Parenting has been life changing. I’ve raised a kid as a single-mom by choice who used a sperm donor. We had adventures, learned some lessons and had a great time. Katie went to different schools that did and didn’t work. I worked with parents along the way to provide Katie with lots of different experiences. We traveled the state of California and beyond. I was committed to living small so she could learn large.
“I was having fun; why are you so mad at me?!” You’re tired, the kids are wired, and it seems like saying “no” is all you do. Welcome to crunch time – when jumping on the couch, running around a store, and touching everything is the perpetual motion of every child! This is when we’re… More Video Tip: Stop Saying “No”
At some point – and I could go figure out when this happened but it pretty much doesn’t matter – we took Driver’s Education out of our schools. Stupidest move ever. If you aren’t aware, here’s how our kids learn to drive today. 1. They take an online course to get a certificate. This is… More Teen Driving: How We Shot Ourselves in the Head in California
Katie is finally a junior and this summer she got her license. That means I don’t have to drive her around anymore. That means I am free. The result, I’m trying new things and having some adult fun once again. And, in my 53rd year, I’ve discovered three things that are keeping me very happy.… More The Joys of Midlife: A Kid that Can Drive and Three Things…
Look closely at that photo: On Friday she was barfing her guts out with the 24 hour flu; the bucket’s still there but now it appears papers are what’s been barfed out. What a way to study! I think the greatest testament to the first year of high school is the fact that I haven’t… More Someone Get Me a Xanax, It’s Finals Time
You can’t have her, she’s alllll mine…. A good friend of mine remembers his adolescence amazingly well. As I described to him the changes going on with my 14 year old daughter, a freshman in high school, he said, “It’s like she just got off the bus in the middle of Times Square. She is… More Just Got Off the Bus in Times Square
It was so easy. All I had to do to lure them away was send them a text. And then they were mine! Much to Katie’s chagrin – she really can’t complain, she’s off storming the South Pacific with People to People – I swiped her friends and took them to a food fest at… More It’s True, I Love Stealing Other People’s Children
If you have been living under a rock or simply been too busy working or listening to the kids squabble, you could have missed YOLO. (You can watch this Jimmy Kimmel video to help you feel better about being so out of touch). It’s the current excuse to do anything you would normally not do… More LTS is the YOLO for the Over Forty Crowd
Yeah, it sounds nuts. What the heck am I talking about? When I learned a long time ago that neuron connections are vital for a rich, healthy brain, it became my focus. I wanted to make sure that when I took information, I was building new connections and hopefully improving my ability to retain what… More Every Body Eats! Unleashing Katie’s Passion for Learning
There is nothing that rings more true for a single mom. I chose to be a single mom. When I wasn’t married at 34 – and there were no prospects on the horizon – I decided I would go ahead and have a kid using a sperm donor. I also knew I would be on… More Blog Action Day 2012 – The Power of We is the Key to Successful Parenting
We attended one the best events about college finance and planning last night at Santa Cruz High School. Steven Shapiro (who I met with privately) had told me I needed to go and he was right. Lynn O’Shaughnessy was amazing. While Katie started to wear out, I think I could have stayed for another two… More The College Solution: Our Fantastic Evening with Lynn O’Shaughnessy
“Mom, you have to stop,” Katie tells me firmly but still calmly. Thank goodness she’s patient. “You know,” I said, “I think I am having an epiphany. I need to unlearn how to parent you. I have been doing these things since you were born and now I need to stop doing them. And that’s… More Unlearning Parenting
Um, no stopping in the red zone! Jeez. I am way too cool and too hip to be such a dud. I realized, while driving home from dropping off the kid at school, that there’s some insane super-ego voice in my head providing a constant narration of what everyone else is doing wrong. Don’t try… More Holy Crap! I’ve Turned into a Curmudgeon
Patricia Heaton as Frankie Heck on ABC’s The Middle. I was extremely moved by the events in Arizona last weekend (and this week). I listened to President Obama’s speech, hanging on every word about the incredible people who died and those who survived the brutal attack. And I have been caught up in the national… More Out Here in The Middle: Changing America One Parent at a Time
Today was tough. I knew it was going to be rough – Katie would be tired from four days of over doing. I had plenty to do workwise and I thought I had set aside a few things to keep Katie busy. I was going to push it – our consultant said to take things… More Hard Day: Missing Friends and the Weird Guy at the Park
Today was a first for Katie. She had her first babysitting job. Okay – not really baby-sitting – it was “mommy’s helper” – but she was responsible for keeping Roark happy, engaged and safe while his mom and I worked. We used the babysitting as a home school opportunity and studied up on child care,… More A First! A Chance to Babysit! Awesome!