You’re running for the bus because you realize you’ve left your baby on it, you trip on a power line and fall flat on your face!!!

The baby being left on the bus represents our distraction with unimportant things. Our running to catch the bus represents our desire to make things right and show our baby how much we love them and tripping on the power line represents our lack of attention to the real power that lies within.

What are power trips? Power trips, in this instance, are those communications we have with people, children, family in which we seek to have our position in a matter dominate and win the ultimate outcome. It’s having it ‘our way’ no matter what they say. Power trips seem to dominate a lot of the exchanges we have with our children especially our teenagers. Isn’t this an energy drain? Sometimes we wonder how we can possibly keep this up for 18+ years! …but we do…

No matter what we say, it’s a constant battle to make any headway. In everyday life with parent and child both engaging in power trips, can you see how this is exhausting? Can you FEEL it? Make a note of this: My battle is with myself. It’s take on the battle or retreat. Retreat is not a real option. If YOU retreat, you both lose. Getting our point across in a single ‘battle’ or skirmish, no matter what it is, becomes more important than winning the war or in this case, the ultimate goal. What is the ultimate goal? The goal is to get them to adulthood, happy, healthy, wise and understanding how to fulfill their dreams.

Our battle is with ourselves. It may help to look at your child and see yourself. Are you willing to recall yourself at that age? I know this is too abstract for many but it is a worthwhile exercise. We exercise or we die. When we look and see ourselves, a certain amount of compassion kicks in. A certain amount of savvy kicks in. We start to remember the games we used to play with our own parents. We gain insight into how to respond in the most effective way. Many times the most effective response is no response at all. Are you willing to save your breath? Let the chips fall where they may. Think of the lesson touching the hot stove teaches. Let it be.

What in the home environment offers support? Our voices are not the only element necessary for teaching. Our composure teaches, our look into their eyes teaches. Our ability to ‘chill’ teaches. The children will need the understanding of how to use these elements as they go out into the world. Confidence teaches. They’ll need to communicate confidence as they move about in the world. Bullies seldom attack confidence… more than once. A strong, confident mind defeats bullies.

Why are there power trips? Well, going deeper into the glib ego answers. We have to look back into our experiences as a child. We can look back there and find answers to an endless number of questions. We can look back as far as the womb and beyond for answers. Then what do we do with these answers? Note this: It’s all about the moment. Ask yourself, what is the answer that will satisfy my curiosity right now? Answer that question. Make it as dramatic as you’d like. Then, apply the satisfaction you get from having that answer to the situation at hand and ask, ‘Do I really need to react the way I am?’

Our energy is a precious resource that we take for granted and it is granted provided we respect the source. Power trips stem from being unbalanced. Unbalanced energy trying to force its way into a particular direction. When we balance our energy, miracles occur. Could you use a miracle right now? The energy issue looms every day. Sometimes we feel up to it. Most times we’re just slogging through. You know what makes the difference?… gives us the energy? Our Love for them. Our love for our children.

They’re living love-lines. Even when they’re being a pain in the butt, the love thing keeps us in check. If we’re not in check, our mojo is off. Overwhelm has taken over. ENERGY is really a boundless resource. Among other things, we’re electrical… a fundamental property of matter made up of electrons, protons and positrons manifesting itself as attraction, repulsion, hot and luminous! Combine all that with the spiritual aspect of things! Can you see and feel the power surge within at just the thought of it?

One of the core understandings for us to have is that we are this boundless energetic being. Just understanding that preempts a certain amount of exhaustion. That exhaustion in turn becomes a thing of the past and a repose for the Hero that you are. Remember this: You are your child’s Hero. They’re looking to you to show the way to handle things. ‘Things’ includes the Self, Others, circumstances, situations, challenges, bullies, etc. When we consider it ALL, there is no way we are to handle it ALL except as the fountain of peace. Otherwise, we lose our mojo and drive ourselves to distraction.

How do we recognize and deal with the ever looming power trip? We can recognize it in the moment with our feelings. The moment we feel out of balance we know we have something to handle within ourselves. It’s not coming from outside. That just our mind playing tricks on us. There is no ‘outside’. We produced it all. We need to draw on that endless Love tap. You know, like the beer tap? … a Love tap. Sit quietly and just feel it fill you up, then respond. I suspect we’re not doing a lot of that or we wouldn’t feel so stressed.

Process and procedures aside, if there ain’t no juice in the line, the lights won’t come on. If the results you’re looking for need 4g and all you can muster is 110V, you need some serious rebooting! Rebooting is easy. My favorite means for doing it is meditation. What do you do to give yourself that extra jolt of Love’s electrical energy?

As you know, different situations call for different levels of engagement. Choosing one’s battles becomes important for reserving your energy for 4g situations. Don’t use 4g on 110 situations. That’s an inefficient use of energy. Efficiency is key for the preservation of self, energy, esteem and nerves.

If you would like me to help you with this, go to and this the link with the parenting assessment and I’ll do a Complimentary Parenting Breakthrough Session for you. It’s a $250 value for free.

What if we don’t deal with these power trips/power struggles effectively? Well, what do you think will happen? How many out of whack parent/child relationships do you suppose are out there? How many have you witnessed? Are you engaged in one right now?

From a global perspective, we’re constantly having to deal with individuals who clearly have ego power issues… from terrorists to school teachers. Let’s start NOW to get us all on the same humanistic page! Remember this: when we get everyone on the same page, harmony ensues. Working together can’t happen without a proper love of humanity.

Nationally and locally, same thing. It’s just closer to home. Note that home is really everywhere. From a home perspective, peace is not a four letter word. Love is. Let’s use THAT four letter word more often and mean it in a place where there is no space or time. Peace and love go to hell when power struggles gain priority. Is that what we want?

Save your breath sometimes. It’s not necessary to badger or say the same things over and over again when you have laid out the whyfors. Silence speaks in more than one way. In fact, when you’re silent, there is a communication happening. The words you spoke before are resonating. You don’t have to say them again. You just need to be as you would if you were waiting to see the result of having said them before.

Not only are YOUR words resonating but the voice of God whispers in their heads also. Your voice, the voice of God, their own egos chiming in. The kid has stuff to work through. Give them some space. Give yourself some space. And remember: power trips make for bruised egos and feelings of resentment.