My child is six. She has lived a short period of time and yet has learned so much. She tells me that the sun is a star and that blood is made in our bones. She also asks a LOT of questions, like are mosquitoes REAL, and what about dragons? Her world is full ofContinue reading “Lessons in Unlearning”
Category Archives: parenting
Caged, Curious, or Free
I have lived my life in a cage built of rules, close quarters with a lot of requirements.I yearn to raise a free daughter, I imagine what that would look like. I encourage curiousity, letting her wonder and wander,Saying yes more than no because after all, why not? I ask her to notice and sheContinue reading “Caged, Curious, or Free”
2021, the longest year for a Mom Demanding Action
For the last (four?) years I’ve been part of our local chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. For those who don’t know, it’s a grassroots organization of both mothers and others, gun-owners and non-gun owners, who refuse to accept 100 gun deaths a day. We are the gun safety version ofContinue reading “2021, the longest year for a Mom Demanding Action”
Ready to Burn
Last night, my daughter asked me how to get a flat tummy, and she sucked her little belly in. “I want it flat, I don’t want it fat, like this” and she exhaled her tummy back out. She’s six. I know I’ve been pulled back into my eating disorder but I thought I was keepingContinue reading “Ready to Burn”
Mom Tips
If you sit on the couch, you’ll be asked for something. If you sit in your room, you’ll be asked for something. If you sit at the table, you’ll be asked for something. But if you sit on the floor of your kitchen, you can find temporary peace. There’s a frightening amount of Cheerios andContinue reading “Mom Tips”
My Mother, the activist
My mother would never describe herself as an activist,But I do. She never allowed Nestle in the house,She vetoed Carl’s Jr on every road trip,And never participated in Black Friday. My mother was an activist, in her way. With three kids to raise, a husband, and a job to juggle, She protested with her purse,RefusingContinue reading “My Mother, the activist”
A Child who Notices
When you have a child who Notices, it takes longer to do everything because there are flowers to smell and shadows to chase and rainbows in puddles. When you have a child who Notices, you learn to leave a little earlier and that arriving late isn’t an emergency. Or you live in a constant stateContinue reading “A Child who Notices”
Too Many Things
Today I tried to do Too Many Things. I remembered to Mail the Card but smeared tikka Masala on the envelope. The other card could not be addressed, though written and sealed, will likely sit on my counter being buried by Important Mail until I clean again, am horrified to discover the Unsent Card, andContinue reading “Too Many Things”
First Impressions in 2021: Parent Teacher Conference on Zoom
I’ve learned a lot about first impressions, in the year of our plague, 2021. A) I’m usually Wrong in my assessment B) Tone is hard to read in text C) There’s no point in pre-stressing over might-be issues Historically, I don’t have the best track record with first impressions– that is, what I first noticeContinue reading “First Impressions in 2021: Parent Teacher Conference on Zoom”
From one Laura to Another
This necklace belonged to my great-great aunt Laura (what the L really stands for). She was the daughter of German immigrants- mother from Prussia, father from Bavaria, he came to the US at 18. But Henrietta came when she was only 2, and spoke with no accent due to her work (as a young girl)Continue reading “From one Laura to Another”
Pretty Good Ugly 