Category: Blog Posts

What is an entrepreneurial couple? Since I wrote a book about entrepreneurial couples, I frequently hear that question. There are three types of entrepreneurial couples: solo entrepreneur with a support spouse, dual entrepreneurs, and copreneurs. It is important as an entrepreneurial couple to define which one you are. Let’s now focus on one type: the solo entrepreneur with a support spouse.

 

Definition:

 

●  One partner owns and manages the business

●  The supportive partner helps out with the business part-time or psychologically

●  The supportive partner may be employed outside the business

 

Example:

 

Bob and Carol used to work together in their successful nursery and garden supply business, but Bob has since returned to his old employer leaving Carol to manage the business on her own, as a solo-entrepreneur. Bob has become the supportive spouse. He is employed elsewhere, providing emotional support to his wife’s business, but not really involved in the day-to-day management and headaches of running it. Carol, on the other hand, recognizes her talent as an entrepreneur and is much better suited to running the operation on her own as a sole proprietor.

 

Summary:

 

While each entrepreneur brings his or her own character, strengths, and weaknesses to the business, the supportive spouse also has qualities that balance with the qualities of their entrepreneurial spouse to create a specific relationship style and business. To learn more about the solo entrepreneur with a supportive spouse, download my eBook – Entrepreneurial Couples – Making it Work at Work and at Home. 

In light of the recent tragedy at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, I thought it would be appropriate to share a few tips for parents. Whether you live in Connecticut or on the other side of the world, we are all effected. Parents often times struggle to find the right words to explain tragedies to their children. Children are not blind to what is going on in the world. They watch it on TV, read it on the Internet or hear adults discussing it.
  

Here are a few tips to help you discuss these sensitive issues with your children:
  

Draw them out. Ask them what they have heard and how it makes them feel. Be prepared to give brief and honest responses, but avoid going into detail.

Stay calm. Wait until your emotions are under control before speaking with your child. They will pattern their own behavior after yours. That doesn’t mean you have to be devoid of emotion, but if you are overly upset, they may not listen to a word you are saying. 
  

  

Be available. Let them know you are there to talk whenever they need you. Get back into a routine as quickly as possible and spend some quality time together as a family. Maybe as a family, look for a way to memorialize those who have lost their lives. 

Reassure them. Help them appreciate that these tragedies are not common, but they do happen. Explain to them what is being done to prevent these types of things from happening again. Focus on the positive things that can come out of a tragedy. 

At times, children might need the assistance of a mental health care professional to help cope with a tragedy. Click here to read how to pick a therapist for your child. If you live in the Portland, Oregon/Vancouver, Washington area, contact my office to set up an appointment. 

 

Asperger Syndrome: Partners and Family of Adults with ASD Support Group was a dream that I had for a long time and it became a reality in 2009. We currently have 474 online members including many from other countries. Our monthly support group meetings are going strong as well as our online message board discussion groups. The stories that pour in are amazing. They are from real people, living a real life as family or partners of an adult with Asperger Syndrome. 
  

Members online have been sharing resources that they have personally found helpful in regard to being in a relationship with an Aspie. I have decided to share these recommendations through my blog. Who better else to share what works than those who are dealing with it day in and day out?
  

I have compiled a few of the recommended resources to share:
  

Books

Alone Together: Making an Asperger Marriage Work by Katrin Bentley
  

No Team Player by Judith Newton
  

The Asperger Couples Workbook: Practical Advice and Activities for Couples and Counselors by Maxine Aston
  

Websites
  

  

Prosper with Aspergers: Autism Facts and Solutions
  

The Neurotypical Site
  

If you have any recommendations for books, websites, and other Asperger resources, become a member of the Asperger Syndrome: Partners and Family of Adults with ASD online support group. I will continue to post these recommendations regularly on my blog. Thank you for your continued support. 
 

If you live in the Portland, Oregon/Vancouver, Washington area, please join us in person on January 19, 2013 for a discussion on this topic – Should I give up?
  

Click here to read additional Asperger Syndrome Recommended Links

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12.5 million children between the ages 2-19 are obese. If you are a parent, these number are frightening. Childhood obesity is linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and emotional pain. 
 

How can a parent help a child ward off obesity? Here are a few simple tips:

Make it a family affair. Even if the rest of the family is healthy, all family members must be on board. If the child feels isolated and is the only one who has to exercise or eat differently, it will only add to their low self-esteem. Talk about “family goals” and how to implement them. This includes diet and exercise. 
  

  

Associate food with fuel. Teach your child that food is fuel for their body. The better they eat, the better their bodies will work and they will be able to do more fun things. 

Make if fun! Changing a lifestyle into a healthier one isn’t always easy or fun to say the least, but in order for it to resonate with children, it must be fun. Can you make exercise into a game? 

Give choices. It’s easy to start patrolling your child’s food or exercise choices. Give your child some measure of freedom. You can do this by giving them choices. For example, they need to exercise. Ask them if they would like to go for a walk or ride their bike. Exercise is not an option, but what they do for exercise can be. 

Do you feel stress this time of year? If you do, you are far from alone. Often times people do not acknowledge that this time of year is stressful. Financial strain, family tension, poor diet, darker days, and missing loved ones are all factors that contribute to stress.

What causes you stress? The first step to resolving or lessening of stress is identifying the triggers. For example, are you anxious about seeing a relative that you have had conflict with? Are you worried about racking up credit card debt?

When you have identified what is causing you added stress, ask yourself: What can I do to resolve it? Ignoring the problem is not the solution. Tackle the issue. If it involves another person, then do what is in your power to fix it. Even if nothing changes, you can change your attitude and the way you look at things.

Remember to also take time for yourself. Self-care is not selfish. It is vital for your well-being. Whether it is taking a bath, reading a good book, going for a walk, or even making an appointment to see a mental health care professional, do whatever you need to do to get back on track and handle your stress. By taking care of yourself, you will enjoy your time with family and friends and they will enjoy your company as well.

For more information, visit Managing Stress.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is making changes to the criteria that psychiatrists use to diagnosis mental disorders. The DSM-IV edition uses Classic Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder as diagnoses.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, the “criteria will incorporate several diagnoses from DSM-IV including Autistic Disorder, Asperger’s Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (not otherwise specified) into the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder for DSM-5 to help more accurately and consistently diagnose children with autism.” If an individual would have previously been diagnosed as having Asperger Syndrome, they would now be diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The American Psychiatric Associate board of trustees has approved the changes and they will go into effect on May 2013. (For more information, read Psychiatric Association Approves Changes to Diagnostic Manual)

These new revisions will impact the lives of many. Regardless of the diagnosis, Asperger Syndrome does not disappear. However, many Aspies and their loved ones are worried by this adjustment. Since they do not view themselves as autistic, they feel like it would label them as something different than they are. This revision has the potential to impact their future especially since Asperger’s has recently been accepted and understood on a greater level.

For more information on Asperger Syndrome, visit Frequently Asked Questions.