It’s a hard pill to swallow, but my mommy super powers, the tools I’ve used to banish monsters under the bed, thwart toddlers before they painted their bedrooms with diaper cream, or prevent a child’s head from being used as a torpedo, are fading into nonexistence now that my kids are 19, 16, and 12. True, there was the time my powers didn’t alert me that my … [Read more...]
The Year I Almost Ruined Christmas for My Son
When my husband and I became parents 19 years ago, we decided that when it came to Christmas gifts, we would follow the three gift rule. As our family grew with two more kids, this tradition has continued to work for us. I can narrow my search down to a few, special gifts. There’s the occasional emphatic refusal. (No dear, you can’t get a pony.) But whenever possible, we … [Read more...]
After 19 Years of Being a Mom, Sometimes it Still Feels Like it’s My First Day
“Mom, you are being so mean to me. You are so much nicer to Peter. You love him more than me.” I looked at my soon-to-be 19-year-old son, my first born child, and simply said, “No, of course I don’t love him more. I adore you both.” But I like your 12-year-old brother a heck of a lot more right now. This thought ran through my head, but thankfully I didn’t … [Read more...]
Dear Santa: A Mom’s Christmas Wish List
Dear Santa: Hi, I hope this letter finds you and Mrs. Claus in good health. I bet you’re wondering why a middle-aged married woman with two teenagers and a tween would feel compelled to write to you. After all it’s been quite a few years since I even really believed in you. (Sorry about that by the way.) But as I’ve been looking through catalogs and searching … [Read more...]
Dear New Mom: How to Ignore the Inevitable Judgment From People Who Are Trying to Be ‘Helpful’
Dear New Mom, If you are anything like me, you walked out of the hospital with your newborn child and wondered why trained medical professionals were letting you leave with a tiny human being whose very survival depended on you. I’m guessing you’ve already been given a ton of advice on how to feed your baby, how long is too long to let junior cry, and the wisdom of using … [Read more...]
