It’s been an interesting, eventful, exhausting day. I woke this morning, and about an hour and a half into my day, I actually thought to myself, “This could make for one funny blog this evening.” Stress on the could. There are some days when it is even a stretch for me to find the funny …
Cherish. A word that speaks of highly valued treasure. A mother-colleague spoke today of her family and made reference to the fact that her three teen-aged children knew they were cherished. That they felt cherished by her and her husband. And we talked about the significance of this fact to our children’s lives. Mine included. …
I feel discouragement tonight covering me like a dark, heavy cloak. This has been one of those days of joy-less mothering. Of difficult parenting. Of challenging discussions. Of battered emotions and low self- efficacy. Of wondering ‘what if’ and ‘how come.’ Of hopelessness. And just now, as I sit and contemplate where I am with …
Ode to Joy. Or as it is written in my daughter’s MYC piano book, “Ode to Spider Fingers.” Which has gotten me wishing for a pair of sticky fingers instead so I could steal away to a deserted island somewhere in the Pacific and empty my mind into a lagoon of salty sea water. If …
Sometimes all the patience is sucked out, like a Hoover that tirelessly lives up to its brand. Or perhaps like my new LG- promising that life will be good when you use the label. But when air is emptied from within, like a sucker punch to the gut, and all patience, understanding, joy and hope …
An open letter to teachers, care-givers and parents of spirited children everywhere: Dear Caregiver, I am sorry my child lay on the floor today and refused to participate in your class. I also apologize that she further disregarded your implicit instructions pertaining to scheduled activities, not to mention more than once did exactly the opposite …
My children have been gifted. Gifted with family who value faith, honesty, respect, education and co-operative learning; hard work, effort, diversity, honor and humor. Among other positive qualities. All which serve to instil within our offspring an appreciation for integrity and a value for a high standard of living. We work hard as parents to …
I am a kindergarten teacher. I have the unique privilege of teaching children who WANT to go to school. Children who look downcast when you tell them Saturday is a day off and that after Saturday is Sunday-another day away from school. Children who share that what makes them happy is ‘going to school’. Children …
I have a friend who chooses to stay at home in spite of the fact that all her children are now in elementary school. She was a former professional, prior to the birth of her children. But following the birth of her second last child, she decided she no longer feels called to work outside …
As a mom, I feel pressure to capture and preserve every waking moment of my four children’s lives. To photograph, video-tape, blog, anecdote; to keep a baby calendar, baby-record book, family scrapbook, and personal diary; to Facebook, Pinterest, Tweet and Instagram for the love of my children; and to do things the old-fashioned way: write …
We are T-minus zero to bedtime. I am so ready for this. Then one of the rug-rats hollers from the T.V. room, “Daddy promised we could have a game of ‘Hide-and-Go-Seek.’ In the dark. He promised!” He promised, did he? Was his head connected to the rest of his body when these shady deals were …
Who I am is enough. For now. And I say this first and foremost. The rest will follow as it may. I am under the table wiping up crumbs. While I clean, I talk to Husband, who is wiping counters. I talk about my troubles with Daughter Number One. She has been extraordinarily moody of …