Parenting roundtable, take one

One of the best things about becoming a mother is getting to talk parenthood with other mothers. At the playground, at the zoo, over wine. I've always felt incredibly lucky to be surrounded by such a wonderful (and fun) group of mothers. My own mother and mother-in-law, other family members and a multitude of longtime friends, as well new ones I've made since having my first child.

In praise of Frank Bruni

As a parent, and a parent who writes about parenting at that, I devour journalistic pieces on the subject when I come across them. And, oh, in this age of mass hysteria regarding a range of subjects, child rearing certainly one of the most prominent, there are plenty.

Kindergarten mom

I’m a working mom of two: a five year old who is a kindergartener in the public school system and a two-and-a-half-year-old who goes to daycare full time.  I work for the schools and it’s a great job! Really, I love it. I’ve been given a whole new perspective of what all teachers have to deal with in a day. Yes, deal with. I know we’ve all heard that they’re not paid enough, but really, they’re not. Not only does my son’s teacher deal with 25...

Friday afternoon blues

TGIF! Weekend’s Here! It’s Miller TIme. I’m exhausted from the week and facing a weekend of peace and quiet.

The cure for an unruly week

Which, by the way, I am experiencing.

Wait til your father gets home!

I never actually said that...until my husband and I seperated. Now I'm throwing the Dad word around like crazy. Solo parenting, even if your Ex is totally in it, ain’t easy.

What to do about a fearful tot at bedtime?

Today will be the first in what I hope will become a regular advice feature on the Motherland blog. While the questions may be directed to me, I'll be looking for outside expertise - as I did with the following question - since I certainly don't know all the answers (or even any of them).

The wheels on the bus go round and round...and then fall off

New Year, New You!

Fifty percent

Welcome to the Other 50%. Yup. The divorced half. That’s me. Well, almost. After a valiant, but not so successful attempt to save my marriage, I packed up and left.

Recommended: Children Outside the Norm, An Interview With Author Andrew Soloman

I was completely fascinated with this "Fresh Air" interview with author Andrew Soloman, whose book, "Far From the Tree," explores the world of families with children who are profoundly different; children with physical or mental disabilities, children conceived in rape, and children who go on to commit serious crimes, to name a few.

In science, women judged less capable

Please take a moment to read this essay, posted on CNN.com, by Meg Urry, the director of the Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics. 

In pursuit of the organized life

This morning I decided I'd get up early and go for a run. Just hop out of bed, get dressed and get going before the kids were up, explaining to my husband that I'd be back in 40 minutes or so. 

What's for dinner?

A few months ago I claimed on this blog that I'd keep you updated about our attempts to have dinner together most nights and try some new recipes, as our nearly four-year-old daughter has gotten a little picky and I wanted to diversify our options, so to speak.

Boy vs. girl

The other day I was hanging out with my two children. My daughter, who is almost four, told me she wanted to sing something and began a heartfelt ballad she'd made up on the spot about a fairy and a "road in the sky." 

A perfect fit

So, I’m like hiding out at Target the other day "food shopping" (yea, like you don’t make up fake shopping trips to get away from your kids) and got detained at the bathing suit section for a rather long time...just to bum myself out. You see, I have this bikini I purchased a long time ago with the hopes that it would inspire me to get my ass in gear so as to not be mortified should I ever be bold/slutty/ten-years-younger enough to actually wear it.

Lucy Kellaway on the work/family balance conflict

Since Anne Marie Slaughter's recent article in "The Atlantic," questioning why women can't "have it all," there has been an expected rush of commentary on this always-hot issue. Can women have it all? Should they? And what is it "all" anyway?

Divorce is the New Black

As a mother of a young child, I feel it's important to stay up on the latest fashions. As such, I just blew the better part of this past year on the DivorceCoaster.  Awesome ride. We decided to throw some sawdust on the vomit and stick it out. Whatever that means. Most of my other friends didn’t fare so well.

Pretty Sure Carly Rae Would Be Into This

One of the things that has truly defined my life as an adult and mother - besides stuff like becoming a more responsible person and experiencing the love a parent has for their child - has been my newfound (and secret...until now) love for top 40 pop and hip hop music.

Me and My Dads

My name is Michelle and I have a 55 month old.  Okay, he's four-and-a-half, but if you're a mom, you've already figured that out. Which is exactly why I so look forward to quality time with My Dads. These are the dudes doing the heavy lifting at the PTA events. They can often be found sulking at birthday parties because Mom needs a mani-pedi on Saturday morning.

My Cloth Diaper Experience

I'm not really sure why, but I recently decided I was going to try using cloth diapers - at least part of the time - on our one year-old-son.

Lisa Belkin to Time Magazine: I'm 'Not Mom Enough'

As this week's edition of Time magazine seems to have produced the cover seen round the world I'm assuming you've seen it. But if not, I've posted it here because I can't get enough. No one can get enough, and commentary is rampant.

The post-wedding blues

My sister-in-law got married this past weekend, a wedding I'd been talking about with family and friends for months.

Anna Quindlen on "Morning Joe"

Please take a moment and watch this clip of author Anna Quindlen on MSNBC this morning, speaking about her new book, as well as challenges modern women face, parenting and aging.

The dinner project

For the first two years of her life, my daughter was a wonderful eater. The kind of eater other parents would often remark upon, saying, "You are so lucky," and I always agreed.

Structuring the Unstructured Life

Ever since becoming a part-time-working-mom or full-time-mom-who-sometimes-works or mom-who-wished-she-worked-more or person-who-doesn't-always-shower-first-thing-in-the-morning, or whatever you want to call it, I've become acquainted with the world of the unstructured day, something familiar to many, especially in this economy.

Babyccinos! Creating Miniature Coffee Addicts

Every once in a while, my brother, who lives near Park Slope in Brooklyn, complains about the parents and children that he sees on a regular basis. I've seen these uber-Brooklynite family units on the playground and in the cafes when I visit him and I know what he means. The kids dress better than I do; they're nearly too hip to be palatable.

Stomach Bug, Day Three

It is Wednesday morning - at least I think so - the January of my discontent, to bum a phrase. I'm looking at a closetful of clothes I once wore out on date nights with my husband or to dinner with friends. But that was in my other life, the one that existed three distant days ago. Pre-stomach bug. So today I will choose...well, I choose sweatpants.

Blog, mamas, blog

Well if this isn't a perfect study for me to highlight, I don't know what is.

Poison In Your Apple Juice? No Big Deal; It's The Calories, Say Experts

Recent reports showing high levels of arsenic in some juice brands have been getting major attention.

Seven Questions With Karla Gravitt, Mother of Triplets

Several years ago, when I was in my mid-twenties and enjoying every second, I attended a New Year’s Eve party at my friend Dan’s apartment. About half way through my good friend, Karla, and I decided that we were going to get on his coffee table and dance to Kanye West’s “Gold Digger.” But not just once. We kept the song on repeat until partygoers were worn out on the tune, whining, “Again?” And we were like, “Yeah. Again.”

Why I Like These Dark Winter Nights

The end of daylight saving time - marked by turning our clocks back - is not a happy time for many, especially parents; as in, "What the hell are we going to do in the afternoon if it is too dark to go to the playground?!"

The Duggars Expecting Their 20th: Must We Judge?

The answer to that question, at least according to all the comments on the internet, seems to be, well, yes.

So Beloved, So Reviled: What's Your Take on TV and Kids?

I'm going to tell you about one of my favorite time of day. 

Kids Watching TV Not Beneficial, But For Real This Time

So, in the "studies that yield fairly obvious results" department, the American Academy of Pediatrics has released a report saying that children under two-years-old should avoid watching TV as much as possible.

Woman Gives Birth After Running Marathon, Writer Feels Inadequate

This morning I was feeling overwhelmed by what is the normal state of affairs in our house. This is the worst kind of overwhelmed feeling, as it seems unwarranted.

Financial Slump = Fewer Diapers

There is little to say about this, except oh...dear. Things are bad.

Navigating Food Choices For Our Kids

My daughter has a sweet tooth, and in executing her best efforts to get at the cupcakes, ice cream and other treats that come into our life from time to time, well, she's pretty adorable. She's only three, and when she's making a bat-out-of-hell beeline for the cupcakes before the party host has even finished the sentence, "It's time to sing Happy Birthday!" you have to laugh.

On Raising A Girl

Our daughter is three, and despite the involuntary hand-wringing and mild heart palpitations I experience when I think about one day being the parent of a female adolescent, I don't think about the differences between the sexes all that much.

Goodbye, Summer 2011

Last night as I looked at the unpacked suitcases situated around our living room - reminders of a glorious late August vacation - I allowed myself to wallow for a moment in the sinking feeling that often comes at summer's end.

The Wooster Square Cherry Blossom Festival

Sunday is the 38th annual Cherry Blossom Festival in historic Wooster Square, which is bound to be an absolutely terrific event.

Is there an ADHD-food dye link? And do you care?

An FDA committee has begun reviewing evidence on whether or not certain food dyes affect behavior in children, particularly hyperactivity.

In which mother Lisa McElroy takes a vacation all by herself

And I stand up and applaud her.

Second Time Around

I was at this coffee shop in Branford the other day and I went up to the counter and ordered a cappuccino and the girl behind the counter sort of looked at me - at this point I'm very visibly pregnant - and, all nervously, was like, "Ok...decaf?" And I was like, "That's hilarious. Regular." 

Pregnancies should last 39 weeks when possible

Those of you who've been reading my various online writings for some time know that when it comes to "medical" vs. "natural" regarding childbirth, I a) think we tend to get way too worked up about the whole subject and b) think slamming the medical professionals who deliver our babies can be pretty detrimental, since modern medicine - without a doubt - has done a lot of good things for our collective health. Whether you're talking about a healthy pregnancy and childbearing experience,...

Annoying Parenting Tip

I usually skip over the various articles and blog posts that are directed my way when I'm checking my email, but this morning I decided to check out this one, "The 10 Most Irritating, Least Helpful Parenting Tips Ever" because it the title immediately sounded both pertinent and snarky and I am in exactly the mood for just that. 

Motherland: Amy Chua: A Different Take

If you've somehow missed all the hoopla, Amy Chua is the Yale Professor whose book, "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother," (which I must admit, I haven't read) chronicles her insanely strict parenting style while raising her two daughters. No sleepovers. No television. Ever. Meanwhile, Chua criticizes Americans for coddling their children; not pushing their kids to be the very best that they can be.

A pregnancy moment

I was walking around the North Haven Target the other day, enveloped in my own dazed world. I hadn't left the house even once, mired in an excellent book and in political talk on the news and in thinking about how I was starting to feel - at roughly 26 weeks pregnant with my second child - well, really rather pregnant.

Gisele Bundchen, I Need You To Stop It

I have to be honest, I was going to title this post, "Gisele Bundchen: I Hate You," but then I figured that animosity like that was really the wrong reaction to her recent comments about breastfeeding.

The Modern Day Childbirth Debate

This is a difficult topic for me. Not because I have a tragic story or a huge stake in the matter. In fact, the problem is that I end up siding with everyone. How c-sections are at an all time high and home births are the way to go. Doulas, midwives, doctors, drugs, meditation. I think it's all valid.

On having a second child

First of all, I'm not. Having a second child. Someday, yes - absolutely, I want at least one more child - but for now I am happily a mother to one toddler without another on the way.