Kissing Booth

The Hands That Wait....

I love watching a kid who will try something they are not sure about because they are not afraid of "getting it wrong" even if they do. There is a balance between my child being teachable and me trying to "over teach him" so that he get's it right. Spilling milk a few times is a better teacher than me doing it for him or correcting him again every time he spills.

One day, he said "mom I'll learn faster if I try".Yep.The best and hardest thing I trained myself to do when he would spill, or whatever mistake he was learning from, was to not react at all. I would just say "oh do you need a towel? " If needed I helped out a few times when he was little always making sure he could see it was no big deal.

Yesterday, after eating at Baja Fresh, he was cleaning up and spilled a container of Guacamole while trying to get it into the garbage. It splattered everywhere! He kept right on talking to his friends while getting some napkins, then bent down and cleaned it all up without missing a beat. He did not ask his friends to help or expect someone else to do it. One of the staff started to go over to help and I asked if he would please let my son continue on his own. He understood. I watched from the door way. He never looked for approval or disapproval. He just cleaned it up without a big deal. I really liked watching him take responsibility, but I also did not make a deal out of it, because it was the norm as it should be. He would have thought it weird if I had said “good job buddy”. He already knew it was his job.

Heroes, Hamburgers, and a Perfect Day!!

While driving to a little hot spot in Los Feliz to grab a burger, my husband, son and I noticed the Dodger bus right in front of the restaurant. We quickly parked, went in, and waited to be seated, hoping the whole time that maybe one of my son's and husband's heroes might be close by. As I went in to say hi to a friend who worked there, I looked over at my husband to see if we had our table yet. His eyes were popping out of his head and he was mouthing... JEFF KENT... BEHIND YOU!!

Now I have no idea what Jeff Kent looks like but I certainly know the name. I ought to. My son's fish is named Jeff Kent and at one time half his stuffed animals were named Jeff Kent. There are Dodger posters, Dodger balls, Dodger bobble heads, including one of J.K., Dodger everything from one end of my son’s room to the other. He and his dad have been going to Dodger games since he was 10 months old! When we play ball he is always Jeff Kent and his goal is to hit like Jeff Kent, unless, of course, he is being a catcher, and then he is Russell Martin, who BTW was also at this little luncheon. But for us it was all about Jeff Kent. Keep in mind, our son is only 3 1/2!! 


A very nice security person must have overheard our excitement and told us we couldn't talk to him now, but maybe we would get an autograph after the team ate. Of course, we never would gone over and interrupted his lunch, but I quickly explained to the security person that my son is a huge fan, and that his fish is even named Jeff Kent, and that this is an amazing coincidence, and well, it's just meant to be!!! I am not sure if he really cared or maybe he has just heard it all before, but he just calmly repeated himself and we went back to standing at the door waiting for a table.... or waiting for something!!

We then met a very nice woman wearing a blue Dodger jacket. Apparently, she saw my son's excitement, and began talking to us. She told us that the Dodgers were on a local goodwill tour for the next couple of days.
She then asked us, "Do you want me to take your picture next to the bus?". Of course, we said "sure". Meanwhile another nice woman in Dodger Blue, went onto the bus, grabbed something, and returned to the restaurant. As I ran back in to get my camera, (BTW a darn good reason to ALWAYS carry a camera) who should we almost run smack into?, the woman returning to the bus with Jeff Kent! So, camera in hand and son in my arms I said, "Would you mind taking a picture with my son?" I'm not sure how most Major Leaguer's are, but I have to say that Jeff Kent was so charming with my son. He and my baby were just talkin' away. They talked about Jeff’s kids and what his 4 year-old son named his fish! Oh, it was so sweet! I grabbed my camera back and started shooting... It turned out that the 2nd press woman had gotten a baseball cap for Jeff (notice, he's now ‘Jeff’) to sign for my son. It was so precious when he put it on my son's little head, then took it off, sized it, and put it back on. I know that both my husband and son will never forget this day. And there you have it, heroes, hamburgers, and a perfect day!!!

Welcome to My Blog!

Well, I've finally taken this weblog live. I am so excited to have this blog out there. I hope that you all enjoy it and thanks for taking the time to stop by. I would love to get your feedback on these pages, especially since I am brand new to this "blogging thing".

I have to thank David Meerman Scott for all of the inspiration he has given me through his great book, "The New Rules of Marketing & PR" and his great blog, webinknow.com. This book was an unexpected encouragement, and before I read it, I had no idea what a blog even was. The most inspiring part of this book was that, through blogging, I could actually use my authentic voice to speak about what I am most passionate about and connect on a real level with real people. It has been nice to speak without being filtered through all of the usual PR hype that I normally am filtered through. So David Meerman Scott, thank you!

As I said, I am really looking forward to any suggestions and comments any of you out there may have, and thanks again for stopping by.

Meredith

Meredith Joins "Little Kids Rock!"

I have just joined Little Kids Rock! and am so proud to be an honorary board member of this great organization that helps thousands of children by providing music programs and instruments to schools across the country. Here's a little piece that I wrote in support of Little Kid's Rock. I've also posted a video from my mentoring program, AMP (Anybody's Mentoring Program). This is some of the footage from my mentoring program at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles.

Little Kids Rock
When I was a kid my mom worked full time, so I was often left alone after school. Where I grew up, this was a perfect recipe for trouble. One Christmas, my mom bought me a guitar. All of the sudden, I was able to express my feelings and channel my energy into music, which helped build my self esteem and kept me from “looking for something to do”. The gift of that guitar, coupled with a passion for music, probably saved my life.
In working with kids through my mentoring program, A.M.P. (Anybody's Mentoring Program), I have witnessed hundreds of kids who have also been saved through music. A huge problem that I saw while visiting schools, was that many of them no longer had music programs; leaving the kids without an essential part of their growth.
I also witnessed the incredible power of a dedicated music teacher, through an "angel" named Mrs. Stevenson; a choir teacher at a high school in Los Angeles. The kids in this choir learned discipline, creativity, pride, and had an outlet that could influence their future, in so many positive ways.
Music was the reason I was able to remain, and even excel in school. Music gave me my career.
I had a "Mrs. Stevenson" in my life: every child deserves a "Mrs. Stevenson"!
Little Kid's Rock may be that ”angel” to millions of kids who deserve a chance to experience and develop one of the greatest natural gifts available… music and all the amazing benefits it can bring!

- Meredith Brooks

Gestating

From the second my son was born, everything took on a different shade. Many things became greyer, falling quickly into the background, and some things became more obvious and others, crystal clear.

There were also things that used to seem so important that now felt almost silly to me. To realize I had this little being in my arms, and that I was responsible for guiding his life, was so awe inspiring that words can’t even describe the feeling.

The next year I was completely devoted to this commitment. Mirroring the best of him and imprinting the best of my husband and me. I chose not to work, except a bit here and there. Besides, I was only feeling inspired to be a mother to my son, I really didn’t feel I had any other type of creativity flowing through me. That was pretty scary after being a musician, singer-songwriter my whole life.

There were times I thought “ok now what”? I was this musician for 20 years and now I am a mother. This is who I am now. Will I ever be a musician again? Will I ever even want to be?

Luckily, I know how to trust those long, dry periods where it may seem like nothing is happening artistically. There were a few of “those” calls to friends, who had become mothers before I did, who would remind me of what I already knew, but was having amnesia about.

I was just gestating…..

Crocs On A Plane... Air Travel With A Toddler!

Last month as I was getting ready to fly to Oregon for a series of events, I was surprised at how packing and getting myself ready took far less time than packing for my 3 year old son. I thought one bag for both of us would do the job, but after realizing that he needed far more clothes than I did, we were lucky to get by with only two. Of course, that did not include his carry-on backpack full of books, crayons, super heroes, hot wheels, snacks, pull-ups, wipes and an ipod, just in case. I never thought I would resort to downloading a movie to keep him entertained, but I think it may have been my saving grace, and his too.

His first airplane trip was to New York when he was four months old. Since I was going to be in meetings, I wanted to be sure my husband could feed him, so we had to bring an ice chest full of frozen pumped milk, bottles, warmer, bottle brush, car seat, stroller, sling, diapers. Of course, now we had to make sure that the hotel had a fridge big enough for all of the milk. “Oh, my God”, I thought, “This is crazy”!

Along with his first birthday, came more travel and even more stuff (mostly because his clothes and toys were now bigger). At two years, even more travel, and the feeling that, “This is borderline ridiculous”. This was especially true when we went home for Christmas. So much for images of the happy, smiling travelers returning home for the holidays, baby in arms.
Then I securely assured myself, “Oh, it will get easier as he gets older. There will be less stuff and because he can walk and talk, it won’t be so hard to get around or communicate. He won’t need as many clothes, blah, blah, blah.”
Ha! That was a complete fantasy!
Now that he can walk, he can also run, and run he does; as fast and as much as he can; wherever, whenever he can. How I love to see those little feet go and that cute behind…but not in a crowded airport!