If your kid is ready for middle school, be ready to go slow, be extremely supportive and deny the inclination to “let go because they got this.” In no way is that true.
First Day of Middle School I’m so lucky. I have a fairly uncomplicated kid. Now that middle school is finally coming to an end, I realized what we really went through in the last three years. For anyone just starting out: hang in there – what comes out on the other end is totally… More Middle School is Almost Over – We Made It Through the Wilderness
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
Um, yeah. Katie pretending to be a fish. Don’t ask. I am a fan of Kickstarter. If you don’t know about this organization yet, you owe it to yourself to learn more. It’s a giant portal that hosts projects asking for donations from folks from all over. I have helped three projects so far and… More It’s Grassroots Baby – One Otter at a Time! Join the campaign!
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
“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
I turn 50 tomorrow. I was fine with it until about six months ago went it felt like everything went sideways. My best friend got breast cancer, I got a thyroid infection and suddenly mortality was scarier than any Freddy Kruger movie. So, being a writer, I had to make a list of 50 things… More They tell me 50 is the new 30. I don’t think so.
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
Katie has never participated on a team sport. Yep. Totally true. She thought she might do soccer but on the free trial day, she was clobbered in the head and never went back. She kind of likes basketball but not enough to commit. Instead, she’s been a dancer and an artist. Now fast forward to… More An Open Letter to Team Sports Folks: Please Don’t Sacrifice the Virgins!
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
I am talking pop-culture here. Those movies we have all seen that people reference in comedy routines. I am not worried about television right now (I know that’s another whole can of worms) but really looking for movies that kids should know about so they can relate to grown-ups! Post a comment here or tweet… More What Movies Should Every Kid See for “Cultural Intelligence”
Yeah, that’s a Menorah ANDa Christmas tree. We get around. Katie was groaning the other day about going to another holiday party. “I don’t hate the party mom, I hate all the dumb questions the adults ask me!” she lamented. I think I am one of those adults! It’s terrifying when you realize you have… More Five Things You Should NOT Ask the Kids This Holiday Season
Last year, Facebook was all the rage among the fifth grade crowd. Why? Farmville. No more no less – sending Mystery Gifts, planting crops and decorating the farm. Over time, Farmville got old (and they pretty much made it so complicated it’s no fun anymore anyway) and the kids got older. Yeah, I know, they… More Ahh Facebook: The Strange (Dangerous?) Case of Tweens Online
Katie’s home room teacher rocks. She not only teaching language arts, but she also brings in lots of life lessons – from drinking to college admissions to cutting. Yep, she brought it up in class and it was the first time Katie had ever heard of it. Turns out, there’s a cutter in her class.… More Relieving the Pain: When 11-Year Olds Start Cutting
Okay, so I need to say a bit more about grades. After my last blog about Katie’s addiction – which has been tempered, sorta – I find I am still stuck on the subject after watching a disaster in the making yesterday! I arrived at school a little early and decided to wait for Katie… More Report Cards Came Out Yesterday – Publicly. Do Students Have a Right to Privacy?
I was there the first time she used. I actually gave her access to her drug without realizing what I was doing. And it took just a few times to get her hooked. I was a complete enabler. This fall, my daughter became dangerously addicted to grades. If I hadn’t watched Race to Nowhere last… More My Daughter Became an Addict in Sixth Grade