I could so relate to the recent New York Times piece on back-to-school lists. My daughter’s is nearly a mile long and includes items that left me wondering if I was stocking the school’s janitorial supply room instead of prepping my child for first grade. Tuition at my daughter’s Catholic school is insanely high (one academic year = price of a very, very good used car), so why is it that I am having to send my kid to school with cleaning supplies, Ziploc bags, anti-bacterial products and a myriad of paper goods, in addition to the standard pencils, notebooks … Continue reading →

Time, why you punish me? Remember that line from Hootie and the Blowfish’s hit single “Time”? It haunts me this time of year. Actually, it more than just haunts me, “Time” is my theme song during the back-to-school season. Time, time You ain’t no friend of mine I don’t know where I’m going I think I’m out of my mind Thinking about time Actually, it’s the theme song of my life. Time. I’m constantly running out of it. Constantly competing against it. Constantly wishing that I had more of it. Time kicks my butt every.single.day. It’s never on my side, … Continue reading →

Hallmark has been selling Halloween cards and decorations since July (they’re hawking Christmas tree ornaments too), so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Barnes and Noble has an entire display of back-to-school themed books set up in the middle of their kids’ section. Fortunately, my 6-year-old loves school, so she didn’t hightail it out of the store screaming like a banchee upon seeing the sky-high display heralding the end of summer vacation. Instead, my little bookworm made a beeline for her favorite book series, many of which feature back-to-school editions, including: Pinkalicious: School Rules by Victoria Kann Victoria Kann’s … Continue reading →

My six-year-old daughter is far from a girly girl. She’s all about the color blue, bumper cars and flesh-eating dinosaurs. And did I mention she despises the color pink? The kid won’t even down a glass of strawberry lemonade because she thinks the sweet beverage is too “grody girly.” Fortunately, my anti-girl loves reading more than she hates her God-given gender. In fact, “love” may be an understatement. My daughter absolutely devours books. Her kindergarten admission exam revealed that she was reading at a second grade level, but that was a year ago. These days I would say she’s well … Continue reading →

No one said parenting is an easy gig. It’s not. However, when the world around you is imploding and you’re being sucked into the abyss of bubbling carnage, kids can often become a welcome lifeline. Sometimes all it takes is a few simple words from my young daughter to rescue me from the pool of worldly worries that writher, froth and churn just below the surface. No matter how many balls I am juggling — badly — it’s hard to remain focused on the negative when you have a little one around delivering zingers worthy of an Art Linkletter special. … Continue reading →

My 6-year-old daughter has always dreamed of having a younger brother to boss around. Actually, what she really wants is a dog. A feisty yellow Lab puppy that will fetch anything and everything she throws his way. She wants a four-legged companion to “sit,” “heel,” “roll over” and “beg” on her command. She wants to be in control. She hungers to be the master of someone else’s destiny. She wants power! But what she got is a fish. After years of begging for a pup, a few weeks ago my pet-loving, power-hungry daughter settled for a fish. Charlie the fish … Continue reading →