Emily speaks for me, and for a lot of people. College is often a huge transition out of our parents’ home and into our independent lives, which can be stressful. For those of us who are chronically ill, or worse, are yet undiagnosed, college and dorm life can seem daunting. But I don’t have all of the […]
A Letter to My Daughter
I had to write a letter to The Durable Daughter for a church retreat that she is going on this weekend. In the Unitarian Universalist Church, 13 year olds are in a “Coming of Age” year, which we have deemed a significant milestone, as these kids prepare to transition from middle school to high school. I […]
Why Eggs and Bunnies at Easter?
(Originally posted April 2 2015) Why Eggs and Bunnies at Easter? If glitter is the herpes of the craft world, then food dye is syphilis. It’s not that I’m not crafty – I get a meth high from a Pinterest Board just like every other red-blooded ‘Merican Mom. But I draw the line when that […]
10 People You’ll Meet at the Store
I spend the better part of my life as a stay-at-home Mom in stores. I am the buyer and bringer of things: food, clothing, personal care, activity-accessories, etc. Basically, buying shit is my “job.” A bad day at work is when I have to go to five different stores (boo!) A great day is when […]
Life Hack for Kids Who Hate to Write
It’s official: writing homework has become the bane of your child’s existence, and it is sending you to either jail or an early grave. I know. I’ve got one of those, and as A WRITER, it hurts even more that I haven’t been able to use my Mommy superpower to will him through it. The harder […]
The Five Stages of Lice
You bought glue sticks, composition notebooks, No. 2s, and new shoes. Freedom is just around the corner. Your kids bound home each day with a tree’s worth of paper in their backpack: emergency contact forms, PTA calendars, new assignments. You have more homework than they do the first week. Soon they will fall into a […]
Teaching My Kids About Alcohol
Hello, my name is Ashley, and I am a Mom who drinks and swears. (Hi Ashley!) Actually, I’m not confessing my “vices.” I don’t like to think of things as vices: they are tools, and like any tool, they can be used for good or bad. We all have a different relationship with them. I […]
Guest Post: “Stop It!” from A Little Bit of Thunder
One of the magical parts of blogging is the people I get to meet as a result of the things that I write. I recently posted “How I Teach My Kids That No Means No.” This essay is a subtle (ahem!) position on how even in early childhood, innocuous games like tickling can […]
How I Teach My Kids That No Means No
Last year I wrote a post called Two Little Words That Made My Heart Stop, and online publication MomBabble picked it up, and gave it the much better title of “How I Teach My Children That No Means No,” among a few other edits (thanks for cleaning me up, editor Jennifer Oradat!) Please go on over […]
Scary Mommy: The 5 Stages of Lice
I still get panic texts from friends. I’m THAT person now. “I think little Kanye has lice. How do I know?” Why do they ask me? Because they know that I know. I wrote about my experience on Scary Mommy last Fall. Check out my satirical twist on the stages of grief with The 5 Stages of […]
