It was innocent, but hurtful. Two years ago, my daughter, Bridgette, who was four-years-old at the time, asked a friend why she looked like a monkey. My friend took it in stride, but I was completely mortified. Oh, how I wish I’d had tacky box that day or better yet, the day before that. Tacky Box […]
How To Celebrate Childhood in a Cucumber Canoe
Well I said don’t worry Yes I know this boat seems small If you just trust me Then our canoe won’t sink at all… I have three children whose ages span preschool to 8th grade. Nobody has to tell me how quickly childhood passes because I see it for myself everyday. I know I am […]
Fall Colors in Oklahoma
…I wallowed in the springtime Now I’m welcoming the fall For every moment of joy Every hour of fear For every winding road that brought me here For every breath, for every day of living This is my Thanksgiving –From Henley and My Thanksgiving Yesterday morning, my son Sullivan, 6, had an absolute conniption fit […]
Did Babysitter Horror Movies Halt The Teenage Babysitting Profession
There is an interesting topic posted on Open File: Who killed the babysitter? The question is, “Are you a young parent? Is this something you’ve experienced? Why isn’t a teenager good enough to care for your kid? Here is the opener: In the 1980s, when the young women of Generation X were teenagers, they earned […]
Is Marketing the Cause of Overparenting?
In a recent blog post, Amy Tiemann, Ph.D., and author of Mojo Mom: Nurturing Yourself While Raising a Family asserts that marketing is an underlying root cause of overparenting. She is editing the forthcoming anthology Courageous Parenting. Tiemann writes: “As our lives were actually getting safer, we were being sold new “problems” in order to sell […]
Wild Christmas Cookies With My Kids
My Auntie Phyllis is always so great to remember my kids at Christmastime! This year she sent cookie molds, measuring cups and measuring spoons along with a how-to guide for painting the cookies. I promised her I’d post pictures once we had a chance to break it all open and experiment. We had a great […]
Growing Backlash Against Gen X Parents: Helicopter Parents and Overparenting
Helicopter Parents and Overparenting The cover of the latest issue of Time Magazine delivers yet another indictment on Generation X. The author Nancy Gibbs makes the case against overparenting, hyper-parenting, helicopter parenting, etc. She says for the sake of the kids it has to stop. Generation X has overparented their children partially in response to […]