Monday “Carson, take the trash out please.” “Uuuhhh!” she whines. “I did it yesterday, make Hannah do it.” I turn to my other daughter also sitting on the couch watching TV. “Hannah, can you take the trash out please?” “No fair, I did the recycling earlier. Make Cole do it.” I consider this. I’d forgottenContinue reading “Whose Turn is it Anyway?”
Tag Archives: Parenting
Beach Day
The scent of sunblock fills the air. “Did you get the umbrella?” I yell to my husband as he runs up the stairs to grab another towel. “Yes, I did.” He answers in a curt tone that screams, DON’T BOTHER ME. I go back to sun blocking my daughter. “Why can’t we use the sprayContinue reading “Beach Day”
Curiously Pregnant
“Mom, what if I get pregnant?” My sixteen-year-old, middle daughter, smiles at my frozen expression before popping a floret of broccoli into her mouth. The twinkle doesn’t leave her eye as she chews. “Excuse me?” I ask to buy time and try to understand where this came from. This one always had questions, always surprisedContinue reading “Curiously Pregnant”
13 Years Old
I have a thirteen-year-old son. I know, I know. Your sympathy is appreciated. I have gone through this age twice before. I have two daughters that successfully navigated the pitfalls of this particular gauntlet. Here’s the thing, though, the girls talked. My daughters both had no problem telling me what was happening in their world. Continue reading “13 Years Old”
Lots of Laughter and a Little Patience
I work in the special education department of an elementary school. As an instructional aid I have held multiple positions working with children with varying levels of need. Several years back I was working with a child who tested me on a daily basis. Most teachers will tell you they don’t have favorites, that theyContinue reading “Lots of Laughter and a Little Patience”
The Talk
My husband and I have always been open with our kids. If they have a question, we do our best to answer it. That goes for sex too. If they ask, we will answer. Of course, we always make sure the answer is age appropriate, but we never shied away from the topic, never madeContinue reading “The Talk”
The Rice Test
“Cole, Carson, Hannah, dinner!” I holler in no particular direction, knowing they will hear me wherever they are in the house. My husband set the bowl of broccoli down and seats himself. Carson emerges from her basement bedroom her boyfriend Chris, and his friend Mason, following in her wake. I look up, “Are they eatingContinue reading “The Rice Test”
How to be…
As a parent we all want to raise decent kids. But I wonder, is that all we want to strive for? Decent? Why not shoot higher? Don’t we want kind, compassionate kids? How about truly great model individuals? My next thought on the heels of this is, what’s the difference? What changes in behavior wouldContinue reading “How to be…”
Remaining Neutral
“Mom, Chris doesn’t think you like him.” As I focused on browning the ground beef for tacos that night, I look over my shoulder. My sixteen-year-old daughter sits at the table, her homework spread out in front of her. She’s looking at me, waiting for an answer. “Hon, Chris is your boyfriend, shouldn’t he beContinue reading “Remaining Neutral”
Memory in the Music
Music. It spans all religions, all generations, all cultures, all life. Crickets have their song as well as trees in the wind have theirs. Music fills the soul, strips a man bare, sets the tone and the mood of an era. The power in music is undeniable and indefinable. With a few notes I canContinue reading “Memory in the Music”
Rebecca Lamprey 