“The truth is that these parenting clichés drive me nuts. What I need, what I crave, are authentic, compassionate ideas about the real nature of parenting—I want phrases that resonate with my deeply imperfect reality. I’m looking for what my meditation teacher describes as mindful speaking, as staying close to our own experiences when we talk, and sharing from a place of kindness, compassion, and awareness. I fail at this several times each day, but I keep trying, I keep practicing.”

My thoughts on mindful speaking and parenting cliches are up on PsychCentral.com.