Which Came First – The Chicken or El Pollo?
When my family and I lived in Maryland, we had a neighbor from El Salvador named Fran (short for Francisco). He enjoyed coming to our house to practice his English, and we always enjoyed his visits. During one of these…
On Parenting Yourself
Here’s what I’ve discovered: My firstborn daughter is the most like me. Here’s what else I’ve discovered: She is quite often the most difficult child for me to parent. And I think I know why. So many of the things…
If You Can’t Say Anything Nice…Try Anyway
Several years ago, a wonderful documentary, Babies, was released. The film chronicles the first year of the lives of four babies from various parts of the world: Namibia, Mongolia, Japan, and the United States. As I watched the film, which has…
Play Ball!
My husband and I played on a softball team this summer, and it was so much fun. My kids thought it was great, too, and they cheered us on with fervor! If the umpire made a bad call, our kids…
A Coffee Table Commentary
Currently on my coffee table are the following items: a miniature tea party set, a toy gun, mail, a rented DVD, an empty glass, a pad of paper, a doll’s hair curler, a photo card reader, a Chess piece, a…
Sum-Sum-Summertime
I love summertime. I love the break from a lot of schedule and structure. I love taking the kids to the pool nearly every day. I love taking trips. I love not having to be somewhere all the time. And…
On Handling Conflict
My husband and I don’t have a lot of disagreements. And when we do disagree, we’re not loud about it. There was a particular time several years ago when we were having an argument in the kitchen, and our children…
Gimme a Break!
All I wanted was for her to put the crayons back in the box. Is that really too much to ask of a two-year-old? It’s been seven years since that event, but I remember it vividly. My daughter Callie and…
The Store
It’s every mother’s nightmare. Or at least a strong dislike. It’s . . . [Insert scary music and screams.] . . . taking the kids to the grocery store. It had been awhile since I’d taken all three children with…
Patience is a Virtue . . . and a Goal
Last January, our family had a discussion about setting goals for ourselves. Things like tying shoes, riding a bike, learning to swim, and blowing a bubble were mentioned by my then 4, 6, and 8-year-old children. I thought these were…
