Tag Archives: United States

Success! – Dealing with a child with behavioral issues: Total Transformation #16

Posted on April 30, 2013 | 13 Comments

Littlest Dude came home the other day with a big surprise.  With a huge smile on his face, he opened up the grand-daddy of “Good Kid” prizes from school… The sticker chart.

Now, this might sound silly, but both his brothers have won the “sticker chart” in the past.  Dude #1 won it twice.  For those of you who are not familiar with this marvel of modern teacher-hood, let me explain…

Each child in the grade is placed on a list on this big poster board.  Every day they are “super good” they get a sticker.  If you make the special list (I think it’s called “Qualified Student” –picked by the principle), you get three stickers for that day.  The first person to get 35 stickers wins.

Littlest Dude Won!  Can you believe it?

Hubbs burst into tears.  I slathered the little guy with hugs and kisses.  There was even a really nice encouraging note attached from his teacher.

We made a super big deal out of it, but we need to be careful, because Middle-Dude said, “You didn’t make this big a deal when I came home with straight “A’s”

Ugh… you can’t win, ya know?

We explained to Middle Dude that his brother was having such trouble, and that this was a HUGE deal. (Hey, it’s a huge deal even if you don’t have ADHD)

(And then I reminded him of that special shopping trip we went on to celebrate his grades… oh how soon they forget)

Anyway… Celebrations are NOT to be thwarted!  I’m off to go hang a sticker chart on Littlest’s wall.

Yay1!JenniFer_Eaton Sparkle__F

Related articles

→ 13 Comments

Posted in Total Transformation

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

No No NO! I Will NOT let this happen! – Dealing with a child with behavioral issues: Total Transformation #15

Posted on April 23, 2013 | 17 Comments

Big scare this week at bedtime as Middle Dude came and told me he was afraid again.  Apparently Littlest Dude threatened him (And I don’t even want to repeat what he said)

And it was over something really dumb.  An accident, and really really minor.

The training whirled around in my head until confusion took over.  I did manage to sit down and talk to Littlest Dude, but I really should have scrambled for my “8 Step” card, because I’m sure I screwed it up.

Ugh.

And the weird thing is, the next day everything was sugar and spice again.  I don’t expect perfection, but after living for a few months without fear, I didn’t like having that in my house again.

A few days later, there have been no more incidents, but Littlest and Middle Dude are fighting a lot.  Littlest is not flying off the handle like he used to, and I am sure to praise him all the time when he’s good, but when he forgets to step back and think over his new bag of tricks… oh, it is just not pleasant.

I have to remember that he is not “fixed”.  The ADHD is still there, and always will be.  I just have to keep coaching him until proper behavior is a “habit”.

We’re almost there, and I will fight tooth and nail to keep going down the right path.

JenniFer_Eaton Sparkle__F

Related articles

→ 17 Comments

Posted in Total Transformation

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

A mixed week – Dealing with a child with behavioral issues: Total Transformation #14

Posted on April 16, 2013 | 9 Comments

I took a scary step this week, but one that I wasn’t afraid of doing at all.  I cancelled my Parental Help Line.  This was my life-line to a specialist for one-on-one help when I didn’t know what to do.  I really didn’t need them anymore.

I told them “I have a new kid”, and I do.

I hope that I am not jinxing myself, but I can’t really justify the expense anymore.  I honestly only needed it for the first few weeks.  Once the program started kicking in, things started to change so fast that I rarely needed help.

Yesterday my husband called me at work frustrated because Littlest Dude would not listen to direction with his homework.  He said he finally just told him what to do and walked away.  When I got home, Littlest Dude had at least finished his homework, but he forgot a few periods at the ends of his sentences. Not too shabby.  We then sat together while he read a book to me, and we started studying for his Friday tests (Starting to study of Monday worked last week, so that’s our new norm).

Overall, he seemed fine for me.  (We’ll have to work on him being good for Daddy too)

Then Littlest Dude helped me make dinner.  I coated the chicken with egg, and he held the bag and then shook the breadcrumbs on the chicken.  Once it was in the oven, he asked if I wanted to work out… so he, 12-year-old Dude and I had a workout before dinner.  It was a really nice night. I will admit that he did push for an extra story at bedtime, and I caved.  I love that he’s being good, but I need to realize that he’s now using “good” to manipulate me into a later bedtime again.  I need to stick to the schedule so I have time for myself after I tuck him in.

Now that my nights are better, I need to try to help the days with my husband to be better.  Hubbs acknowledges that work is extremely stressful, and he’s not always in the greatest frame of mind to deal with Littlest Dude.  I can understand that – but part of the training is controlling YOURSELF in a bad situation, because kids with behavioral challenges take their triggers from you.

I have to admit that this is REALLY HARD – especially when you are faced with “outside” challenges that are out of your control.

Just something more to work on.

JenniFer_Eaton Sparkle__F

Related articles

→ 9 Comments

Posted in Total Transformation

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Are you in the Central Jersey Area? Author’ Panel Saturday

Posted on February 20, 2013 | 8 Comments

‘I’VE FINISHED MY FIRST DRAFT, NOW WHAT?’
Local authors share tips and information on getting published in today’s market (organized by the New Jersey Authors Network: http://www.njauthorsnetwork.com).

So you’ve finished the writing your book/story, or have you?

What (if any) revision work needs doing?


Where can you go for feedback?

How will you know when it’s ready to send out, and where should you try first?

Join New Jersey Authors, Jon Gibbs (moderator); Kristin Battestella; Karen Bostrom; Jennifer Eaton; Jim ‘JJ’ Lair, and Nicole Zoltack, for a fun, informative discussion on getting published in today’s market, and find out why typing ‘THE END’ is really just the beginning.

See you there for a great discussion!

JenniFer_Eaton Sparkle__F

→ 8 Comments

Posted in Author Advice, Author Interview

Tagged , , , , , ,

My First Speaking Appearance as an author!

Posted on February 14, 2013 | 19 Comments

Yeah, I’m quaking in my boots.

I’m also excited and hope to have a great time.  If anyone is in the Southern New Jersey area, I’d love it if you stopped by to say hi!

(I’ll take great vibes, too from those of you too far to travel) :-)

Saturday, February 16th, 1:00

Millville Public Library

“Love in the Afternoon”

→ 19 Comments

Posted in Author Interview

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

The Devastation of Hurricane Sandy – The cleanup is not over.

Posted on January 16, 2013 | 12 Comments

As many of you know, the lagoon in the backyard of the home that I grew up in rose about twenty feet during Hurricane Sandy.  Our house (where my sister currently lives) was spared  with about $30,000 worth of damage.  Her neighbors where not so lucky.  It’s unbelievable what a few inches of height in a foundation can do.

But we haven’t heard much about it lately, have we?  Yesterdays news, right?  Here are pictures that were taken just a few days ago, after the National Guard started letting people back in.

For many, the memory of Sandy is far from gone.

Related articles

→ 12 Comments

Posted in Senseless Ranting, Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , ,

I’ll be going through another round of Cancer surgery today.

Posted on January 10, 2013 | 36 Comments

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking… didn’t she already have skin cancer surgery?  Yes, I did. Twice. This is number three.

The first spot was on my ear.  I had a full body check and everything else was fine.  The next spot popped up less than a year later on my arm.  Same thing… the rest of my body was fine.  Last June, another odd little spot appeared on my leg, and here I am.

Are you ready for the rant to wear sunscreen?  Well here it is.  WEAR SUNSCREEN DERNIT!  Believe me.  It’s just not worth it.  Hey Australia – You guys should slather yourself with it all the time.  Here in the USA, most of us don’t even think of it in the winter, but the truth is, the sun is the sun no matter what time of year it is.  You can’t feel it because it is cold out, but believe me.  It’s still there, and it can still cause damage.

This mohs surgery will take between four to twelve hours.  Most take four to six hours.  My own dermatologist has already removed the visible cancer, but the scar is already showing signs of the original infection.  The surgeon will remove what he can see, test it, and if cancer shows up, he will come back and remove more… and test it.  This will go one for as long as it takes until they no longer find any traces of cancer… and Yes, unfortunately… I will be awake through the entire procedure.

Are you diving for your sunscreen yet?  I would be.

Slather on that SPF 30 or higher and be safe… and if you get a spare moment… pray that I caught this in time and I will only have to go through one round of this surgery.

→ 36 Comments

Posted in Senseless Ranting

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Yay! My First Character Interview! Jump into the head of Emily in Last Winter Red.

Posted on December 23, 2012 | 3 Comments

Are ya looking for Romancing Your E-Reader? 25 Ebooks Up for grabs! Click Here to Enter!

ChristmasFiligree

Oh My Gosh! I am so excited for today’s post because I’m not being interviewed today… my character Emily from Last Winter Red is being interviewed by Susan Rocan. I’ve never done this before, and I am so excited to sit down and get into her head, and answer questions from someone living in this century.

This was such a hoot! I really hope you enjoy it. Please hop on over and step into the mind of a woman who lives in my Dystopian world of Last Winter Red from the Make Believe Anthology.

Oh! And if you’d like to see Susan’s Review of Last Winter Red, you can check it out Here. Two for the price of one! Yay!

Enjoy!

ChristmasFiligree

Make BelieveFor The Love Of Christmas CoverWhy all the hullabaloo? Well, it’s to promote my two new releases “Make Believe” and “For the Love of Christmas”

That’s why!

And don’t forget to click on “Enter to Win” for a chance to win your choice of the two titles! Yay!

Oh, I almost forgot… A few random commentors along the tour path will win their choice of anthologies, too. So be sure to hop on over and say “Hi”

ChristmasFiligree

Hop on over and send me some love!

Click on over to see Emily’s interview on Mywithershins

ChristmasFiligree

Visit my Anthology buddies! They are celebrating too!

Jenny Keller Ford

J.A. Belfield

Kelly Said

Lynda R. Young

Terri Rochenski

Janelle Lee

Dani-Lyn Alexander

JenniFer_EatonF

Related articles

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Author Interview

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

A Devilish Combination – working the tour buddy style

Posted on December 1, 2012 | 8 Comments

What’s it really like getting your stuff out there for the first time?   Was the experience different for me than others?  What’s the promotion been like?  Who’s sweeter, me or J.K. Ford?

All these questions and more are featured on Julie Catherine’s blog today in a combination interview with myself and Jenny Keller Ford.

Please hit a like below so I know you were here, and hop on over to Julie Catherine’s so Jenny and I don’t get lonely.

Oh Yeah!   During the blog tour through the month of December, I will be giving away ebook copies of the Make Believe anthology to random commenters both here, and commenters along the road.

The more you comment, the more chances you have to win.

http://juliecatherinevigna.wordpress.com/2012/11/30/muse-sings-december-2012-special-feature-giveaway/

See Ya there!

ChristmasFiligree

Make BelieveFor The Love Of Christmas CoverWhy all the hullabaloo? Well, it’s to promote my two new releases “Make Believe” and “For the Love of Christmas”

That’s why!

And don’t forget to click on “Enter to Win” for a chance to win your choice of the two titles! Yay!

Oh, I almost forgot… A few random commentors along the tour path will win their choice of anthologies, too. So be sure to hop on over and say “Hi”

ChristmasFiligree

Hop on over and send me some love!

ChristmasFiligree

Visit my Anthology buddies!  They are celebrating too!

Jenny Keller Ford

J.A. Belfield

Kelly Said

Lynda R. Young

Terri Rochenski

→ 8 Comments

Posted in Interviews

Tagged , , , , ,

Exerpt from my work in progress “Une Variante”

Posted on November 11, 2012 | 8 Comments

Along with editing Fire in the Woods, I’ve also stepped into a new genre for me. Une Variante is a paranormal set in the present day. Yeah, kind of an odd choice for me, but the idea hit me while driving a few months ago, and it’s been “calling me”. You know what I mean?

So here’s a random six-ish sentences. I scrolled to a random page, counted down five lives, and here you have it. In this scene, Jason and Amanda are returning home after their wedding. Enjoy!

(By the way… don’t look for paranormal here. There’s nothing paranormal in this scene.) :-)

“Don’t drop me!” Amanda said, clinging to her husband’s shoulders as he carried her up the walkway to their new home.

He propped her on one knee. “I’m trying not to.”

“I can walk you know.”

“Nope,” he said, fumbling with the keys. “I’m gonna carry you over the threshold if it kills me.”

“I’m more worried about it killing me.”

So, how do you like my quirky newlyweds?

Their honeymoon is about to take an unexpected twist

Related articles

→ 8 Comments

Posted in Six Sentence Sunday

Tagged , , ,