Diane Overgard

Can There Be Joy During Divorce?

That's a fair question! The question was asked last month in the Joy During Divorce? coaching call. "Can I really FIND JOY these days, or is it just making life ‘not-so-bad' for awhile?" I've been thinking about that question ever since, and trying t... Read >

Mom is Dating? Are You Kidding Me?

Kicking, screaming, and crying. Is this typical pre-date behavior at your house? And then what do your children do? Of course I'm joking, but any single parent knows that dating can be stressful. I believe that the best parenting plan for us is to date... Read >

Party Line Relationships

I know I'm showing my age here, but I recall the day the big black wall telephone was installed in the living room of my house. My phone number was "North 3156" and the neighbors used the same "party line." Picking up the phone it was common to hear Myrtl... Read >

Is My Teenager Good At Anything Besides X-Box?

What are you good at? In a recent workshop with parents of teenagers we started out by playing with toys. We had yo-yos, playdough, Etch-A-Sketches, paddle-balls, spinning tops, and an assortment of maze games. There was laughter and people getting acquai... Read >

Mommy, I Miss My Old Carpeting!

When my daughter was 3 years old, we moved from Minnesota to Illinois. It wasn't so far. We were still in the Midwest. We relocated into a brand new house, quite a bit larger than the one we had left. I expected that the move for a 3 year old would be eas... Read >

Talking With Teenagers

Dad! Can we talk? When was the last time you heard that question from your teenager? If you're having a tough time remembering a situation where your teen actually chose to talk with you, well, you're not alone. This is one of the most common frustrati... Read >

How Can I Deal With the Pain of Divorce?

Divorced. How did this happen in my life? We were the couple other people tried to copy. So many years. A family sitting together in church. Great kids. Beautiful home. Successful careers. Fun vacations. Ended. You're reading this article that has the ... Read >

Those Summer Days

I can still hear the sound of red-winged blackbirds singing as i pulled my rusty old wagon down the path to the woods. When I got to "my" crabapple tree I would unpack my wagon... a ragged blanket to cover the thistles, three or four of my best pals (... Read >

Teenagers

Rude teenagers! Poor grades! Talking back! Out of control teens! The teen years may be challenging but teens are also funny, interesting, caring, loving, and committed people! When parents understand behaviors that are part of the normal process of gro... Read >

Children's Mistakes

Untitled Document Peter was a fisherman, originally named Simon, whom Jesus chose to be one of his followers. An impulsive personality, Peter was prone to making mistakes. Several of Peter's blunders are recorded in the Bible books of... Read >