Free Range Kids advocates allowing children to develop the skills they'll need as adults, instead of trying to protect them from everything. It started because of the huge backlash to the author's column about letting her nine-year-old ride home alone on New York City public transit. Bravo! (Over-protectiveness is another thing many people told me I would … Continue reading Linkapalooza
Cloth Diaper Details
I already explained some of the advantages of using cloth diapers. Now, for those who are interested, I'm going to give all the details of how we did it. Many different styles of cloth diapers are available these days, so there's a lot to choose from, and it can be daunting. Pre-motherhood, I found it very useful … Continue reading Cloth Diaper Details
Cloth Diapers
I always knew I would use cloth diapers on my baby. My parents and most of my extended family had, so I was used to the idea and saw it as a sensible choice financially and environmentally. Also, I had babysat for disposable-diapered babies and found their diapers hard to tolerate aesthetically; they just feel so … Continue reading Cloth Diapers
What to Do with Half-Eaten Fruit
Anyone who spends time with young children is familiar with this phenomenon: "I want an apple!" [eats four bites] "Let's save it to later. NO, Mama, don't eat it!! I will finish it next time." [next day] "I want a banana! No, not an apple, a banana. NO, Mama, don't eat my apple!! It's for … Continue reading What to Do with Half-Eaten Fruit
Slaying the Snooze-button Sloth
I had some trouble deciding what to do for Lent this year. We gave up meat in 2002, but since then we've eaten so much less meat that giving it up completely wouldn't make a noticeable daily difference. I toyed with several ideas and started into Lent by reading selections from the Gospel aloud to … Continue reading Slaying the Snooze-button Sloth
Overheard in an office
...and reported to my friends and family in this e-mail on September 9, 1997, long before there was an Overheard in the Office Website, back when I was working at the invention company: Last week, my least-favorite co-worker departed for another job. There was much rejoicing. Stephanie had irritated everyone by criticizing them while insisting that she … Continue reading Overheard in an office
Nightmare Management
My own child so far has not had much trouble with scary dreams or bedtime anxiety, but here are two ideas--one from my own childhood experience, one from my brother's--that I've never seen in professional advice on getting nightmare-prone children to sleep:I had a tendency to imagine things lurking in the dark. Sometimes I got so … Continue reading Nightmare Management
Toddler Discipline in Three Easy Steps!
Here's something I wrote when my son was 13 months old. Rereading it, I was surprised to realize that the basic structure of my response to misbehavior hasn't changed at all now that he's three years old; these basic steps have become second nature, while the details have gotten more complicated and wordy! I feel … Continue reading Toddler Discipline in Three Easy Steps!
Ohh, look at the rushing river!
That's what Nicholas said on Saturday as we were walking up the main street of our neighborhood. After a moment's puzzlement, I realized he was talking about the gutter full of melted snow! Speeding downhill, running between a bank of tire-scrunched snow clods on one side and the curb on the other, criss-crossing itself in … Continue reading Ohh, look at the rushing river!
Invention Marketing Claims
A decade ago, I worked at an invention marketing company, whose services were intended to help people who had ideas for new products hook up with companies who would manufacture those products. Some really cool stuff came through, but there were also a lot of silly ideas. The Federal Trade Commission forced the company to … Continue reading Invention Marketing Claims
Counting to Three
Counting to three is a discipline technique used different ways by different parents. I've seen it used as a gentle way to assert authority, which is what I'm going to talk about here. I've also seen it used as a threat ("Do it before I count to three or I'll whip you!") and as a … Continue reading Counting to Three
Tips for Expectant Parents
Disclaimer: This is one of those "This is what works for my family" type articles. We have only one child. All children are different. These are some ideas that have been useful to us that we hope will be helpful to other parents. My favorite online source of information about all things child-related is Mothering Magazine's huge array of … Continue reading Tips for Expectant Parents
The Horror of the Porch!
One of the people to whom I e-mailed this story in 1998 requested that I post it. At the time this was written, Daniel and I were sharing a house with two friends, Bill and Steph. Lest any of you may be feeling that your housekeeping skills are deficient, here's a story to demonstrate that … Continue reading The Horror of the Porch!
Pittsburgh: A Love Letter
As of last August, I've lived in Pittsburgh longer than in any other town. Sixteen years, and I still love it! Pittsburgh is the #1 most livable city in America. I grew up in Oklahoma, so that's my basis for comparison, and Pittsburgh wins in many ways: I like walkable neighborhoods, not spread-out ranch houses and strip … Continue reading Pittsburgh: A Love Letter
The Yogurt of Christ???
SCENE I: our dining room, a couple of weeks ago NICK (age 3): I want a plum! MAMA: (picking up plate with toast crumbs that has been on table all day) Okay, I'll put it on this plate. NICK: No! That plate has crumbs on it! MAMA: I will brush off the crumbs. NICK: NO!!! … Continue reading The Yogurt of Christ???
A Year of Pencils
It was around this time last year that I suddenly questioned my use of ballpoint pens. You know, those ubiquitous plastic-cased pens that--if they don't jam--keep writing until they run out of ink and have to be thrown away. They were my usual type of writing implement at work and at home, and I carried … Continue reading A Year of Pencils
Breaking the shell of shyness
I was a shy child. I liked to be around people and was very interested in them, but for some reason I found it difficult to talk to unfamiliar people or even to feel that they were looking at me, and I was nervous that I might do something "wrong" that would make people yell at or laugh … Continue reading Breaking the shell of shyness
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Last week I took Nicholas to an interdenominational service celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. There was only one other child there. We didn't stay for the whole thing, just the singing and opening speech and readings from Dr. King's speeches; then Nick got bored and we left, but I got a lot out of hearing … Continue reading Martin Luther King, Jr.
That’s all.
Just as I thought it was going all right, I found out I'm wrong when I thought I was right. It's always the same. It's just a shame. That's all. These are the opening lyrics to a Genesis song that comforts me when things go wrong between Daniel and me. It's about the frustration of … Continue reading That’s all.
Links for the new year!
Have you been wondering if anything is made in USA these days?Norka Futon makes all its mattresses and frames in the United States. We bought one of their 8-coil mattresses for our bed four years ago and have been very happy with it. Last month, we bought another such mattress with a sofa/bed frame to use in our living room. The guests so … Continue reading Links for the new year!
The Earthling's Handbook 