Last week I walked downstairs to find my two sons playing a game of chess. “How delightful!” I thought to myself. We had been practicing social distancing for a couple of weeks already, and everyone in our family was getting antsy. Seeing my kids getting along like this was like balm for my weary parenting… Read More →
I knew we had reached peak screen saturation in my home as I watched my youngest son log onto a Zoom call and then, realizing he wanted his brother included, walked over and sat next to him on the couch. My eldest was on Facetime and they quickly realized they were live streaming a live… Read More →
Teachers, parents, and families everywhere are scrambling to bring teaching and learning online. Administrators are working hard to find ways to provide food and technology to families who need them. Caregivers are juggling full time work, the strain of job loss, or the stress of working on the front lines at the same time that… Read More →
“Our family really knows how to cook!” my son exclaimed proudly as he served his own specialty macaroni and cheese to us a couple of days ago for dinner. “YES!” my youngest agreed happily, squeezing enough ketchup for the entire family onto his plate. Whether or not I agree with the level of culinary sophistication… Read More →
“How long should I wash my hands? Two hours?” my five-year-old asked before dinner. “Kids don’t even get sick from the corona virus!” my oldest asserted in a calm yet slightly annoyed, “I-know-more-than-you” voice. An argument ensued over who knew more about the virus and exactly which song is twenty seconds long. Even if children and… Read More →
“Say our important things,” my youngest child reminded me as I told him to turn off his headlamp and close his eyes to go to sleep. “Of course! Do I ever forget?” I asked. “Well sometimes, but not usually. No, I guess not,” he replied, snuggling into his bed waiting for me to begin our… Read More →
There is a lot of talk these days about finding balance. Work-life balance. A balanced diet. Keeping media in balance. In general, balance is a worthy goal. Parenting, though, often feels like an exercise in grappling with persistent imbalance. Curve balls are constant. Kids are messy, unpredictable, challenging, and delightful. This is in part because… Read More →
The other day I found myself thinking, “What a time to be alive!” as I watched my oldest child make a series of online slideshows for some of his teachers. He couldn’t have been happier to be writing, creating hilarious art, and even adding poetry to his creations. Outside of school time! Just for fun!… Read More →
There is no doubt that gaming systems, phones, and tablets are at the top of many children’s wish lists this year. While there are reasons to wait before getting your child their own device, how do we make sure that when the time comes that we set them up for success? Many parents greet new… Read More →
“What do you say to Grandpa for making us this big dinner?” we asked the kids, perched precariously on booster seats at the far end of the table. “Thank you!” they cheered enthusiastically. We parents looked at one another, pleased as punch with our children, especially because moments earlier my niece threw a fork and… Read More →
