breaking family patterns Archives

A Thousand Little Conversations

February 17, 2020February 17, 2020 Veronica Beck 4 Comments alcoholism, breaking family patterns, breaking generational patterns, intergenerational healing, talking about hard things with kids

“Mommy was in jail,” Etta casually announced, as she swung her feet on the exam table in the doctor’s office during her annual checkup. At eight years old, Etta is a tall girl, in the 95th percentile for height. And, apparently, somewhere in the bottom 5% for tact.

Parenting Poetry and Other Life Stuff

Talking About Barbara

November 23, 2019February 21, 2020 Veronica Beck 9 Comments breaking family patterns, breaking generational patterns, compassion for yourself as a parent, family history of suicide, mental health, talking about hard things with kids, talking to your kids about suicide

“I’m sad today,” I said to my kids.

I didn’t want it to be a big deal. I wanted it to be like one of Kate’s thousand little conversations, casually mentioned and repeated over time so that the lesson gradually and naturally sinks in.

But a thousand little conversations have to start somewhere.