Maybe it’s the hair, the eyes, or the fact that we’re both females with similar DNA, but from a very young age my daughter has been told that she looks just like me. Me, as in her very old mother, not me, as a child. Personally, I think she looks exactly like I did as a 7-year-old. Oddly, my mother doesn’t see the resemblance at all. A couple of years ago, someone asked us if we were sisters. Granted, the person asking was a very, very elderly woman, but that didn’t stop me from kissing her feet. Needless to say, … Continue reading →

You know those moms doing a happy dance in the parking lot on the first day of school, then caravanning together to the nearest Starbucks to toast their freedom with Venti Java Chip Frappuccinos? I’m not one of them. I’m the mom rushing off to get as much work done before I have to navigate the car line for pick-up. I’m also the mom who feels like an amputee walking out of school after three straight months of summer vacation. Three straight months operating as my child’s social activities coordinator and she as my third arm. So, no, I’m won’t … Continue reading →

I was 12 years old when I got my first brand-new bike. Prior to that I rode hand-me-downs from my older brothers. By the time the two-wheelers got to me they were dinged, chipped and… blue. Blue! What self-respecting girly-girl wants to be seen riding around the neighborhood on a midnight-blue bike with half-torn orange lightning bolts across the frame? It took me nearly a year to save up for the bike of my dreams: A red and white Huffy with iridescent scrolling on the handlebars. It was a beaut! I rode that bike every day in the hot, Hawaiian … Continue reading →

My daughter is sick… again! Hello, hand, foot and mouth disease… again! The fact that I can spell “Herpangina” correctly without having to reference a medical resource book or Google is nothing to brag about. Clearly, there is a pattern to this madness. Unfortunately, breaking the vicious cycle is easier said than done. That said, my little trooper is hanging in there. Or, more accurately, holding on to. As in my neck, arms and legs. When my daughter gets sick she likes to be near her mama. The only problem is that at seven years old she’s not exactly Baby … Continue reading →

My daughter went to summer camp and all she got were green stains on her shirt. No, they weren’t grass stains or remnants from an art project gone wrong; rather, they were much tastier. This is the second year that my daughter has attended Cooking Day Camp, and I must say; the results were even better than I had expected. The week-long camp is designed for kids 6 to 8 years old and includes a special emphasis on getting children (especially picky eaters) to try new foods. The idea is that if youngsters have a part in making the recipe … Continue reading →

“Buddy,” I call outside to my 7-year-old daughter. “Time for dinner.” “Bud! Dinner!” I yell after seeing her whiz past the kitchen window on her scooter. The speeding scooter passes by the window a half-dozen more times. “Honey, we’re eating NOW!” I bellow through clenched teeth, desperately trying not to attract the attention of the entire neighborhood. “I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR…” before I can finish my little speed demon zooms into the garage looks me square in the eye and in her best, bad Russian accent quips: “Hello, my name Peggy. You got problem?” Thanks, Discovery Card. You and … Continue reading →

I stand corrected. Perhaps, breakfast battles, lunch packing, backpack hunting and supply shopping aren’t the worst parts of back-to-school. I forgot about labeling. Today my daughter received a letter from her new teacher welcoming her to second grade, sharing a few anecdotes, and providing a list of all the fun that awaits once the new school year kicks off. At the bottom of the cheerful note was a reminder to parents about labeling school supplies prior to the first day of school. I forgot about the school’s policy which requires labeling every.single. item. that passes through the classroom door. Every … Continue reading →

Along with fighting about what to wear, arguing about acceptable hairstyles, and nagging about homework, moms face another daily back-to-school battle with straggler kids: breakfast. My soon-to-be second grader is used to taking her sweet time at the breakfast table methodically chipping away at her favorite dishes. Her leisurely pace is not an issue on weekends and during the summer months, but once the school year starts her routine gets a serious jolt. I’ve told her a thousand times that she has two choices when it comes to back-to-school breakfasts: She can either wake-up 30 minutes earlier than normal, and … Continue reading →

Just as my bank account was recovering from funding summer camps, soccer lessons, new swimsuits, pool fees, daily DQ runs and July jaunts to major theme parks, I’m being buried by back-to-school bills. I am officially back-to-school broke and classes around here don’t start for another two weeks. I kvetched when I saw Target and Wal-Mart employees replacing Fourth of July displays with school supplies, but then I realized that many kids are forced to head back to class at the end of July. Thousands of year-round students that attend Chicago Public Schools start the new academic year on Monday. … Continue reading →

Will someone please tell me where I can purchase a Scooby-Doo backpack that’s not pink and doesn’t feature wheels? I’ve spent the past two weeks driving to nearly a dozen stores and scouring the Internet for my daughter’s dream backpack. The stores are a dead end and the online resources say they have the bag in stock, but when I click to order, all I get is an error message. What the… Heaven forbid the kid show up for the first day of second grade without an animated Great Dane on her back. Adding to my back-to-school blues is the … Continue reading →