A long time ago, in a different version of myself, I was a high school history teacher. I taught a host of social studies subjects, including every iteration of World History possible. I quit teaching when the combination of children/pay/allowable sick leave failed to provide me with a sustainable job. Recently, however, I had the … Continue reading I Spent Two Months Teaching High School and All Our Teenagers are Broken: Part 1
Category: advice
The Invisible Mom: Mother’s Day Aftermath
Mother's Day was this past Sunday and I had an absolutely lovely day. My daughter helped my husband make turkey bacon for breakfast. We went to church. I got to sit alone and watch TV while my family picked up lunch AND dessert from Whole Foods. They had gifts and cards and flowers and we … Continue reading The Invisible Mom: Mother’s Day Aftermath
Why Happy Kids Aren’t My Goal
I originally wrote this blog a little over two years ago, before I had a kid in middle school. Before we sold our spacious house and bought one where we are always on top of each other. Before we began to travel intentionally as a family. Before we changed up our kids' schooling. This week, … Continue reading Why Happy Kids Aren’t My Goal
The Language of Motherhood
This week I said the phrase "If you kick that guitar one more time I'm going to take away your shoes AND your monkey!!" I said this because my minivan broke down and the Honda dealership very kindly gave me an Accord to drive in the meantime. It was a bit smaller than my Odyssey … Continue reading The Language of Motherhood
I’m so Embarrassed
Somewhere is the fine line between living authentically, with truth and honesty as hallmarks of your character...and detailed oversharing. Oversharing is where your revelations are met with something other than, "oh, thank you for being brave and sharing what we're all thinking." Oversharing gets awkward smiles and nods while the other person makes non-committal noises … Continue reading I’m so Embarrassed
10 Ways to Win at Parenting This School Year
I’m kidding. I don’t have any actual tips to "Start the School Year Off Right", or "Make Mornings Your Family's Favorite Time of Day", or "Love Every Minute of Carpool." To be honest, I actually have no freaking clue what I’m doing. I’m wandering around blindfolded in a dark room filled with mostly shin-high furniture … Continue reading 10 Ways to Win at Parenting This School Year
Happy Kids are Not My Goal
When parents get together and the conversation turns to the choices we're all making with our kids and how we might react to certain fears or frustrations, someone will usually say, "I just want them to be happy." I know I've said it myself. As I'm growing this family and tweaking and tightening our interpretations … Continue reading Happy Kids are Not My Goal
I pluck my eyebrows so I don’t feel fat
I was driving over a speed bump near the grocery store last week and my back jiggled. My back. Jiggled. I told my husband that I had back fat and that it was actually beginning to move as though it had a life of its own. He laughed and told me I didn't have back … Continue reading I pluck my eyebrows so I don’t feel fat
Car seat? Torture Device? My baby can’t tell.
When my daughter was a few weeks old, my husband and I visited my parents who live about 40 minutes away from our house. My precious infant screamed bloody murder the whole way home. I felt like we were listening to cats being tortured or perhaps the sound of happiness dying. It was horrible. That … Continue reading Car seat? Torture Device? My baby can’t tell.