Michele Gooch

Picture this:

Family reunion. Everyone talking, catching up, showing photos of their littles. Food being eaten. Drinks enjoyed. And Cousin Marty leans over and says to me, voice booming through the ambient […]

What is the meaning of family? We can “google” the word family and what comes up is: A group of people that are related, especially, parents and their children.  But “family” can mean more than blood relative […]

Family! A perfect topic of the month as I have spent the summer in Jordan. We’ve celebrated two Eids (Muslim holidays) during this time. I’ve ruminated a great deal about the importance and blessing of a large ext […]

When I think of family, I think of family meals together. It’s the perfect time to enjoy each other’s company but also so much more! It’s a time when kids learn social skills and good manners but also about the j […]

Have you had “the talk” with your kids yet?  No, I don’t mean THAT talk.  I’m talking about money.  Reports show that it is the second hardest conversation to have with your kids behind the big sex talk.  Tha […]

In a short 18 months, I have lost both my momma and my daddy. Our daddy passed first, tragically and unexpectedly, followed by our momma in March of this year. Gretchen, my sister, and I are now the only two in […]

It was almost time for my birthday, I was going to turn 7 years old. Like most young children, I was so excited for my special day to arrive. Planning in my head what kind of cake I wanted for my party, it was […]

Traditions are stories, beliefs, rituals and customs that are passed to family, from one generation to the next. Research shows that these traditions are important in building strong family relationships […]

It’s interesting when you read a header like, “What do you value?” The first impression one might have, from just four simple words, can vary quite a bit.

I believe, part of this reason is because, we all have […]

She has trouble falling asleep at night, so her mother sings to her. When the man in their life joins mom in singing, her young daughter smiles sheepishly. This is her favorite. She whispers, “It’s just like a fam […]

At a time when the current voices feed us words that divide, degrade and disillusion, I decided to look for some voices that stand the test of time. My friend and mentor, Dan Miller, armed me with the book Great […]

The Phases of Transition

Count the number of times you’ve moved. Add the number of times your family size has changed — siblings that were born after you, the time you got married, had your own children, etc […]

My child was two years old the first and last time he ran out into the road. We lived in the country so the probability for danger was low but that did not stop me from yelling, screaming, racing after him and […]

As we look at the timeline of our lives, how many transitions can we see? Inside the womb to outside the womb counts as one of our first major transitions. Being chauffeured, to holding a driver’s license. G […]

Last night, I met a three week old baby. Baby’s are so sweet and cuddly. As I was driving home it struck me all over again how utterly dependent babies are on someone else to take care of them. There is a […]