The other day I sent an email to my son’s teacher with the subject line, “Re Homework tears, mine, not Peter’s.” I couldn’t believe it that once again, fourth grade was kicking my butt. All of sudden a lifetime of frustration came flooding back to me. Memories of missed recess sitting in a classroom being the only girl among the few kids who didn't finish their work on … [Read more...]
The Gift of Shared Misery
When I look back at my childhood, it occurs to me that my best memories come from the shared misery my two sisters and I endured at the hands of my parents. Sharing the back seat of the family Volvo for numerous trips to my uncle’s dairy farm, often with bags of cow manure for my father’s organic garden in the trunk. The three of us had to figure out different ways to … [Read more...]
Be Your Own Genie
For the last few weeks my nine-year-old, Peter, has been wanting to use a remote control to either make the days go backward so he can relive Christmas or New Year’s, or go forward to his birthday or to when he’ll be 16 like his older brother. Then there are the days when he wants to pause time. Such as Valentine’s Day when we were eating chocolate cake and giving each other … [Read more...]
