Back-to-School Quiz
My children have specific criteria for their ideal backpacks. One insists on monkey graphics and the other a sports motif. If you and your child select a brand new backpack to begin the school year, chances are both of you…
An “F” for Mommy
Something happened to my kids on the way to school. At home, they had a certain propensity for sassiness. Okay, so they weren't miscreants by any means, but with us anyway, they definitely spoke their minds. And I encouraged…
August is here – it’s time to head back to school!
Wait...what? No, it's not! If you're like most of our savvy readers, you snagged this issue at the beginning of August, and according to my calculations, that means we (in the public school system anyway) still have a good third…
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Afraid not, just the sound of kids jumping off the bed in the room above me, reveling in the freedom that is summer break. It is the eleventh hour, not even a day before the July issue goes to print,…
Court Appointed Special Advocates
A life of addiction and drug abuse laid waste to their mother, and when the woman died, the two children moved in with their father. Physically and emotionally unfit to raise a family, the man treated one child with…
Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh
So, it is summer, and some of you are probably planning to send your children to camp for the first time. I have three words of advice: Don’t do it. Summer camp is hell. Separation anxiety. Your world turned upside…
Taste Sensations
Balsamic Chicken drumettes Combine in a resealable gallon-size bag: ½ cup balsamic vinegar, ½ cup honey, ½ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup soy sauce, 5 sprigs of rosemary, 3 to 4 strands of thyme, and 5 garlic cloves, halved.…
Summer Seascape
What you need: Pencil Watercolor paper or drawing paper Large watercolor paintbrush A set of watercolor paints and water bowl Salt (table, epsom, or kosher) Plastic wrap Cotton balls, colored paper, glue, markers, stamps (optional) What you do: 1. Lightly…
Kids & Money
Allowance is often defined as a share or portion allotted or granted.Interestingly, the next definition you see is an imposed handicap. Funny how these two meanings interact, because giving your child an allowance purely as a function of the first…
Part of the Plan
In our society, one way that we express love is by planning. We plan birthday parties, picnics, family reunions, holiday gatherings. You probably had this month’s Fourth of July itinerary worked out well in advance.Most likely, the plan included fireworks…
