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What I’m Reading Wednesday – Revisiting KINDNESS WINS
October is National Bullying Awareness Month, and one way to help combat bullying is to teach kindness. With that in mind, I’m re-sharing my review of Galit Breen’s Kindness Wins from 2015. It’s a truly wonderful tool in your parenting arsenal, and heaven knows there’s not a parent alive that can’t benefit from a great tool. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them. I purchased a copy of Kindness Wins with my own money. All opinions found here are mine alone. If you are reading this, it’s obvious you are plugged in and living online. Internet, email, social media –…
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I’m on Mamalode today!
Nothing to look at here today – because I’m over on Mamalode talking about the need to give our kids a gentle push (and then back away and let them go). I won’t be shy…please go check out my essay! I’ll love you even more if you leave a comment there!!!!! http://mamalode.com/story/detail/breaking-away
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Tips to Keep Your Young Athlete Hydrated
I received product from BODYARMOR in exchange for sharing my thoughts. I was not otherwise compensated, and all opinions remain my own. #BlogginMamas When my son got out of our car yesterday after soccer training, he said “EW” as he looked at the pool of sweat on the leather seat. I looked at the jug of water he was carrying and asked how much of it he had consumed. “All of it” he said. “I ran out halfway through practice.” I gave him THE LOOK and warned him about letting himself get dehydrated. He cracked open a StrawberryBanana BODYARMOR and chugged it down. It was hot outside. It was also 8pm and only May.…
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Teaching Compassion in Sports
The longer my son plays soccer, the more one thing becomes clear: we, parents as a whole, have a lot to learn (and teach) in terms of compassion and team sports. At one recent tournament, over even the voices of the parents on our sidelines came the voice of a father on an adjacent field, constantly berating his teen daughter. The constant negative commentary was grating, and one couldn’t help but pity the man’s daughter. This may be an extreme example, but it’s not uncommon. My son’s former coach, at our first parent meeting, offered a story of a former player who asked to only play on one side of…
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Thoughts On Praise (Or, Your Kid Is Awesome)
It was the cocked hip and cocky head shake from the sixth grader surrounded by second graders that caught my attention. She got a little to up-in-your-face with one of the little girls. “Did you just say “look at her pants?” Yeah, this is my costume. I do hip-hop, and this is what we wear.” Her face was a little scary, to be honest. I will admit, I am not a fan of saggy-ass Hammer pants. They make even the skinniest of girls look like they have a poopy diaper, so I can’t say that I blamed the second-grader for pointing them out, particularly this pair which were black-and-white…
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At the End of the Break….Neatness Rules
At the end of a longer-than-usual Christmas break, one which we have spent a LOT more time indoors than we ever anticipated, you would expect I might be spending the next few days tidying up. But, those same overly single-minded, focused and organized traits that cause frustrations for my kids – be it math, how socks fit or the like – do have their payoffs in other ways. On the last day of the break, I went into the basement to check on things, and found THIS: I LOVE those kids. The ONLY thing out of place in the ENTIRE room was that unfolded blanket sitting on the sofa.…
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Thank goodness for Elves and great-grandfathers (dead or alive).
Two days into December, and I forget to move the elf. And it’s ok, for a change. Let me explain… The night before, shortly after putting the kids to bed, we hear sobs coming from upstairs. Listening, we determine it is Miss M, who was tired but seemingly fine just minutes before. Confused, I make my way to her bedside, and it takes a good five minutes of cajoling and soothing and shushing to get her calmed down enough to even speak. “Mommy, I don’t want to sleep alone anymore!” (This coming from the girl whose slept in her own room since birth.) I asked her why she felt this…
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Fried Chicken Honesty
So my Dad sent me a joke the other day, one that was cute and clean. {image by Keith Davis Young via we heart it} My Favorite Animal Our teacher asked us what our favorite animal was, and I said, “Fried chicken.” She said I wasn’t funny, but she couldn’t have been right, because everyone else in the class laughed. My parents told me to always be truthful and honest, and I am. Fried chicken is my favorite animal. I told my dad what happened, and he said my teacher was probably a member of PETA. He said they love animals very much. I do, too. Especially chicken, pork and…
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The Cracked Pink Cup
One of my favorite books from childhood was “The Boxcar Children” by Gertrude Chandler Warner. It is the story of four orphans, Henry, Benny, Jessie and Violet, who run away and live in an abandoned boxcar they found in the forest. Henry is old enough to do odd jobs to get a little needed money, and they furnish their boxcar home with goods found in a local dump. I remember being captivated with Benny (the youngest) and his cracked pink cup. I wanted a pink cup and a few mismatched spoons and my own playhouse with no rules. There was an innocence and simplicity that was endearing – and a…
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Maybe not so much Mad as Sad.
Each night at dinner, we share the worst part, and then the best part of our day. Its a lovely tradition that initiates conversation at the dinner table that we may not ordinarily get to hear. (How many times have you asked “what did you do today?” to which the response has been “Nothing”???) Anyways…. Nearly every day for the past few weeks that school has been in session, its been basically the same “worst part” for Boo. It has been heartbreaking to listen to. I was angry. I was frustrated. Now, I am just sad. My son is being bullied at school. (He’s not the only one, but that…
