It’s October which means that it’s yet again time to shop for Halloween costumes for the kids. Given my daughter just turned 14, it’s highly likely this is the last time she’ll be ‘trick-or-treating’. My son, age 10, was easy to shop for. “Mom I want to be an army soldier with a gun! And…. read more
Shopping for the Perfect Toy
My Great Niece turned 1 this month so I traveled to the local toy store to pick out a toy “appropriate” for her age. I learned two things during my travels to the store. First, I am so thankful that I am not the parent of a 1 year old and second, the toy selection…. read more
A Prescription of No Technology
It’s almost time for the annual family camping trip where we head north to a lake just west of Yosemite California. The 10 hour drive is well worth it. The area is so remote that cell phone coverage is next to impossible – even the satellite radio cuts in and out. We literally spend an…. read more
A Lesson in Family and Heritage
It was August of 1887 when a young married couple and their two month old infant son packed all of their belongings into a covered wagon and headed west toward the Dakota Territory. They had assembled a cover by affixing hickory sticks and muslin (a thin fabric) to the wagon. Two horses pulled the wagon…. read more
Failure As a Life Lesson
My daughter decided to try out for the high school volleyball team. She likes to play volleyball, and as a Freshman, thought it would be a good idea to get into sports. What was surprising to me was that this particular volleyball program had successfully made it to the championships several years in a row…. read more
Summer Vacation
The last day of school for my kids quickly approaches and with it the start of summer vacation. I love summer and I love summer vacation. Unfortunately I’m not a student, nor do I get summers off from work. As a result, the summer vacation phenomena is quite a disruption to our normal family routine. …. read more
A Different Way of Learning About Historical Figures
My daughter went to school today dressed as Abigail Adams, wife of 2nd president John Adams. She, along with the rest of her 8th grade Social Studies class, walked down to the local elementary school to talk with the K-5 graders – in character. Of course the more recognizable historical figures (Abe Lincoln & George…. read more
To Give or Not Give an Allowance
My husband and I have been struggling with something for a while now: whether or not to give our kids allowance. My childhood existed without an allowance. We had chores and everyone pitched in to help. If I wanted something I asked Mom and Dad. If they said “no” and I really wanted it, I…. read more
A Weekend Lesson in Kids and Politics…
Last weekend I decided to help a few members of the community by supporting an upcoming ballot measure regarding the local community parks. Thinking that it may be a good lesson for my kids to learn about issues facing their community, I bribed brought them along with me. Reluctantly, they came along and went door…. read more
It’s the Season for “Seniorits”
My father was a school teacher for 32 years. Although he spent 2 years teaching at the middle school level (which he refers to as a time when he thought of changing professions), he spent most of his career teaching high school students. My dad would often share his wisdom about high school, and there…. read more
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