Giving the kids something to talk about in therapy.
With a household of young adults aged 15-20, I am in the final years of my hands-on parenting stage, and the empty nest is getting closer and closer. If I think too hard about this fact, I am liable to burst into tears. However, sometimes this revelation is a light in a tunnel of teenage... Continue Reading →
When it comes to Easter baskets, kids are easy to shop for. Grab some jelly beans and chocolate bunnies, gather a few small toys, add the artificial grass and voila, you have created the magic of the Easter Bunny. And then they become teens, and the Easter basket dilemma begins. First off, don’t think for... Continue Reading →
I have a 12-year-old son who is a 7th grader this year. Like most 7th grade boys, my son's actions don't necessarily involve a lot of thought. Just this week alone, he decided that buying and consuming a Monster energy drink right before bed was a good idea, skipping his chores and lying about them... Continue Reading →
In the morning, I am usually the last one to leave the house. I kind of like it that way, because it gives me a few moments of quiet in an empty house. Of course, it also means that I am the one who is left with a sink full of dishes to fill the... Continue Reading →
This post will publish in the Press Democrat on Friday, September 7, 2012. On a recent afternoon, my daughter DQ and I were on our way back from dropping my son, Taz, off at his friend’s house. I had assumed that DQ was going to spend the rest of the day bored since one of... Continue Reading →
(This article is publishing in the Press Democrat on June 29th) On a recent evening, I took my daughter, DQ, to the store to go shopping for some clothes and jewelry she wanted for a special occasion. We not only looked for what she needed, but had fun going through the different aisles trying on... Continue Reading →
Don’t freak out. What did my parents say? “We hope you have a daughter just like you.” Guess what, it’s happened. And now I get to deal with the same stuff they freaked out on me about, but try to do it in a way that won’t cause her to rebel and get worse. Like... Continue Reading →
I have a confession to make. I embarrass my kids. Most of the time it’s unintentional. For example, my son will turn down the radio before he opens the car door when I drop him off at school. He doesn’t want anyone to know we’ve been listening to talk shows, blues music, or worse, music... Continue Reading →
Wine Country Mom 