Before we packed up the kids and headed east to enjoy a few weeks of cooler weather this summer (fools!), I had my kids in summer programs in Arizona. As an incoming Kindergartener, Annie was now attending “big kid” camp where kids ranged in age from 5 to I don’t know…much older. 10 maybe? In any case, this was a fantastic experience overall: Continue reading
Tag Archives: parenting
My five-year old was recently invited to her first girls only birthday party. It was a fairy themed party on a beautiful, warm Sunday, and everyone had a really nice time. The kids all got wings when they arrived and ran around outside in-between cake and craft projects. It was a sweet and wholesome party - but, half the class was excluded.
He’s not my boyfriend, he’s my buddy.
12 JunThere was a struggle at bedtime at my house the other night, but it didn’t involve the usual “one more story,” stalling or “can I have a glass of water?” Nope. The struggle went a little like this:
“Mommy, Lucy’s boyfriend Noah is going to Kindergarten with me. He doesn’t even know me, but I know who he is because she showed me a picture of him.”
“You know, there are no boyfriends in Kindergarten, right? Everyone gets to be buddies.” Continue reading
When you really wish they hadn’t heard that….
14 Feb
We do our fair share of TV watching in my house. I mean come on….a mom’s got to shower now and again, right? Now don’t get me wrong, my kids don’t veg-out in front of the television for hours on end. But, I’m not going to pretend I don’t let them watch TV because I do….. That being said I realize we are entering some troubled waters. My five year-old has begun requesting “big kid” TV shows, so I see that our days of mild, relatively commercial-free programming on Nick Jr. and PBS are inevitably numbered. Continue reading
The Birthday Dilemma
2 FebMy five-year old was recently invited to her first girls only birthday party. It was a fairy themed party on a beautiful, warm Sunday, and everyone had a really nice time. The kids all got wings when they arrived and ran around outside in-between cake and craft projects. It was a sweet and wholesome party - but, half the class was excluded.
“Be Impeccable With Your Words”
26 JanNo Name-Calling Week: January 23-27, 2012
It’s No Name-Calling Week, a week dedicated to bringing national attention to the problem of name-calling in our schools. Inspired by James Howe’s young adult novel, The Misfits, GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing created the No Name-Calling Week Coalition in hopes of starting an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate bullying.
Since hearing about this initiative at the beginning of the month, name-calling has been on my mind. That was just code for; No Name-Calling Week has triggered my obsessive thoughts. Continue reading
Why I Started My New Year’s Resolution on December 19th
2 Jan
While we’re only a few days into 2012, I already have a couple of weeks worth of resolution under my belt. This year, my New Year’s Resolution is to not yell at my kids.
I realized that something had to give when I barely made it through day #1 of Winter Vacation. What started out as a great plan quickly turned into a morning full of screaming: Continue reading
Can You Teach Your Kid To Care?
29 Dec
The other night the three year-old accidentally closed the five year-old’s hand in a stepstool, and I had an out-of-body experience. I couldn’t get her hand free for what felt like an eternity (but was likely 5 seconds), and shrieking just escaped from me. Terrible parenting, I know, but I couldn’t control it. I come from a long line of over-reactors, so it cannot be helped. It’s in my DNA.
So what about the fact that the three year-old was crying even harder than her injured big sister? I’ll acknowledge that my hysterics possibly influenced her reaction, but she was truly and genuinely upset and concerned. Continue reading
Who’s In Charge Here Anyway?!
8 Nov
Gracie is on day two of having slices of salami for breakfast. On one hand I can justify this breakfast request because it sort of feels like it belongs in the bacon/sausage family. On the other hand it makes my stomach turn because of the way this child eats salami. I’ll spare you the details, but trust me, it’s DISGUSTING! Continue reading
Increase Contact (Solution 1)
18 OctWelcome to day 1 on my mission to post a daily solution for bringing boys and girls together. I probably should have written all of these posts before declaring to do so, but where is the fun in that? So the pressure is on, and without further ado….Solution 1: Increase Contact! Continue reading
I Want To Be A Girl
14 OctTuesdays are my Gracie Days. I work from home, and she doesn’t have preschool, so we usually get to spend some special time together in the morning. This week was no exception….it was special. Continue reading
Super Sites
Incredible Reads
Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture
by Peggy Orenstein
Pink Brain, Blue Brain: How Small Differences Grow into Troublesome Gaps
by Lise Eliot, Ph.D.
