I know it’s been a long time since I’ve written a post. Interestingly, I think the last time I wrote was probably in April and I believe what I shared was the eulogy for my mother. Lately, the day before her funeral has been running through my mind on repeat. I think I’ve finally figured… Continue reading Honk
Today, while eating lunch with my most delightful friends and coworkers, we were discussing the nighttime routines of our little ones. Mine, being not so little, is very independent in her evening preparations. One friend talked about how her son likes her to turn off the light for the last few minutes of his bath.… Continue reading Singletasking
There’s this event at my school in which, for positive behavior, students can earn tickets to try and win the reward of giving a pie in the face to teachers willing to participate. I was more than willing to participate in this event, and I listed myself among the teachers ready to get messy. When… Continue reading No Pie in My Eye
Today, I had one of those moments. You know the ones, in which everything just sort of happens and falls into place. In which it all feels so decidedly right. In which you feel valued and valuable. I had a prolonged one of those moments, thanks to a fantastically sweet little girl. She’s the little… Continue reading A child’s gift
Just Monday I shared about a special gift I received from a student many years ago. That story is a wonderful one to me but it tugs at my heartstrings because I feel like I was once a teacher but am not one any longer. My psychiatrist fights me on this point, saying that while… Continue reading More gifts
It’s back to school time. I’ve been seeing all of the items in the stores and the commercials on tv. I’ve seen the back to school posts from my teacher friends on social media as they prepare classrooms and celebrate final days of summer. It has been some of the hardest work of my adult… Continue reading Hey Jealousy
They say people are defined by how they respond in the worst of times. The news I got this week definitely qualifies for the worst of times. I continue to be semi-unemployed and did not land a teaching job with the district in which I live. The only district that I saw job openings for.… Continue reading I didn’t respond well
I’ve talked before about how I am a fan of the Love and Logic parenting and teaching model. This has given me a lot of tools and phrases to use in difficult situations with kids. The most powerful two are pretty simple, and they are “Bummer!” and “Would you like to hear what some other… Continue reading What would you like to do?
Let me start off by saying that we don’t have a home phone. Husband and I each have cell phones and Daughter has the ability to text on her touch device. At age nine she does not have her own phone, but it isn’t necessarily because we don’t think she should. You see, nine years… Continue reading Grown up peer pressure
At some point in my life I know that I’d like to leave some pieces of advice, little nuggets of what I have to pass for wisdom, for my daughter. I’d like to think I’ve got lots of time for that. Even so, I’ve started thinking about what I want to tell her. Here’s what… Continue reading Advice for Daughter
Elephants in the Room 