“Whoa! Are They All Yours?”
Parenting is not a competition. No one gets a trophy for the most kids. Everyone has a number in mind for their family, and sometimes that number grows larger than even the mom and dad imagined. Twenty years ago, I…
This Christmas, Chill with the Family!
Each year, as the holidays approach, I am overwhelmed with the countless articles, infinite ideas, and gazillion social media posts about ways to simplify, cookies to bake, crafts to make for your kids’ teachers, 101 events to hit in town,…
Thanksgiving’s Attitude of Gratitude
We have empty seats at our Thanksgiving spread. This year, someone else will slice open the boiled eggs and mix the yolks with paprika and relish before presenting them as deviled eggs, the way my grandmother did every Turkey Day…
Building Parent-Teacher Partnerships
I have just begun my twelfth year as an English teacher. I spent two years at a private school, seven at a public school, and two at a school for students who are gifted in the arts. I see my…
When a Child Dies by Suicide
Our state ranks forty-seventh for treatment of childhood major depression – the leading risk factor for suicide. That means seven out of ten Virginia kids most at risk for suicide don’t get the help they need. My family lived that…
Make-and-Take Kindness
Community. Neighbor. Kindness. In times of joy, pain, loss, and need, bringing a meal to others is an everyday act that can bring these words to life. I would be lying if I said one of my favorite memories about…
Who’s Up for a Digital Detox?
Writing this sentence took all day. Instead of clacking away with singular purpose, I interrupted myself incessantly to also send nineteen emails, post to Facebook, and update my Twitter, LinkedIn, and two Instagram accounts. The one goal was to finish…
Managing Multiples! Year One Tips
What a difference a year makes! Last May, I was still recovering from the delivery that brought my twin boys into the world. I was also working full-time, pumping around the clock, and scrambling daily to get to the NICU…
Homework vs. Activities?
The minute the kids step off the bus, do you usher them into your minivan at light-year speed? Is that same van stocked with more pretzels and Gatorade than a 7-Eleven? After soccer practice, you jet over to cello lessons.…
Is It Time for Music Lessons?
After dinner, it’s music time in my house. Sometimes we move the furniture and dance crazily, sometimes the hand drums get played, sometimes we sing together, and sometimes we play the piano. And sometimes, let’s be real, we forget. As…
