girls
“Do I Look Fat?”
It happened today. A day I’ve dreaded since my little girl was a baby. We were getting ready to go swimming. Crowding around the bathroom sink with her little brother, the three of us busy dodging elbows and weaving through legs while searching for an opening to rinse and spit. Amid the chaos she stopped, looked me straight in the eyes and barely audible through her sad, embarrassed tone said, “Mommy, I feel like this bathing suit makes me look fat.” I froze as my heart broke. Thoughts like molasses, I sensed them trying to call an emergency meeting while unable to break free from the muck. The only clear ones I could make out were “How did this happen? My baby. She is only 6. What do I say?” Believe me when I say while I’m certainly not batting a thousand in the “saying the wrong thing in...
All’s fair in love and siblings
Our family's last visit to my mother-in-law's summer cottage ends in a story where one of my children throws the other under a proverbial bus.
An explosive start to summer
My children spend the early part of summer vacation inadvertently conducting a science experiment in their bedroom. But it's OK. It's all cleaned up now.
What do you smell like? Ask your kid.
One night at bedtime, my daughter offers to tell me how I smell. Yikes -- do I want to know?
Mama Drama: Toddler Tantrums and Clean Up Meltdowns
Dear Mama Drama: My three-year-old daughter is driving me crazy! I love her to death and she’s got so much spunk, but when I need her to get things done and she refuses or throws a tantrum and I am at a loss. She could care less about consequences and seems to enjoy all the attention she gets from lectures. I seem to be the only one frustrated in this situation. ~Going crazy http://www.flickr.com/photos/citril/ / CC BY 2.0 Dear Going Crazy: Three can be a challenging age as children seek more independence and challenge expectations. They often run on their own time schedule and our demands can appear random and unreasonable to them. Creating a daily visual schedule can help your daughter to understand the routine of the day. If something needs to change for that day, you can change the pic...
Mama Drama: Brotherly Love and Playgroup Problems
Dear Mama Drama: I have three sons, ages 7, 4, and 2. Everyday after picking up my oldest son from school, within five minutes either the seven year old or four year old is crying. The struggles are often related to rude behavior and hitting. The oldest wants time to himself at this time of day and the younger brothers have been eagerly awaiting his return. The reconnection between the oldest and youngest is a love fest, but the middle and oldest set each other off. It seems like this should be a fun and exciting part of our day, but it quickly deteriorates into frustration for all of us. ~Hoping for a peaceful ride home Dear Hoping: Kids put out a ton of energy being at school all day and even though they may be running around, they are often exhausted emotionally and physically. Re-enter...
