I’ve never been crazy about pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread or even pumpkin-flavored ice cream treats, but I do have a fascination with the word “pumpkin.” Ever since my daughter was born, she has been my pumpkin. And when my son came along, he became my pumpkin pie. Twelve years later and I still call them my pumpkins. I text them with embarrassing lovey-dovey notes such as ‘How is my peppy slice of pumpkin pie deliciousness’ and ‘Mommy loves her pumpkin doodle.’ [More...] They act like they absolutely hate my terms of endearment, but when I see a smirk on their faces as they read it, there is no denying that they love the pumpkin-filled attention. The terms of endearment are not solely stemmed from the satisfaction of embarrassing two pre-teens – it is more about showing them that life can be silly, fun and a little more brassy and bright at times. We all need these random acts of silliness when life is too serious, whether it is at home, at work, in the newsroom or in the classroom. When deadlines and production gets the best of my newspaper staff, it always breaks the ice when someone says something off the wall and random (and that happens frequently). It helps to break out in song or dub a nickname, such as chick-a-dee or “the kavahn” to a random student. When students get extremely stressed about grades and assignments, I don’t mind being the one to break the ice and say something ridiculous and potentially embarrassing in front of a class of 25, just as it breaks up the momentum for my children when I tell them that they are the most fluffy, flaky and perfectly golden slice of pumpkin pie around. I’m not sure what ‘terms of endearment’ most have for me, but if it makes me giggle when life gets to serious, bring it on. - Shannon Philpott Blog Entry: March 6, 2011 © Shannon Philpott, 2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Shannon Philpott and shannonphilpott.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Blog/Sample Work
Paying it Forward for Spring Break
Published March 2011: eHow Family & Relationships Paying it Forward for Spring Break Pitching in for a good cause teaches important lessons Article Excerpt: As a clinical counselor, Susan Fee listens daily as parents talk about wanting their children to be more appreciative, selfless, independent and caring. "I often ask, 'What opportunities are you giving… Continue reading Paying it Forward for Spring Break
Trudging Through ‘Maintain’ Mode
Sometimes in life, you can’t help but feel beaten down. It seems that anything and everything can go wrong all at once. This week has been one of those for me as a homeowner. My dishwasher is dead, my refrigerator’s motor went caput, my carport started leaking, the check engine light on my car popped… Continue reading Trudging Through ‘Maintain’ Mode
Coping With Divorce: Cultivating Your Child’s Feelings
Published February 2011: eHow Family & Relationships Coping With Divorce: Cultivating Your Child's Feelings Creating a United Front When Separation Occurs Article Excerpt: Divorce is never easy for adults. The stress of separation, emotional turmoil and physical loss often takes its toll. The reality, though, is that while adults are learning to cope, children are… Continue reading Coping With Divorce: Cultivating Your Child’s Feelings
Playground Dilemma: The Balance at Play
Published February 2011: eHow Family & Relationships Playground Dilemma: The Balance at Play Parents Can Guide Children to Benefits from Both Wireless and Wired Activities Article Excerpt: As a tech-savvy parent, Barack Levin is exposed to computers every day. The Atlanta-area stay-at-home dad and author of "The Diaper Chronicles: A stay at home dad's quest… Continue reading Playground Dilemma: The Balance at Play
Helping Kids With Their First Crush
Published February 2011: eHow Family & Relationships Helping Kids With Their First Crush Picking Up the Pieces When They Fall Head Over Heels Article Excerpt: When Terrina Picarello was in the eighth grade, she fell hard for a boy. Her summer crush was doomed to end -- the boy went to a different school --… Continue reading Helping Kids With Their First Crush
Child Care When You Can’t Be There
Published February 2011: eHow Family & Relationships Child Care When You Can't Be There What Parents Need to Know When Selecting a Daycare Article Excerpt: Julie Wells, a St. Louis mother of two, removed her son from a day care when staff members fed him snacks made from peanut products despite his peanut allergy. "They knew about his allergy, and I even packed his own snacks," Wells said. "But they were too lazy to get them out." Unfortunately, Wells' story isn't unique. Day care disasters can haunt even the most careful parents. Something to which Brandy Hamann can attest. Hamann, director of Lilypad Learning Center in Collinsville, Ill., and mother of three, decided to open her own center after hearing numerous such horror stories. One mother told her that a center wasn't feeding her child adequate portions. Still another complained of irregular diaper changes, Hamann recalled. "One 18-month-old child was kicked out of a day care because he was biting," she said. "While we don't want children biting, as day care providers we have to realize that this is natural and normal -- you have to find a way to help the child find another way to express himself. But child care outside of the home is often an unavoidable option when work and financial responsibilities loom. While worst-case, or even simply bad-case, scenarios abound, plenty safe options do exist. To find suitable options for their child, it would behoove parents to dig deeper into the practices of local day cares, take safety precautions, ask friends for suggestions and trust their intuition. Read the full story here. - Shannon Philpott
The Snow-Covered Editor-Writer Relationship
This weekend, my mom got on me about not shoveling the snow off my driveway after the Midwest was pummeled with 12 inches of winter wonderland-ness. My response? “We have 4-wheel drive. Why do we need to shovel?” I’ll spare you with the ‘you should think of others’ lecture I received after she tried to… Continue reading The Snow-Covered Editor-Writer Relationship
Business Deal Sparked After Golf Course Quip
Published in the 1/11/11 issue of the Suburban Journals Business Deal Sparked After Golf Course Quip What began as a quip on a golf course evolved into a business transaction for Jeff Herr and Mike Ogle. One day on the links last year, Herr — owner of Cullop-Jennings Florist in Collinsville — jokingly suggested Ogle purchase his business. Herr, who owned the shop for 18 years, was kidding at first, but the two got talking and realized they were on to something. Read the rest at http://www.shannonphilpott.com
Edwardsville Woman Has Drive to Help Others
Shawn McCue, of Edwardsville, is always on the move. As a supported employment specialist for MERS/Goodwill, she's in charge of finding jobs for people in need. That means McCue is on the road a lot — driving from employer to employer looking for job leads, taking clients to training or finding them business attire for interviews. For all the hard work, McCue recently received the Local Hero Award, the nonprofit's honor for employees who go beyond the norm. Read the rest at http://www.shannonphilpott.com
Shannon Philpott-Sanders 