Category Archives: On Parenting
Being six
Took the six-year-old to the doctor yesterday. All the older siblings were at home so he took center stage, chattering and wisecracking through the whole visit. Afterward I suggested that maybe he could have toned it down. Him: “But he … Continue reading
Night shift
Driving past highway construction last night, had a heated conversation with the younger boys about jobs that sometimes require working when other people are sleeping. Nope, shouldn’t be necessary, says the 5yo. “What about doctors and nurses in hospitals?” I … Continue reading
The sports pacifist’s lament
The 5yo on Kindergarten soccer. “Everyone says to be aggressive,” he complains. “But it would be a lot easier if the other guy just walked away from the ball.”
Beautiful Little Nonsense #10
Halloween Morning Costumed kids climb the school bus uncertainly, searching eyes to see if they’re made of as much awesome as they think they are.
The Rabbit In The Soccer Net
The other day my six-year-old ran in the house screaming: “A RABBIT IS STUCK IN THE SOCCER NET!” When I went outside the poor thing was writhing frantic, the webbing wrapped double around its neck. The line was so … Continue reading
Paddling Blind
Last week the yoga class I take from time to time decided to meet on the water. “We’ll visit the swans,” said the instructor Erin as she directed three of us into kayaks. She climbed into her own — well, … Continue reading
Beautiful Little Nonsense #2
A little “Who’s on First” with the 4yo and 6yo after their dentist appointment. The 6yo: “Did they ask you if you like mint?”The 4yo: “I like mint.”The 6yo: “That’s not what I asked. I asked you if THEY asked … Continue reading
Own Your Opinions, Kids
One of my children told me recently that he couldn’t ever be a reviewer — of books, art, restaurants, or a sports columnist — because he didn’t want to hurt people’s feelings. (Never mind that just a few weeks before, … Continue reading
Faulkner For Kids?
At a recent visit to my children’s pediatrician, the doctor asked, “Have you ever read your kids that children’s book by Faulkner?” He said he read it to his kids a lot when they were younger, that it was their … Continue reading
Does Publishing A Novel Change Your Life?
My book’s launch party felt a little like a wedding. Well, one where my five children had already been born, and were racing around jacked up on chocolate-dipped strawberries. The bash was in an old brownstone in Boston. I slipped … Continue reading
