No Meeting Sept 3, 2016 Posted by:Jenn--Wednesday, August 31, 2016

NO PSST MEETING ON SATURDAY, SEPT 3, 2016!!  

(Our normal location will be unavailable that day.)

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND!!

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International Overdose Awareness Day Posted by:Jenn--Wednesday, August 31, 2016

August 31^st is International Overdose Awareness Day.  According to the official website, International Overdose Awareness Day is held annually to:

• raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of a drug-related death.
• acknowledge the grief felt by families and friends remembering those who have met with death or permanent injury as a result of drug overdose.
• spread the message that the tragedy of overdose death is preventable.

The website also provides information on overdose symptoms, an overdose-awareness app, and a place to post tributes to those who have died.

Dr. William R. Morrone, a board certified pain physician, tells us that “Nearly 80 people will die today from a preventable, opioid-related overdose.  That’s more than 28,000 Americans who die annually from our opioid abuse epidemic.”  In his article titled Overcoming Overdose: Raising Awareness through Action, Dr. Morrone shares his goals of slowing the prescribing and proliferation of non-medical opioid drugs, as well as spreading awareness and access to naloxone, the medication that can save the life of someone overdosing on opioids. 

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Who is the Big Dog in your car? Featured Technique: use the brake pedal. Big Dog Part II Posted by:Lloyd Woodward--Saturday, August 20, 2016

(This article was originally posted 3/29/2010.  It's just as appropriate today!)

I don't know why what happens inside cars are so important. I just know that what happens inside PSST cars is very important.

The car is an intimate place. We are all crowded together. And we don't usually just get mad and walk away, although that can happen. Usually we are committed to remain together until we reach our destination.

Unless we own guns, the car is the most powerful thing we own or operate. It is a deadly piece of equipment. The car is the most dangerous place to which any of us go. Therefore, the dog who takes control of the car-situation is, in fact, the dog that is in control.

It doesn't just mean the dog who is driving, but it does mean the dog who is "driving things." That dog is in control of not only the car but also he is the leader of the pack. Otherwise, why would he be the one in control when we are at our most dangerous and in someways intimate place? Instinctively, teenagers know this.

Think of a pack of dogs. Suddenly they are in danger. They are attacked by enemies. Who takes charge of things when the pack is in danger? Exactly.

Now think of your family. Who gets mad and starts arguments in the car? Who controls the car radio? Who controls where he sits or where other people sit? Be honest. Far too many times we adults abrogate that "dog-in-charge" role to our teenagers. They call "shotgun." They choose that to which everyone will listen. They choose the car-time to pick arguments, almost as if they know how vulnerable the adults are since they will sometimes do anything to NOT argue in the car.

For example, how dare you try to control your own radio? Who do you think you are? Don't you know that music is important to your teenager? Don't you know that only he, not any other other family members, understand music? Don't you know that your teen just HAS to hear that song again. I mean they really care about it don't they? You on the other hand can hear your NPR or old-people music anytime you are in your car! You don't have to listen to it now, not when they need to hear that one song!

Part of what is going on is that we are all crowded into a small place. If you crowd dogs into a small place there is a good chance that the pack hierarchy will be evident real fast.

Here's the thing to consider. Whoever is the Top Dog when they get out of that car - that dog is going to act like they are the Top Dog everywhere else too. This is a good and a bad thing. It is a bad thing because our teenagers are more aggressive when it comes to calling Shot Gun, controlling the radio, and starting arguments.

However, it is a good thing because once we understand how important it is, we can control our own car! Especially, we can control our own car if we are driving. How? Easy! We have a secret weapon in the car, one that we probably very rarely use. It's call the Brake Pedal and it's on the floor right next to the accelerator!

We can use our secret weapon anytime to demonstrate that we are indeed in charge of our own car. We can stop arguments just by stopping the car (pull over first of course) and calmly stating that "we won't be going anywhere until things are quiet in here." Just let them know that it needs to be quieter in order for you to operate the car safely.

The first or second time you do this it might take five or ten minutes for things to settle down and for the other family members to "get it" that you are in charge of your own car. Once they "get it" they will settle down real fast. If there is one thing teens hate, it's just sitting still in a parked car along the road. They hate it ten times more than you hate it.

Of course, there is going to be some sulking once things quiet down. Sulking is important. It's actually a submissive posture and so TRANSLATED the sulking means: "Oh, so you're in charge now? Great. That sucks." It means you've won for the moment. You've established that you are in charge; all too soon the sulking will pass. Allow yourself to enjoy the small victory, don't allow yourself to be consumed by guilt that you had to exert a little leadership and pressure on the teens. It will pass soon and you will remain the Top Dog of your car if you consistently apply your secret weapon.

By the way, it really is not safe to argue in the car anyway.

As to the radio, you may not need your secret weapon for this. Just turn it off. Say something like:

Mom: No, not right now. [Turning off the radio.]

Daughter: I HAVE to hear that one song! [Turning radio back on.]

Mom: No, not right now. [Turning off the radio.]

Daughter: MOM! I have to hear that!

TRANSLATED: "I am in charge here, not you!"

Mom: No, not right now. [Turning off the radio.]

TRANSLATED: "You just think you are in charge- but you are mistaken- I am in charge."

Once you start this battle you must win. You must win it everytime. Otherwise don't even start the argument because if you start to do battle and then you give in- you have just agreed that they are the Top Dog. Better to act like you don't care about it if you are not prepared to win.

If necessary, and usually for the radio it will not be necessary, you have your secret weapon that we already discussed. Just pull over and state that the car won't go until the radio is off and it better stay off!

Be the Top Dog in your car and you will find that your pack still thinks of you as the Top Dog when you are not in your car. Afterall, if you can control the MOST DANGEROUS situation, you can control the other situations. If you can't then you'll be treated as though you are not the Top Dog. You might even be seen as the puppy-dog driver.

Continuing: Next Part III on how to be the Top Dog.

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More about Boundaries - or - Mom, Can I Borrow Your Car? Posted by:Jenn--Monday, July 18, 2016

Lloyd originally created this post on March 14, 2012.  The topic of how to deal with your teen using your car while s/he is not behaving responsibly (using drugs, for example) is one that resurfaces regularly in our parents' group meetings.  This article provides some excellent insights on how to address that problem.   Jenn 


We have talked at PSST many times about the "Agree with One or Two Things First" technique.  This is the technique where you look for things to agree on when you are discussing a contentious topic with your teenager, instead of automatically looking for the reasons why your teen’s reasons, expectations or demands are irrational (or even downright ridiculous).  Finding a way to agree with our teenagers can help to defuse a potentially explosive situation, reinforce our boundaries, and model adult behavior, while taking steps to build greater intimacy with our teens.

A PSST mother once offered me the best reason why more parents don’t adopt this technique more readily.  "I want to be genuine. This doesn't feel genuine."

That's right. This approach will not feel genuine. In fact, let's face it – it feels phony. I don't have a good response for that one.

Any approach that is new will feel phony. The only thing that is going to feel genuine is the same old approach (and I might add, the same old approach that has NOT been working). Add to that the fact that the "Agree with One or Two Things First" technique purposely leaves some things out of the conversation until later, which of course adds to the feeling of being phony.

Keep these 3 things in mind: 

1. Keep to your boundaries. Don't mislead, don't over-agree. Just agree with a "slice" of what your teenager is saying and don't offer too much agreement if it would take you outside of your comfort zone.

For example, if he is excited about getting his license at age 18, and is pressuring you about letting him drive your car, agree that being 18 is a BIG deal. Agree that driving is really fun.  Agree that having a license and not having a car to drive would be really frustrating. Agree – if you believe it – that he will eventually become a good driver

If you're not sure about that last one, then don't offer it. Be careful however not to agree that he needs to have access to a car as part of growing up, because unless you agree with that, it's not only phony but it's misleading and deceitful.

2. When you are pressured to give an answer – give one. That is the perfect time to not pull any punches. If you stick to your boundaries, what could be more genuine?

Teen: So, you're saying that as soon as I get my license, you’ll let me drive your car?

Mom: Well, I'm not comfortable saying that.

Teen: Well that's what you and Dad have been promising me for months!

Mom: We have?

Teen: Yeah, you said that I could get my license, and then I could drive your car.

Mom: You are right, we did agree with you that once you turned 18, you could get your driver’s license on your own.  We knew that you wouldn’t even need any help from us to do that.

Teen: So, that means you'll let me drive your car, right?  After all, what good is a license if I can’t even drive?

Mom: Yes, I see you're point and it's a good one – if I agreed with you that you could get your license when you turned 18, then why wouldn't I want to let you drive my car?

Teen: Yeah, exactly!

Mom: I'm sorry. I think I misled you. But I'm really happy that you are bringing this up so we can talk about it. I think it's important for me to be clear with you about this.

Teen: OK? So? What? Tell me already!

Mom: I have a little problem with this part.

Teen: What?

Mom: You're not going to like my answer because it's not the answer that you are looking for, and we know that it's a big challenge for you to hear an answer that you don't like. A huge challenge especially because this driving thing is going to be so important for you.

Teen: I knew it. You were just lying! You were never planning to let me drive your car at all. There's no sense in us talking about this anymore.

Mom: Yeah, this is going to be a tough one for you. Let's talk about it later - good idea.

Teen: I already know what you're going to say anyway.

Mom: Yes, I've noticed that.

Teen: Noticed what?

Mom: You're very good at predicting what your dad and I are going to say about things. You know us really well and even when we don't want to come right out and say something, maybe because we fear that it will upset you- you still do an excellent job of "reading" us.

Teen: See, I knew you wouldn't let me drive your car.

Mom: You're right.  And you probably know exactly why we feel that way too.  I bet none of our reasons would surprise you.

In summary, try to think of the "not genuine" issue as being more an issue of timing. You're just giving him the same information while you continue to agree with a lot of the stuff that he is saying- but your boundary is that you are Not Comfortable with him driving your car just because he got his license, and that does not change.

3. Buy some time for yourself. You don't have to know exactly what to say as soon as your teen pressures you.

Teen: So, I can drive your car as soon as I get my license, right?

Mom: Wow! Good question. I'm not sure what to say about that one.

Teen: What does that mean?

Mom: Well, you just surprised with that question, that's all.

Teen: Why? I’ve been telling you for months, that as soon as I turned 18, I was going to get my driver’s license.  So of course I need a car to drive!

Mom: I wasn't even thinking of it that way – I mean with you disappearing from our house for days at a time, being truant from school on a regular basis, and not testing clean on your drug tests, I just didn't even think that was something you’d be expecting.

Teen: Well, that’s ridiculous!  Why would I even get a license if I can’t drive your car?

Mom: Yeah, well that’s a good question.

Teen (changing tactics): I think it would be good for me to have a car to drive.

Mom: How's that?

Teen: Well, if I have something to look forward to, like driving your car, I could probably be more responsible and, you know, I could stay off drugs better if thought you'd take the car off me anytime I tested dirty.

Mom: Oh, so what you're saying is that if you had a car to drive, that would be the answer to a lot of the troubles we've been having?

Teen: Exactly. So can I?

Mom: Oh I really don't know about all that, but what you say is interesting and I have to tell you son, I have never looked at it that way before.

Teen: What do you mean?

Mom: Well, I've only thought of you driving my car as another problem-area; I've never ever thought of you having a car as a solution to a problem.

Teen: You can count on me!  I’ll go to school every day.  I’ll stick around on weekends.  And I will definitely stop using drugs.

Mom: I’m so glad you understand the behavior that we expect from you.

Teen: So, I can do it then, right?

Mom: You want an answer right now on that?

Teen: Yeah.

Mom: Just like that?

Teen: Just like that. I'm tired of having to wait all the time for answers.

Mom: It's true. It's seems like most of the time all the adults in your life are saying, "I'll get back to you on that one." That's got to be frustrating.

Teen: It is. So, just tell me already, before I get really mad.

Mom: OK, well [moving in closer and lowering her voice.] As much as I like your courage for even suggesting that driving my car could be an answer to our problems, I'd have to say it would be a cold day in hell before I let you drive my car anytime soon. Ok? That straight up enough for you?

Teen: Why not? Give me one good reason!

Mom: Ok. But you are so good at reading us you probably know what I'm going to say.

Teen: You're going to say I have to prove that I'm responsible first before you trust me with all that responsibility of driving your car.

Mom: Wow!

Teen: Wow what?

Mom: You just said it better than I could. Nice going. You just surprised me again!

Teen: I'm not stupid.

Mom: I completely agree, Son.  You are not stupid.  You know exactly what we expect from you.

Teen (storming off): There’s no use even talking to you!


Note: All this started because Mom said, "I'm not sure what to say." It's OK to not know what to say all the time and while we parents feel that way a lot, we rarely say it to our teenagers. Now, ask yourself, what could be more genuine? Also, it's a paradoxical thing that as soon as you say, "I'm not sure what to say about that" a response starts forming in your brain and soon you have lots to say about that!

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Make Your Voice Heard Posted by:Jenn--Thursday, June 16, 2016

In March 2016, as part of wider Administration efforts to expand access to treatment for people with mental health and substance use disorders, President Obama authorized creation of the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Task Force. The Task Force will focus key Federal agencies on the work of ensuring that Americans receive the coverage and treatment that they need.  More information on the task force can be found here.   

The Task Force wants to hear from patients, families, consumer advocates, health care providers, insurers, and other stakeholders on their experiences and/or difficulties with accessing mental health and substance use services and coverage.  Share your comments, experiences, and recommendations with the Task Force. Or, submit your comments by sending an email to parity@hhs.gov.  The Task Force will present its findings and recommendations in a report to the President by October 31, 2016.

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Risks of Early Drug Use Posted by:Jenn--Saturday, May 28, 2016

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) reports the following:

• People who began using addictive substances before age 15 are nearly 7 times likelier to develop a substance problem than those who delay first use until age 21 or older
• Every year that substance use is delayed during the period of adolescent brain development, the risk of addiction and substance abuse decreases

Can making a pact with your child encourage him/her to stay off drugs?  Jim Huger, founder of Parents and Children Together (PACT), believes that it can.  Click here to read about his proactive rewards-based approach to keeping children off drugs.

This post is not intended to be a recommendation for subscribing to the service that Jim Huger created, since at this time I am not personally aware of anyone using it.  Instead, it presents a concept that could be of interest to many parents of pre-teens and teens. 
  

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May 21st PSST meeting CANCELLED Posted by:Jenn--Monday, May 16, 2016

Due to scheduling conflicts, there will NOT be a PSST meeting on Saturday, May 21st in Greentree.

Please consider joining us for our next meeting on Saturday, June 4 in Wilkinsburg!

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Thanks for the Memories! Posted by:Jenn--Thursday, April 21, 2016

                    The cake says it all . . .  

Thanks for your support, wisdom and guidance over the years! 

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Good Luck, Abby! Posted by:Jenn--Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Come join us at the next PSST meeting, to wish Abby success in whatever her future brings her - she is moving to Colorado!!

Our meeting will be on Saturday, April 16, at the usual location for that date (Sts Simon and Jude Church on Greentree Road).

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Are You Making any of these Mistakes? Posted by:Jenn--Tuesday, February 02, 2016

Click here to read an article by Cathy Taughinbaugh about the common mistakes that parents make when they realize their child is using drugs.  This is not a list meant to “shame” parents!  They are called “common” mistakes because they are the kind of things that parents instinctively do, often with the best of intentions, but sometimes unknowingly.  So let’s start by identifying those actions/thoughts.  By perusing this list, parents (and other loved ones) may realize that they need to start (or stop) doing certain things, because those actions may be hurting themselves, as well as their relationship with their child.

Here are a few examples from the list:

• Feeling that your child’s drug use is a teen rite of passage that they will grow out of.
• Continuing to worry constantly about things you can’t control and making yourself miserable.
• Feeling guilty for something you didn’t cause.
• Never praising or rewarding for what your child does right, because after all, he is using drugs.
• Not allowing your child to take responsibility for the consequences of their use.
• Waiting too long to get outside help, because you think you can handle it.

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It's Only Pot Posted by:Jenn--Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Today’s parents may have mixed thoughts about their teenagers' use of marijuana.  They may have personal memories of smoking pot when they were growing up, or they may have had friends who smoked, yet all of them (well, most of them) grew up to be responsible adults.  So why don’t their children deserve this same rite of passage, while their parents “look the other way”?

To add to this dilemma that parents face, the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana in various states raises even more questions about what behavior is acceptable.

Click here for an article by Dr. Jim Mastrich, who discusses the significantly increased potency of today’s marijuana, and the implications of that for the teenagers who are using it.  Below is a quote from the article:

High school kids who are “experimenting” with today’s marijuana are much less likely to know how to manage the effects of such a powerful substance and are likely to bite off more than they can chew.

Click here for an article that discusses the impact of the decriminalization of marijuana on current attitudes about the drug.  Many experts believe that use of marijuana will increase significantly if people believe that it’s safe for anyone to use.  A quote from the article:

People forget that marijuana can be addictive. It actually changes the physical chemistry within your brain.

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Kratom - the Trendy New High? Posted by:Jenn--Thursday, January 07, 2016

Remember when synthetic marijuana, also called K2 or Spice, was all the rage?  And it turned out to be a hallucinogen that was eventually banned under federal law? 

There’s a new kid on the block called kratom, an herbal supplement that may be brewed and served in drinks, or purchased as a powder in convenience stores or on the internet.  Click here to read an article from the New York Times that describes the emergence of this new drug.  Below is a quote from this article:

 “Some users embrace kratom as a natural painkiller and benign substitute for more dangerous substances that, in most states, is legal. But its growing popularity and easy availability are raising concerns among substance abuse experts and government officials who say it is being furtively marketed as a way out of addiction, even though it is itself addictive. Worse, some of those experts say, kratom can lead some addicts back to heroin, which is cheaper and stronger.”

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Stop the Stinkin’ Thinkin’ Posted by:Jenn--Thursday, December 31, 2015

AA warns the alcoholic about the stinkin’ thinkin’ that can lead a person to relapse.  But this type of negative self-talk is not reserved exclusively for alcoholics or drug addicts.  Negative thought patterns can lead the average person to self-pitying, self- destructive behaviors.  How can we escape the downward spiral?  Click here to read an excellent article about how to tame your inner critic.

The author of the article suggests an approach to achieving Learned Optimism, "where you dispute and refuse to allow negative self-appraisals to influence your decisions and actions. You, instead, will come to expect positive outcomes." 

What a wonderful message to start us out on the right path for the new year!

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Finding Inner Peace and Joy During the Holidays Posted by:Jenn--Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Feeling stressed out as the holidays approach?  You haven’t finished buying gifts for your family, the store didn’t have that perfect sweater in your spouse’s size, you dropped your phone and the screen broke, the garbage disposal ground to a halt, you already got a credit card bill that was twice what you were expecting, you just had a big fight with your mother-in-law, and the big project you are working on at work is giving you major headaches . . . what else could go wrong?

First of all, just breathe.

Now, consider the following tips, from the Positivity Blog:

1. Slow down.

2. Appreciate the little things instead of focusing on perfection.

3. Give a bit of joy to someone else.

4. Focus on what is most valuable.

5. Just accept how you feel right now.

For more detail about these tips, please click here.

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NO Parkway East closure during the PSST 12th Anniversary / Holiday Celebration !! Posted by:Jenn--Monday, November 23, 2015

Good News!! 

Pittsburgh's Parkway East will now be OPEN during the weekend of Dec 4-6.   The closure is now slated for the following weekend (to prepare for the Greenfield Bridge implosion).

It is likely that Penn DOT delayed the closure so that it would not interfere with our PSST annual holiday celebration at the Wilkinsburg location.  Thank you, Penn DOT!

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PSST 12th Anniversary / Holiday Celebration Posted by:Jenn--Saturday, November 14, 2015

The PSST 12^th Anniversary / Holiday Celebration will be held on Saturday, Dec 5, 2015 at our Wilkinsburg meeting.  Invitees include all PSST parents (both current attendees and alumni), in addition to all Wesley Spectrum therapists and Juvenile Probation staff who have been part of the PSST family.  

Please put the date on your calendar, and plan to join us!  Feel free to bring a food item to share - in the past, attendees have brought holiday goodies, pastries, a hot breakfast/brunch item, fruit, crackers & cheese, chips & dips, etc.

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Opioid Overdose Myths Posted by:Jenn--Thursday, November 12, 2015

What should you do when someone overdoses after using opioids (e.g. heroin)?  Sometimes figuring out what NOT to do can be as important as what TO do.  Below are a few of the common myths regarding opioid overdoses.  For more myths, along with explanations of why they are bad ideas, click here.  

• Let them sleep it off?   Never!
• Put them in the shower or bath?  No!
• Once they are breathing again, don't worry, they’ll be OK?   No!

The same website gives the following recommendations for what you SHOULD do if you think that someone is overdosing on opioids.

• Call 911
• Give rescue breathing
• Give Narcan/naloxone, if available
• Never leave the person – wait for help

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2015 Parent of the Year Speech Posted by:Jenn--Saturday, October 31, 2015

Earlier this month, our own Allegheny County parents of the year were honored at the Juvenile Justice Week awards ceremony in Pittsburgh. It was heart-warming to see them accompanied by their son, as well as by several of their supportive family members.

Click on "Read more . . ." (below) to read their well-received speech and to see more photos from the event. 

My name is Tracey and this is Scott and we are here tonight to humbly accept the award for Allegheny County parents of the year.

When Lloyd Woodward, my son’s probation officer and head of the parenting group that we go to - PSST (parent survival skills training) - told us on a conference call that we had been nominated, we had polar opposite reactions. His was, Oh, no no no no no and I said  “Yes”!.

He said no, because we are surrounded by a team of incredible people; Lloyd, Kathie, Abby, Justin and every parent from our PSST group that laughed, cried, supported, advised and empowered us from our first meeting until tonight.

I said, “yes”! because I am grateful for the gifts that this group has given to us and what we have become thru this program.

With their help, we gained the knowledge, confidence and skills to enable us to learn enough to help our son to become a man that he - and we - can be proud of.

When your child chooses the wrong path, you feel many things: hopelessness, failure, fear, anger and guilt. You look for help and if you are fortunate enough in an unfortunate situation, you are paired with people that rally around you in a way that takes some of those feelings away.

You are no longer alone. If I had been lucky enough to meet these people earlier on, I don’t feel that our situation would’ve spiraled so far out of control for my family, because the knowledge that we have gained has changed us so much.

My son first got into trouble at 15. If I knew then what I know now, he would still be chained in my basement with just enough slack to do laundry. At that point, it was just the two of us living together with his dad living close by. We were newly divorced and couldn’t put our own feelings aside to help our son. We both blamed each other for our “polar opposite” parenting styles. We were so wrong.  Do you know how I now know that? Our son continued to get into more trouble. It became more than “call an attorney” trouble. It became “find a direct line to Jesus trouble”.

Wesley Spectrum, Lloyd Woodward, Michael Santicola, and Judge Tranquili stepped, or should I say, “jumped in”. That is when we started with meetings with Wesley Spectrum and what led us to PSST.

Our son was placed in Shuman (where he learned to value clothes that fit and shoes that cover all of your feet). From there he went to Abraxas (where he learned that whichever way you choose to run in any direction, you will get nowhere). And then to Liberty Station (where he learned that maybe my mom’s cooking isn’t so bad) to Glen Mills schools (where he learned that it can be beneficial to tuck your shirt in and keep your pants pulled up). Please know that this is an attempt at humor of what Jake has learned throughout his multiple placements. You don’t take a tour from Shuman to Glen Mills without making more mistakes though and without learning where you do not want to be.

Time will tell for all of us. Is our son perfect yet? The answer is no. Are we? His parents? Well, we are getting this award. J I do know that he continues to learn and so do we, with every meeting, every text, and every email that we share with “Team Jake”, as Kathie penned us at the very beginning. Team Jake consists of others of whom I have to mention; my sister Pam, who has loved my son as her own since he was born and throughout his time in facilities has provided him with letters, love, support and enough books to fill a library. And my Mother Jean, who has loved him so fiercely and who would never let me give up on my son.

I guess I should also thank my son’s father for what he has become throughout these last few years. He has shown a level of commitment and love to our son that I have not seen duplicated.  It took a lot of work to get us to this point and I am lucky to have him as the one to have walked this tightrope with me and as the father of my children.

I could not have done this without the support of those 3 either.

If I may go back, 5 minutes after that congratulatory call from Lloyd, I called my sister Jennifer to tell her and of course I downplayed “parent of the year” because to me that said that I had done an exemplary job at parenting and that could not be further from the truth, but Jen, who is a social worker in Cleveland, said to me, “Hey, it’s easy to parent a good kid.” And that said to me that sometimes, you just need to do the best that you can with what has been given to you and created by you, and to recognize when what you have previously done that hasn’t worked and that has led to your situation needs to be fixed. Hopefully, this is now the path that we are all on.

In closing, an old African proverb states, “It takes a village to raise a child”. All of you are my village and I am forever grateful. 

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If you Want to Send a Note . . . Posted by:Jenn--Wednesday, October 14, 2015

We’ve been hearing from a number of people who cannot make it to Lloyd’s retirement celebration this coming Saturday, but would like a way to send their personal well-wishes to Lloyd.  If anyone wants to write a note for me to print out & include with a group card for Lloyd, please email to Jenn at psst.jenn.brad@gmail.com by noon on Friday, Oct 16^th.

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Lloyd is Retiring! Posted by:Jenn--Monday, October 12, 2015

Even when you know a change has been coming for some time, somehow it’s still a mini-shock when the change actually happens.

Lloyd has decided to retire, and this Saturday will be his last PSST meeting (Greentree).  We invite all PSST parents, current & past, to come to our meeting on Saturday at 9am to wish Lloyd our congratulations & best wishes in this new & exciting stage of his life’s journey.

P.S.  There will be cake, of course!

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