No Easy Way
My spouse and I had just signed our wills, a task that had been on our to-do list since I was pregnant with our daughter ten years before, and were so … Continue reading No Easy Way
Tag: Motherhood
Learning to Ask Questions
“Mom, Laura Ingalls Wilder was wrong,” said my five-year-old one morning while I squeezed lemon wedges into hot water for the “lemon tea” he’d requested. “She said kids like drinking cambric … Continue reading Learning to Ask Questions
“Mommy! Look!”
“Mommy! Look! Leaf buds!” “Mommy! Look! There’s mud on my sneakers!” “Mommy! Look! Crocuses!” My daughter’s oversized reactions to subtle signs of spring draw me out of my daily doubts and stresses and into her … Continue reading “Mommy! Look!”
Telling Our Own Stories: Our Children and Internet Privacy
When I was pregnant with my daughter, I had a private blog. Writing has long been my preferred means of communication, and blogging felt like a natural way to chronicle … Continue reading Telling Our Own Stories: Our Children and Internet Privacy
Smashing Assumptions
My children’s flute teacher retired from teaching last month, and the process of finding a new flute teacher has been fraught. Their relationship with their teacher was so close, the … Continue reading Smashing Assumptions
Innocence and Experience
I piled the mail—opened and unopened—in a stack and set it on the shelf above the desk. Onto the cleared surface, I lugged my secondhand sewing machine, ecru and smelling … Continue reading Innocence and Experience
The Fine Print
My spouse, our kids, and I recently returned from a fantastic 3,000-mile road trip from New England to southern Florida and back up through the Appalachian Mountains. We spent an … Continue reading The Fine Print
Who Needs a Dog?
“What’s this water doing on the floor?” I ask, pointing at a small puddle a few feet in front of the toilet. “That’s not water,” my four-year-old tells me. “It’s … Continue reading Who Needs a Dog?
A Progression of Farewells
It was still dark when my son woke me up, crying. “Shhh, shhh, honey,” I soothed, stroking his hair. “Do you want to nurse?” “No, Mommy,” he said, “you don’t … Continue reading A Progression of Farewells
Homeschool Quick Takes
Homeschooling gives me the opportunity to spend a lot of time with my kids. A lot. Of time. And since I know you were wondering, every moment is a blessing. … Continue reading Homeschool Quick Takes
Faking It
This post was inspired by Zoie’s post, “I Am A Fake,” on her blog, TouchstoneZ. When I was pregnant with my second child, I would wake up before my three-year-old and try … Continue reading Faking It
Summer Lessons
A few weeks ago I was tucking my daughter into bed when she said, almost in tears, “Mommy, this has been an awful summer!” That afternoon, I’d made an error … Continue reading Summer Lessons
Imperfect Happiness 