Apparently I wasn’t the only one who thought $20 for a single tooth was outrageous. After all, the Tooth Fairy isn’t Santa. Well, unless you’re in my daughter’s first grade class, then Saint Nick and the winged enamel collector share the same bank account. But that’s not the case in most of the country. According to CNN, the Tooth Fairy is floundering in today’s sluggish economy, and kids are beginning to take notice. The cable news network cites a recent survey which found that the going rate for freshly fallen teeth has seen a 40-cent decline this year, from $3 … Continue reading →

My daughter desperately wanted to attend a church-sponsored camp this summer. Only, there were two problems: It’s a sleepaway camp held about 100 miles away from our home, and you have to 10 years or older to attend-—my daughter’s six. Without a doubt (at least in my mind) she is absolutely too young to attend. There is no way that she is mature enough to spend a week away from home—alone. However, I do know some nine year olds, who are incredibly independent and could easily blossom at the camp, but will have to wait until next year to attend. … Continue reading →

A couple weeks before school let out for summer break I received a note asking for money in order to buy my first grader’s teacher a thank you present. I love that the room moms take up a collection, as it takes the pressure off busy parents, and allows the teacher to score a gift worth more than a couple of bucks. I am all for pitching in for the class gift, and sent in money right away. In addition, my daughter drew her teacher a lovely card and we shipped in a couple lei from Hawaii. Honestly, my daughter’s … Continue reading →

My sweet little baby wants nothing more than to not be my sweet little baby. According to my six going on 16-year-old daughter, she is the only one in her entire first grade class to have every single one of her baby teeth intact. Being a Recess Mom, I know that she is not exaggerating. She really is the only one in her class who has yet to loose a tooth. However, I am secretly thrilled she hasn’t. Personally, I think the gap-toothed look is hard to rock. Loosing pearly whites changes the entire landscape of one’s appearance and brings … Continue reading →

It’s been a year of firsts for my first grader: First time attending all-day school, first time riding a school bus and the first time eating lunch in the cafeteria. Granted, I pack her lunch the majority of the time, but there have been days when she’s opted for the school’s hot lunch. So far she has only done so on the days that feature pepperoni pizza or chicken nuggets, but, hey, it’s a start, and given that it frees me from wracking my brain at 11 at night trying to figure out what to pack in her lunch bag, … Continue reading →

“Mommy, I wish I could have a Happy Meal for lunch EVERY DAY!” exclaimed my 6-year-old while frantically waving around the new “Rio” toy she plucked from her McDonald’s bag. “Wouldn’t that be nice?” “It would be nice,” I replied thinking about how it would spare me from getting up even earlier than I already do each day to pack a school lunch that barely gets looked at, let alone consumed. “You told me that you aren’t hungry in school,” I pressed. “Well, I would eat all of my lunch if it had a toy in it,” she countered. Well, … Continue reading →

My daughter recently came home with a list of end-of-the-year activities that she and her classmates will be participating in before school lets out for the summer. I still marvel at the rate at which this academic year flew by. Soon I will be back in charge of entertaining my 6-year-old on a daily basis. Of course, there’s still a month or so left of school, and my daughter is thrilled that she will be participating in the following fun (and educational) activities: Letter Writing Doesn’t seem too exciting, right? Fortunately, my daughter’s teacher is extremely creative and loves to … Continue reading →

In a previous blog I listed some fun ways you can make a homemade kindergarten graduation one your child will remember long after his cap has been tossed into the air. My 6-year-old happened to be standing next to me as I wrote the post and is now insisting that I throw her a first grade graduation party. It’s actually not a bad idea, though, like her kindergarten celebration it would require a bit of planning, but perhaps not as much pomp and circumstance. “So, what does one do at a first grade commencement, besides eat cake?” “Open presents!” my … Continue reading →

My daughter’s school got rid of kindergarten graduation a few years back. The decision annoyed some parents. Personally, I was a bit disappointed for my daughter. After attending her cousin’s kindergarten commencement ceremony, she was excited that she too would be able to participate in the pomp and circumstance when it was her time to graduate. But, alas, it was not meant to be. I ended up having to host a mini graduation program/party myself, so she would have something to look forward to on the last day of school. If you are left to plan your little one’s kindergarten … Continue reading →

My daughter brought home the school calendar for the month of April a couple of days ago and I was shocked to see that preschool graduation takes place at the end of the month. Where has the year gone? Where have the years gone? My daughter is in first grade this year; however, I remember her preschool years like they were yesterday. Granted, she’s not far removed from the days spent playing with salt dough every day, but time still seems to fly at breakneck speed. I remember how petrified I was during the summer prior to her entering kindergarten. … Continue reading →