Last week was humming along smoothly, and then–out of the blue–my 8yo son started asking about the school shooting in Newtown, CT last year. This is how parenting works: you have to talk about the hard stuff, eventually. Usually with no notice that the conversation is about to happen. You don’t want to, but it’s […]
How to Make Homemade Play Dough in 47 Easy Steps
1. Give in to your kid’s request to craft, despite the fact that you’re out of pom pom balls, tongue depressors, pipe cleaners, glue, and googly eyes. 2. Find an idiot-proof homemade play dough recipe by a mom online who seems so much nicer, patient, and more fun than you. 3. Locate and apply smock and […]
How Being a Parent is Like Being a Superhero
Because we’re equally as awesome as the Man of Steel. How being a parent is like being a superhero Click To Tweet Like what you see? Subscribe today! Follow on Facebook and Twitter, too!
A Letter to Another Mother
After my 5yo’s teacher called me this morning, I had to write an email to a mom at my kids’ school today. Something happened between our kids, and I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. I wasn’t sure what to say, exactly. I didn’t know if I’d express myself as I wanted to. But I knew […]
Hold the Door: Lessons for My Kids
I write a lot of notes to myself: story ideas, grocery lists, wines to try, blog post ideas… But the most important things I haven’t been writing down, are the things I want my kids to learn from me by example. The problem is this: Not only am I not always the most stellar example-maker […]
House Rules: The Complete List (so far)
To my befuddlement, lots of people come here looking for House Rules ideas in order to keep their kids in line. (clearly, these people are not regular readers of the chaos which is my home life) Early last year, I shared the House Rules for kids we keep hung in our kitchen. Let’s just say that since […]
How Being A Parent is Like Being A Rock Star
1. Endless hours on the road with too many people in the vehicle. 2. Your job is to entertain a room full of loud, writhing maniacs. 3. If you do your job well, people ask when you’ll produce more. 4. You ask yourself daily: “Am I tripping? Or did I really just see that?” 5. Your […]
House Rules
It seems I need to explain this Facebook post/Tweet a little more. So here you go…. Do you have House Rules? Do you post them somewhere in your home? We used to just have house rules in concept, but I had to remind the kids of them each of the 400x a day they’d break a rule. […]
How to Buy a Christmas Tree
Since many of you appreciated my instructions over the summer on how to pick berries with a 3-year-old, I decided to share my most recent seasonal experience with young children. How To Buy A Christmas Tree With A Preschooler & A Kindergartener 1. On the 1st below-30-degree day of the season after 2 weeks of holiday travel […]
How To Pick Berries With A 3-Year-Old
As If I Need Another Reason to Hate Max & Ruby. 1. After months of begging from Child to go to a farm to pick berries and pet animals like she has seen on Max & Ruby, decide it is time to take her for a special treat. 2. Select a farm 45 minutes away. 3. Make […]