Once Upon a Child's Heart

2026 Note: My dad passed away 12 years ago this month.  My mom passed away just last month.  This story feels more important to me now than ever.  It also reminds me of the picture book "The Hardest Word: A Yom Kippur Story" that I will definitely be busting out to read with my students next year.  The story I share below demonstrates just how hard the words "I'm sorry" can be for some people.  I only remember my dad apologizing to me two times in my life, and they were profound moments for me.  He was a big, strong Marine who rarely saw the need.  But I can tell you, as a parent with 2 adult children and 1 middle schooler, that practicing the art of apologizing has only strengthened my relationship with my kids and modeled this skill to them.  If this is not something you are adept at as a parent, I highly recommend you start practicing. Kristen

A new year is well underway! I am so excited to be in 2014. This year, I want to laugh more with my boys, get fit, write more consistently, and speak about storytelling. These goals sound simple enough—but when I really think about what it will take to follow through, I feel a little terrified. The voices creep in: You can’t write. No one wants to hear what you have to say. You’re not a warm, fuzzy mom. You’re lazy. You don’t have time. Your body is too far gone. Your spelling makes you look incompetent. You aren’t fun or entertaining. Maybe something is wrong with you. It’s the past that haunts me most. As a storyteller, every time someone finds a mistake in my writing, I feel pulled back to childhood—sitting in a classroom, being corrected in front of everyone, feeling small and incapable. I remember thinking my sister was the writer, the funny one, the entertainer. And as a mother, I replay my own shortcomings like a film I can’t turn off. But this is a new year. And in 2014, I am...