By Matthew Sherman

Today Elliott threw what I call one of his “Devastating Tantrums.” This is different from a regular tantrum that occurs when something like a remote control, cell phone or open bottle of Pepto Bismol is taken away from him and the result is a red face, clenched fists, high pitched scream and the stomping of feet. (It’s actually an impressive textbook tantrum if any toddlers out there are looking for tips.) No, a Devastating Tantrum is when Elliott clearly wants something and is asking for it and pointing at it and I, for the life of me, can not figure out what it is. (more…)

By Mary Rarick

You know what I’m talking about. Flagrant disobedience. Not a care for the rules.

So when you’re out in public and you see this kind of reckless behavior, what do you do? Do you intervene or let it go? (more…)

By Linda Cohen

When a child is home sick it can be a big inconvenience. Especially for working parents who suddenly have to juggle appointments or meetings to cover their sudden child care needs. Recently, I decided to think of a sick child staying home as a gift. I am not talking about so sick that they are lethargic or need emergency medical attention. I am talking about the sick when they say “Mommy, I don’t feel well today” and you let them stay home only to get to 1pm when they are feeling much better and you realize they just needed that extra time on the couch with you. (more…)

By Matthew Sherman
Shelbi and I used to live directly across the street from a Safeway. It was at once tremendously convenient and also a disastrous enabler of some of our bad habits. It became a running joke how many times one or both of us would end up at Safeway and we estimated that, in a given week, someone made an appearance at Safeway an average of 5.3 times. It was ridiculous. We had our favorite check-out person (the sardonic Asian woman who gave you a knowing look when someone wanted to split their groceries onto three separate checks), knew what time the south entrance was locked and could judge the changing seasons by how many teenagers were hanging out in the parking lot at midnight. It was just so easy. There was no need for meal planning it was simply “What do you want for dinner? Tacos? Let’s go to the store and get things for tacos!” Of course, this behavioral pattern often led to times when we would clean out our pantry and find five bags of opened brown sugar (all 90% full), four nearly full bottles of vegetable oil or six bags of half-used spaghetti noodles. (more…)

By Sarah Miner

We’ve been enjoying the long days and warm nights at a local pool. The kids swim after dinner and we all head home, tired and happy. This most recent evening at the pool, however, was a bit disturbing.

Our 8 year old daughter was playing ball with some other kids in the water when a man and woman (they seemed to be a couple) we met the previous night joined the game. It was getting late, so the other children left the pool, leaving my daughter to continue the game with these adults. I was sitting poolside, watching my younger daughter learn to swim with my husband while keeping an eye on my older daughter.

The adults and my daughter formed a large triangle and were tossing a beach ball back and forth. Not a problem and pretty harmless, I thought. Then, when my child next caught the ball, the man tackled her from behind, wrapping his arms around her body and submerging her under him until she squirmed away and came to the surface. (more…)

By Sarah Miner

I keep ending up in the checkout line with this one checker who quizzes me about homeschooling.  Initially, I felt a bit insulted when he quizzed my four-year-old about speaking in a complete sentence once he found out we homeschooled, after she’d been talking with him for several minutes (using very complicated compound sentences) as he swiped my groceries across the scanner.  But during this most recent conversation, my response changed as it appeared he knew nothing about homeschooling except a few rather common misconceptions.  It seemed more appropriate to be open and welcome his questions.  He seemed confused when we clashed with the stereotype he associated with a homeschooling family. (more…)

The cuteness outweighs the trouble. Sometimes.

By Lisa Merrell

Workwise, last week was almost a total loss. I didn’t get much done on my schoolwork, thank heavens it is a self-paced program. Housework was a joke, just cleaning off the table in time for the next meal was a victory. Homeschooling was pretty hit and miss, and I don’t know how I did as a wife because I’m not sure I even saw my husband.

What consumed my week was mothering. There were six days of tears, fevers, congestion, vomiting, and as it turned out, double ear infections for Asher. (more…)

A thirty-two-year-old mother of two and wife of one, Lisa Merrell loves her kids, her husband, family, fun and food. She’s studying to become a medical transcriptionist and would love to study to become a counselor. In her spare time she loves to read, cook and attempt crafts.

She’s originally an Air Force brat from a huge family; she has eleven siblings. Not only are her parents still together, but they’re still raising teenagers at home. (more…)

By Ute Mitchell

If the name Lenore Skenazy rings a bell with you, then you probably know that she is, by many, considered America’s worst mom.Worst mom

Lenore let her 9 year old son ride the New York subway alone one day. He made it home safely, and Lenore wrote a column about it in the New York Sun. She expected some letters or e-mails of course, but had no idea she would end up on national TV, being reprimanded by psychologists, and parents.

I had not heard of Lenore until a few weeks ago, when my husband showed me one of her articles. And I must say, her words did strike a chord. The world, according to Lenore, is a much safer place today, than it used to be even 30 years ago. Most people are nice. This is true. Most people really are nice. And I couldn’t help wondering, if I was overprotecting my 8 year old daughter. (more…)

By Ute Mitchell

… said my husband to me, when it was certain that my sister-in-law would visit us in June. She had declared, that it was time for the two of us, my husband and myself to get some time away.

Away, without children. Imagine the possibilities! Remember, I homeschool my children. I am always with them. It’s like being schizophrenic. I am three people. I feed my other two personalities, then I feed myself. I give them baths, then I give myself a bath. I constantly put myself into their skin, to understand what they’re going through, how they feel about everything. I know them inside and out. I know exactly what each of them loves, dislikes, and hates. I know them almost better than I do myself. When they suffer, I suffer. When they experience joy, I experience it too. Their voices are always in my head, even when they’re in bed. (more…)