In the Bag
Posted by Martha
Before you hit the road this holiday season, consider packing a Kids’ Activity Bag. Yes, it’s one more thing for your list, but it will definitely be worth the effort.
With a whopping four successful road trips under my belt, I feel like I’ve achieved a higher rank from these armed forces of motherhood. Activity bags are now my number one weapon against bored, seat-kicking, sister-hitting, whiny children. And they look positively cute! The best one by far was last summer’s trip to the grandparents. The long stretches of highway have resulted in a lengthy list of things no mommy soldier should be without.
At ease, moms.
Here are a few ideas for items to include in your Travel Activity Bag:
• Bubbles (with a reminder to blow them out the window)
• Ring Pops or [...]
A Parenting Lesson from All Dogs Go to Heaven
Posted by G.I. Jane
I recently introduced the idea of letting my daughter watch a movie on the iPad during the daily 30-minute commute to work and child care (no judgment, please). In a desperate—and cheap—attempt to find something entertaining for her, I downloaded the slightly dated movie All Dogs Go to Heaven.
And before I got motivated to download more movies, I listened to this over and over and over for two weeks straight. However, during my date night with my husband last night I couldn’t help but reference a line from the movie: “you can never go back…”
Any of you that have seen the movie, not many I’m sure, know that Charlie the dog goes to heaven and then finds a way to go back to earth. The pink poodle angel dog says multiple times to Charlie that once he goes back to earth, he can never go back to heaven.
Now my [...]
The Playground is Scary
Posted by G.I. Jane
My husband and I took our daughter to a new recycled tire playground this past weekend and it was definitely a little overwhelming…for us, not her.
I’ve been anxiously waiting a year and a half to be able to take her to playgrounds and let her frolic around, though most of her frolicking was done with me in hand since she’s still a little young for much of the equipment. I expected that; I was okay with it. What I didn’t expect was the awkward interaction between the playground parents.
I was taken aback by the lack of playground etiquette. I’m kind of new to this scene, but aren’t parents supposed reiterating manners on the playground? Like “watch out for the baby” or “wait in line for the swing” or “don’t go up [...]
Two Green Thumbs Up
Posted by Martha
My kids are a little bit smug. They pick recyclables out of the kitchen trash and give me stomp toward the recycling container. They take peels and scraps out of the sink and place them into bowls as my hint to take them to the compost pile. They are wicked little earth-worm diggers and they lecture me. Who was the Frankenstein that built these little earth-hugging, arugula-composting crunchies?
Me.
I read an article on NPR yesterday that talked about the difficulties of parenthood and how admittance of this fact comes with the stigma that you aren’t normal or are an unfit parent. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s okay to talk about it, and more importantly, it’s okay to feel beat down by the whole experience. My daughter is eight months old and I’m still “mourning my pre-mommy” life as Martha calls it. The memories of being able to get up and go somewhere – alone! – or do things around the house without an infant needing my constant attention are still fresh. Last week I was able to walk to the liquor store by myself to get a bottle of wine on a beautiful evening and I felt an indescribable feeling of freedom in those short 15 minutes. Monday, however, was a day when I questioned [...] I have a magic robe. My husband surprised me with this red fleece robe a few weeks before I gave birth to our daughter. It was intended to keep me cozy during my maternity leave in the middle of winter. I have learned, however, that it possesses magic powers. These powers don’t allow me to suddenly whisk away to another time or place, or make me disappear or even make me Super Mommy, but it does have the ability to calm and soothe my daughter into a nap…or her happy place. I’ve been wearing it since she was a newborn and noticed recently she has an affinity for it. If she sees it, she suddenly lights up and lunges for it. Literally, lunges. If she gets her hands on it, she smothers her face with it. It’s become her blankey, or lovie. Case in point, I had a friend over a [...]It’s Okay to Talk About It
Posted by G.I. JaneThe Magic Robe
Posted by G.I. Jane
