A Decade and a Decision
My firstborn just turned 10. “I can’t believe it” is my normal reaction to her birthday. As all parents told me it would, the time has truly flown by. Wasn’t it “just yesterday” that I was rocking her, spoon-feeding her…
Nose-to-Nose, Heart-to-Heart
Recently I had to have a difficult “nose-to-nose” conversation with my daughter. She was having a lot of trouble admitting that she was wrong about something, and Kevin and I had been noticing that this issue with her had been…
My Little Pony
When my daughter Callie was two years old, our friend Kari gave her a toy for Christmas. “Oh, Callie! It’s My Little Pony!” I exclaimed as she opened the package. Very confused, little Callie looked up at me and said,…
A Tribute to Tradition
It’s hard to tell when traditions actually begin or why they begin. I just know my family has them, especially around Christmastime. First of all, we insist on having a live tree. I’d like to say we go to a…
Not-So-Traditional Thanksgivings
When I was growing up, every year we had the same Thanksgiving tradition at my grandparents’ house. It was always my family, my aunt, my uncle, my cousins, my grandparents, turkey, dressing (the best I’ve ever had!), twice-baked potatoes, homemade…
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…
