Wordful Wednesday: First Day of School!
A new preschool? Well, I don’t know how I feel about that. I’m just going to pull my hood over my head and think about it. Seriously, a new school? Oh, this cool. See you later, Mom. (And, no, I will...
View ArticleUnexpected Conversations
My 5-year-old son has had me on my toes of late. From racism to our rejection of homophobic policies, I’ve been explaining topics I hadn’t expected to at this point in my parenting. So, it shouldn’t...
View Article8 Tips to Get Ready for Kindergarten
R starts kindergarten in September, and we’ve already started getting ready: paperwork, assessments, and lectures about transition and logistics. Last week, I received a letter inviting us to a tour of...
View ArticleGetting Ready for Kindergarten: Touring the Elementary School
Our journey toward kindergarten continues here at Red Shutters. As I’ve written about here and here, R is starting the big K in September, and we’re working to get the family ready. Last week, we took...
View ArticleGetting Ready for Kindergarten: The Backpack
It’s really happening. My baby is going to kindergarten. In 15 days. He is excited. I am holding it together pretty well; I’m keeping the crying down to a minimum. We’ve been talking a fair amount...
View ArticleThe First Day of Kindergarten (and More)
We did it! The first day of kindergarten finally arrived today. I didn’t cry, though I’ll admit that when we walked onto the playground and saw all of the kids and their families gathered together to...
View ArticleThe Walk to School
We walk to school today in the rain. My son, with his red backpack and Batman umbrella, holds my hand as we walk up the driveway and across the street. We wave to the second-grader around the corner...
View ArticleI forgot my son at school
Today, I forgot my son at school. The story is a classic scheduling screw-up–specifically, my screw-up, my parenting fail–caused by an extra busy time at work, by stressors in my personal sphere, and...
View ArticleThe (New) Witching Hour
When my kids were babies, there was an hour of the day (sometimes two on especially rough days) when the sunlight disappeared, the tears started, and I truly saw the hands on the clock pass by more...
View Article24 Days to Go
On my town’s parent email listserv today someone asked the question I had been wondering about: when is the last day of school? As a first-time elementary school parent, I wasn’t so sure—despite having...
View ArticleWeekend Reading, 5.23.14
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen our new piano. Scored a few weeks ago via our town’s Freecycle group, the piano now sits happily (or at least I like to think so) in a nook off of our...
View ArticleThe Last Day of Kindergarten
Here we are. It’s the last day of kindergarten. The other day, I asked my son if he was sad about kindergarten ending. He was lying in bed, clad in Star Wars pajamas, a few minutes away from falling...
View ArticleThe First Day of School is 21 Days Away
Three weeks from today is the first day of school in my town! This realization hit me today as I surfed through my calendar, looking for an opening for a meeting with colleagues. On August 26, 21 days...
View ArticleFirst Day of School!
We did it! Today was the first day of school, and we welcomed the start of the new academic year with big smiles. R, now a first grader, was excited, though apprehensive at the prospect of homework...
View Article4 Things I’m Doing Differently This School Year
Earlier this week, my kids started at their after school program. They attend four days a week from the end of the school day at 3:15 PM to 6:00 PM when my husband or I pick them up. It’s a long day...
View Article6 Lessons from Being a Field Trip Chaperone
I joined an exclusive club this week. A very special club. The “I-am-a-Field-Trip-Chaperone” club! Jealous? Maybe a little bit jealous? The story is this: last year, my then-kindergarten son had a...
View ArticleA Day That Didn’t Go As Planned
Today was one of those days that didn’t go as planned. It started off well for this pulled-in-too-many-directions working parent. The kids made it to school before the late bell rang. I got to work on...
View Article20 Things To Do While Making School Lunches
By this time, nearly two months from the end of the school year, I am done making lunches for my kids. Every night, it’s the same… Sandwiches or yogurt? (My daughter only eats cheese sandwiches; my son...
View Article3 Ways to Celebrate the Last Day of School
Today, on our calendar, there’s a big 13. Thirteen days until the end of school. Already the homework assigned to my first-grader has ceased, while Field Day, the Art Show, and end of the year parties...
View ArticleShould You Join the PTA? {repost}
This is a repost of an original article I wrote for BlogHer.com. My first introduction to the PTA (or Parent Teacher Association) was through my mother’s typewriter. Click, clack. Click, clack. My...
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