When I was a freshman in college down in Rhode Island, I was having a conversation with a fellow Massachusetts student. He asked, “So where are you from?” I replied, “Norwood.” He threw his hands up in mock terror, and said, “Whoa… you going to punch me in the face now?” Outloud I said, “No! What are you talking about?” But internally, I scanned him from head to toe, and thought, “Maybe....” We Norwoodians have a bit of a reputation. We have never been known to walk away from a fight. Our town seal represents the colonial Norwoodian, Captain Aaron Guild. When threatened by the British, he …

Love. We are being force-fed love this week.  We are being deluged with images of romantic dinners, couples massages, diamond jewelry, and bouquets of red roses.  Advice for “sexy date night looks” and the “most romantic” dinner spots are filling my email.  But, Valentine’s Day is on a Tuesday.  Tuesday.  Tuesday of a “work-week.”  Am I really expected to go out for a couple’s massage on a Tuesday?  It would be impossible to make dinner reservations, find a babysitter, and organize the kids and all of their “comings and goings.”   There is still basketball practice, and dinner to make, and …

It is impossible to parent without “other parents.”  I am not referring to just your spouse.  They are down there in the trench with you.  Beyond that you have extended family; parents, aunts and uncles, siblings. And still you need more.  Teachers, coaches, daycare providers… Still not enough.  All of these adults have suddenly become necessary to manage small children. How is it possible that these pint-sized humans require such tremendous effort, and from so many adults, to make their day-to-day lives workable?  I have no idea. When I was a child, the adults were clearly in charge.  I have…

My editor, Kelly, emailed and said, “What do you think about a column that has some ideas about how parents can incorporate fitness into their everyday routines?  Lots of people want to make a New Year’s resolution to be more active.” I replied, “Wow, that would be great!  I’ve been looking for some advice on that exact topic… oh wait….” It is very challenging.  I, like many parents, understand that taking care of myself, and putting my health and well-being high on my priority list only benefits my family.  I understand that regular exercise will reduce my stress levels, increase my energy, …

There are a series of questions that make parents share a collective cringe. “Where do babies come from?” “Did you ever try {insert questionable/illegal/poor choice here}?" And often the first in the series: “Is there really a Santa Claus?” My suggestion is to answer your children’s Santa Claus questions with hard-hitting evidence. So when they ask the questions, here are some answers… Is there a Santa Claus? Well, look around… can you see him? Well, yes, he is everywhere. He is smiling from cards and TV shows. You can mail him a letter. He has multiple websites, Facebook pages, and Twitter …

As soon as the first leaf floats gently to the ground it sets in motion a frantic scramble to get ready for “the holidays.” It’s like the almost non-existent physical impact of that leaf touching the ground is as powerful as a meteor landing.  That light, swirling, twirling little leaf lands with a cosmic “thud” and alerts everybody (the children first) that “the holidays” are coming! Although we can’t see it happening, the ground has begun to violently shake beneath us.  The seismic rumble unsettles inventory in just about every store, and somehow Halloween merchandise lands on shelves by …

I spend my entire life with children. After I drop everybody off at his or her respective childcares and schools, I am in my car for a five-minute commute to work.  Then, I have about 20 minutes before the kids start coming into the building.  I will leave my class occasionally when they have something special like music or library, and I grab 20 minutes to eat some lunch, but I pretty much have them within my sight for the entire day.  After the kids leave, I have a bit of time before I go and pick up my own children.  After I collect my kids, we shuffle around to all of their playdates, and…

To yell or not to yell. An age-old parenting (and teaching) dilemma. Generations ago, there was no question.  If a child was “misbehaving,” the adults yelled.  If a child did not understand something, the adults yelled. If a child’s presence was being “requested," the adults yelled. There was little concern given to “feelings” or “explaining.”  A yell of “Knock it off!” to a group of noisy children could easily and commonly be followed by “Because I said so!” Along the way, parents, and teachers, and other adult caretakers began to think more about what causes children’s behaviors, and …

The first week of school has always been exciting. New clothes, new shoes, new teachers, new people... just “new.” It creates a wave of excitement that propels us out of our summer sleepiness and into a whirlwind of activity. In this house, it propelled some of us much further than we had been in quite some time. I had been a teacher for years and years before I took a break to stay home with Grace. Even when the boys were babies, I took my maternity leave (which I was blessed to have glide right in to summer vacations), and went right back to teaching. And every September since they were …

Out of time… All the noisy bugs are here. The nights are chilly. Crayons are on sale. We’re out of time. Summer never fails to surprise me with how quickly she makes an exit. One week you’re sitting on a beach, and the next you’re sitting in a classroom. She packs up and takes all the sand toys, sunscreen and hot dogs, and disappears just when you were really starting to get used to her. The end of this summer has an especially sharp sting for me. After a two-year leave of absence, I am returning to teaching. Yesterday, as Grace and I enjoyed our last lazy morning together, I wondered, “Where…

I typically don’t buy into "end of the world" prophesies.  However, if that wacko who predicted our demise had said August 27, 2011, was the “end of days," I might have an eyebrow raised right now… So far this week within 50 miles of Norwood there has been a confirmed tornado touch down in New Hampshire, an earthquake felt within the city limits of Boston and a category three hurricane is headed our way for the weekend (in addition, I have been invited to a country music concert this weekend, which has it’s own set of dangers).  The potential catastrophes are piling up! I was at a conference …

One of the many beauties of summer is suspending the “have to’s.” I love a more relaxed schedule. It makes ME feel more relaxed. I like not jumping out of bed. I like slower mornings, later evenings, and a more leisurely state of mind. I like it for about… two weeks. In all of my years of combined teaching and parenting, I have found that “routines” are the biggest difference maker. A child’s worldview is smaller and less experienced than our own. They rely on routine and predictable outcomes to manage the barrage of “life lessons” they are experiencing every day.  We are not conscious of how…

The world doesn’t always turn as it should. If it did, there would be some sort of morality clause associated with illness. The rotten people clogging our penal system for violent crimes would be the first on the list for things like cancer or catastrophic illness and injury. It would not be our friends, or our moms and dads, and it most certainly would not be our children. I don’t personally know Matt Brown, and I don’t personally know Kevin Morrison. But I know Chris and Dan, who within a year on either side of our graduation in 1992 suffered catastrophic injury and a cancer diagnosis. I …

The other day, I had a half an hour to myself. This is rare. I sat in my very “un-cool” mini-van and decided to celebrate my 30 minutes of freedom by getting an iced coffee and listening to my iPod while driving. This sounds lame. Even as I type it, I recognize that it is not remotely exciting. But, for those of you who have “The Wiggles” on your iPods know, a few minutes here and there away from the preferences and tastes of your children can feel downright luxurious. However, this 30 minutes was not all “pleasure” — there were the inevitable chores and tasks that needed to be completed …

“Play nice.” Depending on the tone, it can be a request, a command, a gentle reminder, or a fierce reprimand. But what exactly constitutes “playing nice?”  I spend a lot of time thinking about the interactions between children and how it ultimately shapes their success as grown-ups. Many adults don’t really understand the significance of play. They don’t realize the complex social economy hidden in the very simple exchanges between young children. Play is the practice run and the classroom for all of our future relationships. Children who don’t “play nice," typically have some similar issues …

Happy Birthday to me. I am starting to write this piece during the very early morning hours of my 37th birthday. My first gift of the day was my daughter Grace, a notoriously terrible sleeper, snoozing a full nine and a half hours in her own room. She woke up in a pleasant and chatty mood. My second gift: the pure magic of “on demand” children’s programming. Good Morning, Calliou. Usually, your voice makes me cringe, but this morning, as I rush to meet a deadline, I appreciate you immensely. My well-rested daughter with her sippy cup full of milk and toaster waffle staying entertained for the…

“Family” can be difficult to define. Is it the people with whom you share a biological makeup? Is it the people with whom you have the strongest emotional connection? Is it the people that you share a home with? The people you see everyday? The questionable need we have to label everything can make this area a little foggy. It can also create unnecessary judgment, and insecurity. I got married three weeks after my 23rd birthday. In hindsight, it seems a very silly thing to do. I know quite a few 23-year-olds who can’t make a sandwich, never mind make an adult life. Very soon after that my two…

My husband Darrin and I celebrated our anniversary this past Saturday. We decided to spend a few nights (two to be exact) away right outside of North Conway. Thanks to a well-timed email from “Living Social” we were able to find a cute little bed and breakfast. We begged Auntie Cat and Nana to watch the kids for a few nights, and we were off. Well, we were almost off. I think every parent has experienced that even the best-laid plans are subject to “child-induced” cracks.  I guess I can’t lay the blame entirely with my children. I can blame the weather too. We delayed our trip for a baseball …

Here it is. The most important day in the kid year: the Last Day of School. Well, perhaps the following day is the most important day: the First Day of Summer. What else can compare to the glory of summer vacation? We adults can really only look back on it and remember the “feeling.” The feeling of two months of unstructured bliss. Two months of the best weather. Two months filled with vacations, ice cream cones, parades, fireworks. Two months of long afternoons that lazily transition into twilight and star-filled evenings. Two months of lightning bugs and thunderstorms. Two months of …

My life is a mess. Not figuratively, literally. The important stuff is in order - I have three beautiful, healthy kids. I have a great marriage. I have a large and loving extended family. We live in, what I consider, the perfect town. I have funny, supportive and loyal friends.  I also have a lot of crap lying around. Earlier this week, I received a gift from a really sweet young lady who does some tutoring in my home. She is moving on to bigger and better things, but made it a point to let me know that she enjoyed her time with the kids and me. We made her cookies and gave her pictures. Her …