We Choose Respect ParentCast – The Return of Catherine Ryan Hyde
With Kathy Taberner, Kirsten Siggins & Musical Guest Jasmine Crowe
It has been a busy week for me. (Which is one reason I haven’t been able to post as often as I would like.) I had the pleasure of performing my motivational magic show “We Choose Respect!!!” up & down, and up & down, the East Coast. We started in Central Jersey, traveled down to Philadelphia, up to Queens, NYC, then back down to Woodbridge, VA. Lots of driving, but so worth it to see all those smiling, motivated kids who made the promise to wake up every morning and choose to be respectful.
Click here to find out about my totally interactive school assembly program
I had a very pleasant surprise this week. On Monday I received a message on Facebook from Virginia, the first International student who lived in our home. Virginia came to Boston with her friend Pietro to take part in a Summer Architectural Program. My wife was a little hesitant to do the International hosting thing. After meeting wonderful group of Italian kids who studied with my daughter we decided to take the plunge. We agreed to host a young woman from Milan named Chiara in August. Somehow on the last day of June my daughter received a call from a friend of a friend who knew two friends that were coming to Boston and somehow their housing plans fell apart, could you please open your home to them, they are arriving…in four days!
What is the expression, “in for a penny, in for a pound”? I was amazed that my beautiful wife Sonia said yes, and next thing you know we were at the International terminal at Logan Airport to meet two strangers. But they were not strangers for long.
Virginia and Pietro quickly became a part of our family. They spent their days busy at school and exploring Boston. In the evening they came home for a quick meal, often consisting of just a cupcake, (Italian kids LOVE cupcakes), and then they would spend the night with my kids Alej and Chris and his friends watching Dr Who.
At the end of the month Pietro’s parents came to Boston and invited us all out to dinner. I will never forget the look on the face of Pietro’s dad. He was stunned to see the deep bond of friendship that had been forged between these four young people in such a short time.
Anyway, back to the Facebook message. It came in two parts. The first part was a picture of a piece of paper pinned to a wall. Turns out the piece of paper was a note we gave Virginia, thanking her for becoming a part of our family, for bringing so much joy and love into our home and reminded her that she would always have a home here in Boston. The second part of the message read “I just hung your letter to me on the wall of my new home in Milan. I miss you all so much, I love you all.”
Sometimes you take chances and get burned. Sometimes you take chances and you find love. We love you too Virginia. And Pietro.
In this episode of the We Choose Respect ParentCast we welcome back celebrated author Catherine Ryan Hyde. Catherine is a prolific author best known for her novel “Pay It Forward”. Catherine is back to speak about her new book “Worthy” which was released this past Summer and her soon to be released book “Ask Him Why”. But our visits with Catherine always turn into more than an opportunity to promote her books. Today we talk a lot about living gratefully.
Click here to visit Catherine’s web site
Following Catherine’s interview we say hello to our friends from the Institute of Curiosity, Kathy Taberner and Kirsten Siggens. This mother and daughter team talk about the dynamics involved in mother – daughter relationships.
Click here to visit the Institute of Curiosity
And after saying hello to three old friends we introduce a brand new friend to the We Choose Respect ParentCast family Jasmine Crowe. Jasmine is a dynamic singer song writer who shares with us her song “Skeleton”.
Click here to check out Jasmine’s Music
