The year Santa didn’t come: why we decided to skip Christmas
If you’re like many children in the U.S., you probably read a few stories or watched a few movies that follow the same story. The holidays are here and a villain, bad weather, or plain old poverty is gearing up to ruin Christmas for everyone. Thankfully at the last moment the villain will have a […]
FINALLY: scientists have decided tantrums are worth studying
Annie recently shared an NPR article called What’s Behind A Temper Tantrum? Scientists Deconstruct The Screams. The title immediately caught my eye, as I’m always on the lookout for anything that will help us cope with our son’s tantrums.
On making the choice to connect, again and again, with my kids
This morning was a rough one. You know the kind where everyone is cranky and just can’t seem to shake the yuckies? The kind of day where everything spirals down down down and you find yourself acting in ways you wish you wouldn’t — yelling, blaming, threatening. Yeah, we had one of those.
An age-appropriate guide to using Thanksgiving to talk about Native American history
Thanksgiving is the closest holiday many American children will have to one recognizing Native America. Some of us may celebrate Native Americans’ Day in lieu of Columbus Day, but in public school, media, and pop culture, the story of Pilgrims and Indians holding hands around a turkey is still the official narrative of Native/Colonial interactions.
How I’m overcoming my abusive childhood to become a loving, patient parent
Ah, the bedtime ritual. Oh how I love the constant interruptions of a good movie, dinner or maybe even a make-out session because my little one has decided to defy sleep. Something happens to her sleepy body when I leave her bedroom. My absence acts as an amphetamine for her. I put her down, I leave the room, she gets out of bed. Sometimes she fakes exhaustion to get her little game going, and I fall for her deception every time.
Why we’re not planning on cutting our son’s hair anytime soon
My son is newly two-years-old, and has long, blonde, curly hair. Aside from the fact that it’s usually a bit wild, it pretty much looks like the kind you’d find on toddler beauty queens — and we have no intentions of cutting it any time soon. Sure, we’re nearly constantly bombarded with mis-assumptions about his sex due to his hair, and family members are always quick to ask us when we’re going to finally cut it.
Crap, it’s cancer: parenting during a health crisis
My husband was diagnosed with rectal cancer in February 2011. He turned 40 only one month before. I’m only 31. We have a six-year old daughter and a three-year old son.
Trusting my child to choose his own adventure: democratic unschooling in action
I’ve been answering the question, “What grade is your son in?” for nine years, and even now I’m never quite sure what will come out of my mouth. My son has been attending The Clearwater School since age four. Clearwater is a Sudbury school, a democratic school based on freedom, trust, and responsibility. Kids have as much of a say in running the school as adults.