Dearest William and Vivian, Today you turn 7. Happy Birthday, my darlings. I hope you think being 6 has been a lot of fun. You know I’m not good at the big things. I’m not good at planning birthday parties, taking you on a zillion outings (or even two—unless they involve a bookstore and a […]
parenting
This Too Shall Pass
Today I’m thrilled to bring you a guest post written by Joy, who blogs at Joy in This Journey. Joy is one of the nicest people I have met in the time I’ve been blogging. She is a fantastic writer and a fabulous person. Even over the internet, she exudes compassion, wisdom, and an indomitable […]
Inappropriate Books for Kids (if you know what I mean)
The hilarious new kids’ book, Get the F**k to Sleep, has been getting a lot of press lately. And why not? It’s funny, its theme is universal, and it even scans. Some people might think the book is inappropriate, but they also likely believe it’s meant for children. While on the subject of things that […]
What 6-year-old Twins Think of Their Mother
I took myself out for lunch on Mother’s Day. I took my children, too, since my husband had to work. Because I had dreams of a grown-up lunch, the restaurant I chose wasn’t a place that had a children’s menu or a tablecloth you could draw on. As a result, I was stuck entertaining my […]
Mother’s Day, by the Numbers
5: Time my husband left the house for work (a.m.). 7: Time my children let me sleep in until. 2: Homemade gifts received. 2: Homemade cards. 3: Beds my kids made without me asking, begging, or threatening. 2: Rooms my kids cleaned without me asking, begging, or threatening. 1: Slice of cold toast I ate, […]
Girls, dancing, and clothes
Vivian loves to dance. A few times a week, we waltz around the kitchen, jive in the entry, or crazy dance in the living room. She used to wish desperately that we’d sign her up for dance classes; now, she’s stopped asking. I know there are a zillion benefits to dance, from coordination to confidence, […]
Babies, Monkeys, and Bangkok
We were leaving the chaos of Bangkok for the chaos of the Thai countryside. Inside our ubiquitous white tourist van were a driver, my in-laws, my husband, and our four-month-old twins. It was our kids’ longest journey; from our apartment in Bangkok it was a four hour drive south to a semi-private beach near Prachuap […]
When Sisters Act As Mothers
At least once a day, I find myself saying this to Vivian: Sometimes, when I’m in the lecturing mood, I follow this up with this: “You’re his sister. You’re on his team. Defend him.” Conversations like this happen after Vivian alerts me (and scolds William) about not washing his hands, practicing piano with his feet, […]
The Challenges of Showering When You Have Kids
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve read a number of blog posts that refer to showering. Kelly from Dances With Chaos blogged about her 18-month-old being booted out of her gym’s childcare. This unjust suspension took away Kelly’s only chance of showering. Larry from Christian in the Rough mentioned that many of his best […]
Breaking My 10 Parenting Commandments*
As a woman who birthed later than the national average, I had plenty of opportunities to be an armchair parent. By observing an array of friends – some of whom should have used birth control – I saw a range of parenting styles. I witnessed well-meaning parents make not only single goof-ups, but legions of […]