I repost this now, a little less than a year after it originally posted, because there’s some irony here. Now that our school district is online only, parents are now more involved than ever before. Schools, teachers, administrators are now communicating with parents like crazy. It’s amazing how things can change in a year. Originally posted September 30, 2019 I never intended to write anything like this here now that I’ve changed my blog up to supporting stories, but sometimes I need this to be my platform. My oldest child started Kindergarten at the end of last month. It’s been a big month of changes, from having to get up…
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First Grade, Here We Come!
Summer has come to an end. Tomorrow my little boy starts First Grade. First of all, how dare he grow up, turn 6, and go off into the numbered years of school? It’s sometimes hard to reconcile the tiny little 34 week preterm baby he was to the long-limbed getting-too-tall-on-mommy sophisticated 6 year old he now is, but I know he’s one and the same because the only time I’ve spent time away from him is when his sister was born, but his dad and Nana ensured he remained one and the same. I hope. Our school district was the first in the country to shut down back in March.…
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The Mom I Admire (revisited)
Welcome back to another weekend reblog! This one was first published a little over a year ago and, honestly, I had forgotten about it, but I think it’s hopefully something that can give moms out there a little boost these days. After all, the world is still nuts and more than one of us has been locked up for too many months with children. First published June 24, 2019 The mom I admire is a bit harried, a little scattered, and definitely missing a marble or three. She constantly wonders how she’s stacking up against every other mom, especially the one without a hair out of place. She spends all…
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Looking Forward to Having Both Kids Home All Summer (revisited)
Since another summer has come along, I thought I’d go back to this post from last summer. Even though both of my kids have been home with me due to COVID-19 since mid-March, I’m still happy to have them with me all day every day because at least I know they’re safe and healthy and won’t be able to spread anything to my husband and me. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a lazy summer! As you read, you’ll learn how I spent my summers and how my kids will spend their summers, but this year will be a little different as I don’t intend on simply maintaining…
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To Be Like a Dolphin
Last year, or maybe the year before, my husband took us to see a film at our Natural History Museum. I don’t really remember which one it was or what it was about, but I do remember something about one type of dolphin. They live in not quite friendly waters, where the waves are large and a bit dangerous. But they thrive in it. They can be seen jumping and playing and having fun. As dangerous as their home may be, they still prefer to have fun. For a long time, I would think about them and motherhood. Being a mom isn’t easy, but, if dolphins can live with a…
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Round 2 of the Poop Stage
I’m sick and tired of this coronavirus thing; aren’t you? Right now, the only thing I like about it is that we get to spend more time together. My husband works part-time from home now and our oldest is doing home from school. It’s not always easy to coordinate meetings, classes via Zoom, work, school, and a toddler, but that toddler sure is keeping us on our toes and keeping us laughing! Me: What’s your name? Toddler: Poop. I knew it was going to happen. I knew I was going to go through the poop stage a second time. I did have a second child, after all. But it wasn’t something I…
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How to Pass the Time When You’re Stuck Inside
I find it funny that, when it’s not always socially acceptable, I’d rather stay home, but, when it is socially expected, I’d rather go out. As an introvert who’d rather stick to sliding along the walls to avoid as many people as possible, staying home makes me happy. But now that I’ve been ordered to stay home, well, I don’t like being told what to do. Initially, I was going to write about how to combat isolation when you live in an apartment and have no outdoor space except a small balcony because that’s our life right now. But, other than opening up the door to the balcony and snuggling…
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5 Reasons Why Our First Year of Regular School Has Sucked
My husband and I have tossed around homeschooling for years, since well before we even conceived our first child. Ultimately, we decided to go with a regular school, primarily for the socialization. And to see how he would fare in a regular school. As a stay at home mom, it’s well within my abilities to homeschool, at least for a few years. But we really wanted him to be with his peers. At first, things went swimmingly. He seemed to like his classmates and always came home saying how much he liked his teacher. He was always eager to go to school and would sometimes have his shoes on before…
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Homeschooling at a Moment’s Notice
The one thing few parents of children who attend a traditional school want to hear: school’s closed. Could be 2 weeks. Could be the rest of the year. Thanks, coronavirus, thanks. Now, I’ve written a few times about thinking of homeschooling, so I’ve been taking this as my chance to see how it goes. Of course, I do have the guidance from his teacher who still manages to teach class virtually a couple of times a week. It’s just funnily chaotic to watch a bunch of Kindergarteners sitting at home attending school via the Internet. But it’s also so nice to see they haven’t forgotten each other or the bonds…
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6 Perks of Being Stuck at Home During the Coronavirus Outbreak
The first thing you need to know about me is that I’m an introvert. I absolutely loathe being around people and much prefer staying in with my family. Or a good book, especially when the kids have depleted me. The second thing you need to know is that our school district is closed, so my oldest is home and I get to be his secondary teacher (his teacher is still doing everything in her power to do video classes, of which I’m insanely grateful because having to homeschool at the drop of a hat has been a bit stressful). The third thing you need to know is that I’m actually…
