My family are library super-users. We manage holds, checkouts, renewals, and returns with a carefully balanced choreography. We love libraries so much that when my children go to bookstores, my … Continue reading Crying in the Library of Congress
Monday through Thursday this week, my kids and I drove the 20 minutes to the commuter rail station and then took the train into Boston, where we spent the morning riding … Continue reading Car Light in Boston
The Gift Of Faith: Tending the Spiritual Lives of Children by Jeanne Harrison Nieuwejaar My rating: 4 of 5 stars Shortly after my spouse and I married nearly fifteen years ago, … Continue reading The Gift Of Faith: Tending the Spiritual Lives of Children by Jeanne Harrison Nieuwejaar
Have you ever seen a partially or completely hollow tree, still quite leafy and alive? This is possible because [the tree’s] “veins” are in the outermost layer of the tree, … Continue reading The Childhoods of Trees
People write about “leaning in” and “opting out,” and I just feel entirely outside of that conversation. Ever since I was a little girl, the only thing I’ve really aspired … Continue reading Motherhood and Planned Obsolescence
My friend Stacy (of Sanity for Stacy) suggested this topic for a Reader’s Request post. Stacy wrote, “I’d like to hear your thoughts on child spacing, how you decided on … Continue reading Reader’s Request: Child Spacing and Family Size
A neighbor invited my spouse and children over the other day for muffins and hot chocolate. When they arrived, they were served muffins, but did not immediately receive hot chocolate. … Continue reading Hot Chocolate Etiquette: Your Input Requested
Let’s Join In by Shirley Hughes My rating: 5 of 5 stars I learned of Shirley Hughes from Jim Trelease’s The Read-Aloud Handbook. We just picked up this one and another … Continue reading Children’s Book Review: Let’s Join In by Shirley Hughes
Apparently, there is a Child Safety Awareness Week in June in the UK. Despite its being August and despite the fact that we’re in New England rather than England, my son has … Continue reading My Son Celebrates Child Safety Awareness Week
My daughter turns six years old today. She’s lost one tooth. She can read novels and children’s encyclopedias. She plays the flute. She recites poetry. She does second-grade math. She … Continue reading Reflecting on Six Years of Motherhood
Well, I’m certainly at a different place at the end of this month than I was at the beginning of the month, I’ll say that much. I do think the … Continue reading March: Motherhood Month in Review
Imperfect Happiness 