Oona Out of Order. Dear Ijeawele. The Children of Willesden Lane. The Family Upstairs. Suburban Nation. Happy City.
gender roles
Catching Up on Book Reviews
Small Animals. The Marvelous Land of Oz. Started Early, Took My Dog. The Trespasser. Kind of Kin.
Book Reviews All Over the Place!
I've been reading a whole variety of books lately, both to myself and to my kindergartner Lydia. We Need to Talk by Celeste HeadleeA radio host and expert interviewer tells us "how to have conversations that matter" in this book that has a lot of good advice but might have worked better as a shorter … Continue reading Book Reviews All Over the Place!
Books for Myself; Books to Read to my 5-year-old
Here are four books I read to myself and two I read to my daughter Lydia in the past month. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty Nine people check into a ten-day wellness retreat in rural Australia. Three of them are a family, two others are a couple, but otherwise they've never met before. Each … Continue reading Books for Myself; Books to Read to my 5-year-old
U is for Unlikely Uterus [book reviews]
It's hard to think of titles for book-review posts. I only read two books this month, and U-words in the titles is one thing they have in common. In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume Between December 1951 and February 1952, three commercial airliners crashed in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Judy Blume was a teenager in … Continue reading U is for Unlikely Uterus [book reviews]
Top 17 Articles of 2017
This isn’t really a blog. It’s a constantly expanding reference book. Most years, the most popular articles are more than a year old--they've had more time for other sites to link to them. I've made two Top 17 lists here: The articles written in 2017 that were most popular, and the articles that were overall … Continue reading Top 17 Articles of 2017
Every school needs a Jacob!
My three-year-old Lydia and I recently enjoyed a picture book from our local library, Jacob's New Dress by Sarah & Ian Hoffman, illustrated by Chris Case. Jacob is a preschool boy who enjoys wearing dresses from the costume box but is criticized by his classmate Christopher. His mom is kind about his hurt feelings, but when … Continue reading Every school needs a Jacob!
Is Your Pussyhat Keeping Someone Warm?
In photographs of last Saturday's women's marches in Washington, D.C., and around the United States, many pink hats are visible, most of them with ears, indicating solidarity with the Pussyhat Project that was so popular it caused shortages of pink yarn in some parts of the country. It's obvious that many thousands of pink pussyhats … Continue reading Is Your Pussyhat Keeping Someone Warm?
What I’ve Learned By Reading Too Much (and 4 other books!)
In addition to finishing the books I got for Christmas in time for my birthday, I've read a few other new-to-me books recently, including one that actually has the alternate title What I've Learned By Reading Too Much! I learned something from each of these books. The Dance of Anger by Harriet G. Lerner This … Continue reading What I’ve Learned By Reading Too Much (and 4 other books!)
The City of Slim Shadies
On days like this, when the sky is so heavy with clouds that we never glimpse the sun, and the wind is cold and damp, and it seems like winter will never end . . . I think of Eminem. I guess I don't mean the rapper himself so much as the character he played … Continue reading The City of Slim Shadies
Diaper Changing Duties: What’s Fair?
Our daughter Lydia is 21 months old. Since she was born, almost all of her diaper changes at home (rather than childcare) have been my job. I also launder the cloth diapers myself. Unfair, right? Daniel is just as responsible as I am for the existence of this messy little human, so he should take … Continue reading Diaper Changing Duties: What’s Fair?
My Father Taught Me How to Be a Working Mother
When I was born, my mother quit her paying job so she could be home with me. When my kids were born, I took 12 weeks off and then returned to my job. It's my father, not my mother, who has been my role model for balancing parenthood with employment.
Book Reviews: Mysteries and Mars
These aren't the only books I've read in the past few months, but I noticed two themes that led me to group these reviews together. A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin This classic mystery was written in 1953, and reading it in the original edition (courtesy of Daniel's mother) helped me get into the … Continue reading Book Reviews: Mysteries and Mars
One Brave Girl
This article from The New York Times was reprinted in my local newspaper. In Afghanistan, a mullah who raped a 10-year-old girl in the mosque was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Most Americans would agree that anybody who rapes a child is a horrific criminal for whom 20 years is a light sentence, would … Continue reading One Brave Girl
Why we didn’t have a Gender Reveal Party
This post is not meant to criticize parents who make different decisions, just to explain our point of view. "Do you know what you're having?" I am in my last month of pregnancy, and oh, how tired I am of that strangely-phrased question! I just smile and say, "It's a baby!" Of course that doesn't … Continue reading Why we didn’t have a Gender Reveal Party
A Real Man
A Real Man does not mind carrying the groceries in a canvas tote bag with colorful tulips printed on it. A Real Man knows how to cook a meal, wash the dishes, do the laundry, mop a floor, and sew on a button. He considers these basic survival skills that everyone should know by the … Continue reading A Real Man
But why should your tax status be based on your sex life?
Last week, the United States Supreme Court decided that federal laws that apply to married people apply to same-sex couples who are married in a state where same-sex marriage is legal. As a liberal person who supports equal rights, I'm supposed to rejoice in this great victory for equality and diversity. In a way, I … Continue reading But why should your tax status be based on your sex life?
The Toilet Seat Position Problem, Solved!
It's an age-old battle of the sexes (well, at least as old as toilets with hinged seats): When a male has raised the toilet seat, should he then lower it, showing courtesy to females sharing the bathroom? or should the female take responsibility for checking the position of the seat before she uses it, showing … Continue reading The Toilet Seat Position Problem, Solved!
I don’t wear makeup.
I used to wear makeup. From age 12 to 16, I added more types of makeup to my daily routine each year, and I went through that daily routine even if I wasn't planning to leave the house. I continued for a while into college before I realized that the insanely stressful life I was … Continue reading I don’t wear makeup.
Meal Planning When I’m Not the Cook
For a few years now, I've been seeing lots of blog posts about the advantages of meal planning, i.e. figuring out what you are going to eat days or weeks in advance so you can make optimal use of your groceries and get meals on the table on time. Fine, sounds good, but everyone writing … Continue reading Meal Planning When I’m Not the Cook
The Earthling's Handbook 