little Broadway” right here in Bourne.
I’m getting emails about upcoming Easter Egg hunts and I’m sure we’ll hear more information about when and where to drop off donations or bring young children to enjoy this tradition. And then there’s cheerleading competitions, basketball tournaments and dance recitals.
Don’t forget April school vacation. If the weather continues to be this mild, I’ll be tempted to plant our garden, just a few things anyway. And walks on the Canal or at the beach will be enjoyed also. I can’t wait.
Another sure sign that spring is here is the opening day game at Fenway Park on April 13, but I’ve heard that it’s pretty hard to get tickets, so good luck.
Bridgeview Montessori School is soon to host their Annual Cape Idol competition/show/fundraiser. If you haven’t been to one of these shows in the past, treat yourself and your kids on April 29, at BHS auditorium. You’re guaranteed to be wowed by some really great local talent. Rumor has it – from a really good source - two of our very own Bourne students qualified for the competition. Check out their website at www.capeidol.com for more information.
And don’t forget about The AllStar Review at BHS on May 19th, the time and place where so many of our 3rd and 4th grade students discover song and dance and stage. Our family hasn’t missed a show in the last 9 years. It’s so much fun to see little brother and sisters singing It’s a Grand Ole Flag or pirouetting to Singing In The Rain.
June 2 is a day in which many of my friends will be cheering and crying at the same time at BHS Class of 2012 Graduation ceremony. Isn’t it funny how graduations, like funerals, christenings, or anniversary celebrations, bring our emotions to such highs that laughter and tears are one and the same? Passionate expressions of joy, I call it.
Fishermen are talking about it - the herring are here – already? Doesn’t that mean the stripers are soon to follow? And what about dog fish, and then comes tuna and lobster. My fisherman husband tells me that the order in which the fish appear depends on what part of the Cape you’re fishing, Cape Cod Bay or Buzzards Bay. I still say it’s exciting news for all of us.
I’m sure I’ve missed charting a few important events on my calendar. Thank goodness it’s erasable. Hope to see you at the ball fields, or at the shows, the parks or beaches. And don’t forget the drive through coffee shops and eateries. Happy Spring. Let just hope that Mother Nature doesn’t bring us any unwanted April surprises.
Jean Lanahan of Sagamore Beach chronicles the “chaotic joys” of life. Email her at jmmlana@aol.com
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Published in The Bourne Enterprise March 16, 2012
Momma’s Journal: Celebrating St. Patrick
by Jean Lanahan
It’s on my bucket list to do a formal family tree, but, until then, suffice to say that I’m Irish, mostly anyway. My maternal grandmother’s last name was Kerrigan. My paternal grandmother’s last name was Hunt. My mother’s maiden name was O’Neill. We have distant relatives named Connolly and O’Brien, all born of Irish parents.
My paternal grandfather was from Italy, so that makes me one part Italian and three parts Irish, a mongrel, an American with ancestors from other countries, with parents who were born right here in the United States. No wonder I have a weakness for mashed potatoes and manicottis, and a liking of Pinot Grigio and barley and hops. It’s got to be in the genes!
And then there’s my husband’s family heritage. We have a map of Ireland hanging on the wall with a handwritten note inscribed on the back. Tom’s maternal grandmother, Rose Cavanaugh was born in Greencastle, Ireland. She married Hugh McGilloway, from Moville, Ireland. They ended up in the East Boston, Orient Heights - hello! Italian country in Boston - where Tom’s mother lived until she met Henry, married, and moved to Weymouth and started their family.
When I met Tom on a chilly night in February some 24 years ago, I assumed that he was Irish. His name. His looks. His wit. Within a few weeks, however, St. Patrick’s Day arrived, and that confirmed it – Tom was one hundred percent Irish.
As years past, we joked about it, but the truth remained: Tom looks forward to St. Patrick’s Day as much as a child longs for Christmas morning. Strike that. He loves St. Patrick’s Day more than Christmas morning. So when Tom and I were ready to tie the knot, I did what every smart woman would do. I planned our wedding just 2 days after that glorious, celebrated day in March that Tom loves so much.
With every holiday I try to remind myself of what and why we are celebrating, so here goes. St. Patrick’s Day is more than party day. It’s a celebration day for Saint Patrick, who lived during the fifth century, and became the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. History books tell us that St. Patrick, born in Roman Britain, was kidnapped at the age of 16 and brought to Ireland where he lived for six years. He escaped Ireland by ship, but came back a few years later. He was being called on, he felt, to convert the Irish to Christianity. Danger and hardship remained his constant companions. Twice he was imprisoned, but he was not discouraged. He was enlightened.
The mythology surrounding his life became more ingrained in the Irish culture. Perhaps the most well-known legend that he explained is that the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of the Irish clover, the shamrock. St. Patrick he had come to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland.
By the time of his death, St. Patrick had baptized tens of thousands and established hundreds of churches throughout Ireland. The old saint died in his beloved Ireland on March 17th, 460 A.D. That calls for an annual celebration, I’d say. But in addition to celebrating our heritage, St. Patrick’s day is more than that for our family. It’s our wedding anniversary, our 18th to be exact. (But don’t tell Tom. I want to see if he remembers. Perhaps some green beer and a boiled dinner will give him a clue.)
May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you wherever you go.
–Irish blessing
Jean Lanahan of Sagamore Beach chronicles the ‘chaotic joys’ of life. Email her at jmmlana@aol.com
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Published in The Bourne Enterprise, March 1, 2012
Momma’s Journal: Learn to Pick Your Battles
by Jean M. Lanahan
Looking back to when my daughters were toddlers and grammar school aged, it used to be easy for me to win the Child vs. Mom battles, most of the time anyway.
“If you put all of your toys and crayons and books away, I’ll bring you to Friendly’s for an ice cream cone…. If you’re really good at the grocery store, I’ll let you push the cart…. If you do well on your report card, I’ll take you to the movies…. If you do all of your chores on the list, I’ll give you an allowance of $5.”
For sure, I had the advantage and the knowledge that bribery works to a parent’s advantage, some of the time anyway. Been there, done that; but I wish it didn’t take me so long to learn that behind every ‘battle’ is a power struggle, an issue over control. And notice how the trophies change with time and age.
It seems like yesterday that I had to deal with meltdowns or tantrums at preschool or daycare; leaving me feeling guilty and neglectful. But despite having left (remember the “Mommy don’t leave me” days?) the kids in the hands of qualified preschool teachers, we all survived. And somehow, we got through yesterday’s power struggles over, let me think, EVERYTHING from clothing to friends to food to bedtime to wake time to homework. We’ve graduated to the teen years now.
When I see a tired and frustrated mother trying to coerce her whiney child - dressed in mismatched pajamas, winter boots and swimming goggles - to sit contently in the grocery cart, I giggle. A bit of advice, “Don’t fret over the small stuff. Learn how to pick your battles now because soon you’ll be faced with teenagers who will argue to till the sun comes up!”
So how do we remind the double-digit-aged- persons we brought into the world that we, the parents, are still the rule makers in our homes? Delicately and decidedly, of course.
Breath. Remind yourself to pick the battles because they are not all worth fighting or winning. You can take a firm stand on important issues without yelling or arguing. Remember to keep composure when the kids are pulling at our every bit of energy. As difficult as that is, our children – of all ages – will always look to their parents for direction and guidance and acceptance.
Teenagers live to express themselves. While they are developing their own style, they test the waters. Heeled shoes and eyeliner, or blue hair and flip flops. Uggs and pajama pants. A second ear piercing, or Heaven forbid – body piercings or tattoos? (Girls, don’t even think about any of the above that are distasteful, revealing, unsafe, or illegal.)
Tension between parent and child is there at all ages, power struggles come with growth and independence. It’s inevitable. If you don’t want to spend your every waking moment sweating the small stuff, choose our battles wisely. Some issues, like behavioral problems, are worth the battle – and may the parent always win. Other issues, like hairdo or nail polish or makeup fads, are usually not worth the time or effort in arguing over.
For a control freak like me, it’s not so easy to give-in, surrender, or swallow my thoughts. And yet, in the name of a relaxing evening, I sometimes force myself to do just that.
Jean Lanahan of Sagamore Beach chronicles the ‘chaotic joys’ of life.
Find her online at www.jeanlanahan.com or jmmlana@aol.com.
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Published in The Bourne Enterprise, February 16, 2012
Momma’s Journal: A Few Things Baffled Me Today
I woke this morning completely refreshed, ready to take on my to-do list and work requests. Nothing could distract me. And yet, even
with determination to stay on task, some thoughts – straightforward and simple as they may seem – distracted and baffled me enough to
ponder.....
* Loud music during study time. Since when has the mind been opened, cleared, rejuvenated by loud music. A knock on the door, two bangs on the door. Door opens to see daughter with book in hand, Ipod in its home. “Oh, I didn’t hear you. I was studying.”
* My husband’s hearing loss. “Tom, will you answer the phone please?” Tom answered, “I don’t have any idea of where your keys are, Jean.”
* The word “no”. It doesn’t mean maybe, or we’ll see, or let me think about. It means NO.
* Missing socks. Where have all the matches gone? We spent one night as a family matching odd socks that lived in a dresser drawer in thehallway. Even though it didn't end up being as joyous a time as I had hoped, it was worth the effort, or so I thought. Reaching into the sock drawer, I grabbed one of the 9 pairs of matching socks for the whole family to share - the rest are in a box full of “odds”. Where
have their mates gone?
* Competitive cheerleading. Where are the teams my daughter’s squad is working so hard to inspire?
* My identity. I used to have a first name and a last. I used to be called Mrs. L or Jean, but now I’m Tom’s wife or so-and-so’s mom.
* Are we off to practice, rehearsal, or a lesson? Don’t confuse the three terms; it will infuriate your kids. “Have fun at drama practice?
Do your best at gymnastics rehearsal. See you after soccer lessons.” The kids will look at you in awe and slam the door as they retreat to
their respective curriculums, if you will.
* The school year. Is it really half over already? That means we need to start thinking about summer camp already.
* Messy bedrooms. Imagine being granted the time, space, and privacy of retreating to your room to organize your beloved belongings?
Imagine wasting that precious time by sitting on your bed texting your friends who are busy cleaning their rooms too?
* Valentine’s Day. Do we really need a day to remind us to tell our loved ones how we feel? Hallmark says we do.
* Same dinner, different presentation. My kids refused to eat tonight’s ‘burnt and crunchy’ lasagna. Instead of arguing, I said I’d
cut new pieces. (Ya right!) I took the plates to the counter, flipped the lasagna squares (over) into smaller bowls, added a dash of sauce
and grated cheese, warmed them and represented dinner. Both of my daughters claimed that it was the best lasagna they ever tasted.
* Mother’s intuition. I wonder if all moms can hear and see their kids in the next room.
* The art of giving. After spending three hours at the mall with my girls picking out two birthday gifts for upcoming birthday parties, we
left with presents that will be hard to wrap and give to even the best of friends.
* Coffee. The first cup in the morning is great. The second is pretty good too; it makes me feel so aware, so alive and invigorated.
After a third cup, however, I just want to yell and rant and rave, and then sneak off to take a nap.
* Smart Phones. If they are so smart than why am I having such a hard time learning how to use it?
* My age. To answer that question, I ask myself, “What year was I born?” 1961. “What year is it now?” 2012. Where’s the calculator?
I can’t be that old! Oh well. Tomorrow will be a new day, one that will surely bring new bewilderments with it.
Jean Lanahan of Sagamore Beach chronicles the ‘chaotic joys’ of life. Find her online at www.jeanlanahan.com or jmmlana@aol.com.
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Published in The Bourne Enterprise, February 2, 2012
Momma’s Journal: Some Things Are Worth Keeping
By Jean M. Lanahan
Even though I’ve spent a month trying to attain one of my New Years’ resolutions of ridding our house of clutter, I hate to admit it, but I’ve failed.
Piles have been made. Bags of clothes and crates of shoes designated for friends have left the premises and a truckload of books, miscellaneous household goods, and my husband’s gadgets have gone to the dump. Let me rephrase: they’re heading to Dorothy’s Barn at the town dump, where junk turns into treasure.
Cleaning and organizing is daunting. Staying focused on the task at hand, aiming for a clutter-free tomorrow – with your heart in the right direction - but then you stumble upon a trinket or a piece of clothing and all of a sudden you’re not in the present anymore. You’re been hijacked to Memory Lane.
As much as I try to stay focused, it happened, and so I’m still faced with the piles that ended up in limbo. Stuff that means something. No matter that the trinkets aren’t worth anything and some don’t have much usefulness either. And yet the piles grow.
Some things were added to this area of the cellar for fear that something will break. An old desk lamp and an obsolete microwave aren’t really junk - they still work. What if the lamp on my desk with the plug- in bulb stops producing light, or what happens if our fancy high powered microwave would blow up? We’re covered.
I nearly tripped over a box of wall-hangings that aren’t hanging on our walls for a reason. They were either ugly, broken, or clash with the décor of our house (which is eclectic, if that’s a real decorating definition of style.) These are taking up precious space, they have to go, after I take one final look that is.
Curtains. The pile grows even though our oddly-shaped windows in our antique house can’t wear most of them. So why in the world do I hold on to custom-made drapes that would only fit in my Auntie Evelyn’s bedroom or in my mother in law Rose’s den? Because they’re pretty and well made, that’s why!
Blankets. I’m somewhat of a blanket hoarder. Perhaps in my former life I lived in Alaska. (Auntie Ellie and Auntie Be must think so to as they keep sending their hand-me-downs our way.)
And then comes pictures. I keep trying to get more organized but not only do I have a trillion photos piled into boxes, thanks to the digital age, we now have twice that amount crammed onto our computers, phones, and cameras. Each picture tells a story; it’s way too large a project for me to conquer alone today. And if I dare log onto the computer to organize photo albums, I’m doomed.
Same is true of the notebooks that I’ve filled with journal entries for, let me think, my whole life. I’ll snap the covers back onto those containers because odds are good that my family will be expecting dinner in a few hours.
Why do I treasure greeting cards so much? I like writing them, and I love receiving them. Thank-you’s are the best. Writing a thank you says more than thank you. It means we care. It completes the circle of gratitude. I don’t care how many under the bed containers we have in our house, there’s always room for the past in the future.
And then there’s the stash of stuff in the corner of my cellar marked “Nanc’s Nick-Nacks”, filled with my mother’s trinkets, probably not worth much in dollars, but they have a whole lot of value to me. Sometimes I dig in and grab something like a vase and swap it for something on the mantle. Or I swap a soap dish in the bathroom or a candle holder in the den, hers for ours. No one notices, but I do. They’re little treasures and they make me smile. Or sometimes they make me cry because I miss her so. Needless to say, I’m keeping these too.
I’m about to tackle organizing the crates of my daughters’ artwork and school papers that I’ve been collecting these past 15 years.
Wish me luck.
Jean Lanahan of Sagamore Beach chronicles the “chaotic joys” of life. Email her at jmmlana@aol.com
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Published in The Bourne Enterprise, January 19, 2012
Momma’s Journal: Too Much, Too Soon
by Jean M. Lanahan
Every place we turn, it’s there. Provocative clothing, inappropriate television shows, violent video games, offensive song lyrics, sexually advanced advertisements of skinny and scantily clad beautiful people, and sadly, it’s all marketed towards our kids.
With younger children it’s easier to control what they’re wearing, watching, or playing, because the parents are the consumers and decision makers - but as our kids get older, things change. It comes with the territory. Teens look toward their peers for their attention, admiration, and mostly, for their acceptance.
So what’s a teen to do? Comply, of course. Stay informed, involved, and for girls especially, it means dressing in style.
As a mother of two daughters, I’m horrified. They’re at an age where they want to go to the mall with friends to spend their hard-earned allowance or holiday gift cards (their favorite gifts of all) at the stores of their choice – at popular stores that have been scrutinized for marketing undergarments like thongs and pushup bras and bathing suits to tweens (and younger). A belly shirt on this rack, a peek-hole blouses on that rounder, and yoga pants with provocative writing across the butts on racks aside the undergarments display.
They are so itsy-bitsy, I can’t even call them undies never mind “sexy”.
It’s out of control. The marketing of “sexy” in clothing and cosmetics is big business, and I’ve watched as they target females at younger ages. And looking at kid’s text messages or Facebook posts, “sexy” has to be the most widely used adjective - and noun - these days.
But we’ve been warned. Experts have told us, “If we’re letting our kids watch shows where kids are in high school and they’re dating and dressing and acting advanced for their age, it’s likely that teen actors become their role models. Of course they youngsters want to walk and talk like their idols.”
But why are teens acting so old, so advanced, for their age, I ask?
And then there’s the television shows like “Teen Moms” and “Jersey Shores”, both are popular with teens, and both in my opinion, are way too provocative for minors to watch. My daughters try to convince me that “Teen Moms” shows only the negative aspects of becoming a mom at a young age. I disagree. They are being rewarded, recognized and given the spotlight for their actions.
I love the music but the content in “Glee”, not so sure. As for “Jersey Shores”, did these kids graduate from anything? I’ll say no more….
“Toddlers and Tiaras” has been in the spotlight, with critics arguing over the actions of moms dressing their kids like divas, or the current showing of a 3- year- old dressed as the prostitute character from the movie “Pretty Woman”. After watching an interview on the Anderson show, what sticks in my mind was the mention of “3 year old and sexy” in the same sentence. Imagine?!
I’m not an advocate of the whole beauty pageant scene. Applying cosmetics and “sexy” (for lack of a better description here) to little girls (some waxed and spray tanned) who are judged solely upon their appearance is not my idea of a fair or just competition. The mom in me automatically thinks about the losers of the pageant, or should I say the less than perfect participants that day. Yet another reason to help our children build self- esteem by reminding them that beauty shines from the inside out.
We need a collective effort to ensure that our kids aren’t growing up before their time. For the sake of our children, let’s hope it’s not too late.
Jean Lanahan of Sagamore Beach chronicles the “chaotic joys” of life.
(I'd love to hear your thoughts - Email me at jmmlana@aol.com)
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Jean M. Lanahan., Momma Jeana Productions
Author, Columnist, Enterpreneur,
and Momma Blogger....
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for visiting my website, my work in progress!
Be sure to check out Momma's Journal link, for recently published articles in local newspapers.
And please preview my book, "Enchanted Whispers" on Amazon. (I also have copies on hand....)
Have fun,
Jean Lanahan jmmlana@aol.com
Enchanted Whispers:
'Wit & Wisdom' from the Mouths of Babes
(and Momma Too)
By Jean Lanahan
A must read for the whole family!
ISBN: 1420872842
Publisher: Authorhouse, 5/3/06
Pages: 140
Genre: Families & relationships, Inspirational, Motherhood/humorous
Awesome gift for Mothers,
Mothers to be,
Daughters,
Grandmothers, Aunts, Godmothers, Sisters, Teachers, and Friends.......
Don't forget Christmas,
Valentine's Day,
Easter,
Mother's Day,
Birthdays,
and end of the year gift for teachers!
Reviews...From the back of the book"First time author Jean Lanahan takes us through a journey of awe, wonder and enthusiasm as we hear and feel her children’s Enchanted Whispers. In our need to hurry and get through life we forget how to honor our children and our own inner child. This book allows us all to remember and hold dear those precious moments of childhood….and parenthood… A must read for parents, grandparents, and anyone interested in staying young at heart."
Loretta LaRoche, Author of Life is Short Wear Your Party Pants; Inspirational Speaker/Humorist; Star of PBS
"As the mother of a 4-year old, I truly felt that Jean Lanahan captured on paper the enchanted world that children live in – their questions, their enthusiasm, and most of all their innocence. As with children, throughout the book it was the littlest snippets, the smallest phrases, and the slightest nuances that left the greatest impressions. A terrific read for anyone who wants to revel in, or even relive their childrens’ wonder years."
Diane Danielson – National Director, Downtown Women’s Club; Co-author of Table Talk: The Savvy Girl’s Alternative to Networking
LOOK WHO"S READING !!!
Liz, Mom, and Jackie read to crowd at Art From the Heart of Bourne Festival, February 23, 2008.
