There was a guy at The Kid’s last track meet. We called him Yellow Screamer Guy, because he was dressed in yellow and walked up and down the length of the straight, yelling at runners. It didn’t matter where they were on the track. Opposite side? Still yelling. I made a comment that years of … Read more
So yesterday I wrote about the consequences of giving kids free time at school. Those thoughts definitely 100% do not apply to kids at home. Kids need free time. Kids need free time to play, to be bored, to imagine, to create, to be with friends. Also, adults need free time to play, to be … Read more
I’m a teacher. Years ago, I had an excellent assistant principal who said, as the year wound down, “Free time isn’t free. Someone always pays for it.” The message was: keep kids engaged and learning all the way to the end. Most of the time, the teachers are the ones who pay for the free … Read more
As I mentioned a bit ago, I have been bingeing on Where Should We Begin? by Esther Perel. The first episode of the second season (“You Need Help to Help Her”), she’s talking with a couple who has a young adult daughter with problems. Most of the details of the episode aren’t relevant to this … Read more
Victim-blaming is almost a national past time. My [expensive thing] was stolen from my [car/house/desk/anywhere]. “Was it locked?” She was raped. “What was she wearing? Was she drinking?” (I could make a giant list of victim-blaming that applies just to women.) My purse was stolen out of a shopping cart. “What did you expect?” Kids … Read more
…you actually want the answer. This is a thing that makes me a little crazy. If you ask for an opinion, you need to be able to receive the opinion. If you ask to hear someone’s experience, you need to be open to hearing their experience. So often, we ask a question and are open … Read more
People need people to thrive. Numerous studies in the last decade point to social networks as a critical variable for longevity, and for general functionality and thriving. As both a teacher and a parent, I see articles and videos about special needs kids, and to teach your kids to be kind and to be friends … Read more
Every year, memes get passed around that say something to the effect of, “For Mother’s Day, I want to sleep in and wake up to a clean house.” Lots of “ha ha ha” reactions. But you know what? Based on conversations I’ve had with women in the past couple of year, that would actually be … Read more
The Climbing Daddy and I went to a Mongolian BBQ place the other night. (If you’re not familiar, you go through a buffet-type line full of potential stir-fry ingredients, and they cook it for you at the end.) The first section on the buffet was labeled “protein.” It was different types of meat: beef, poultry, … Read more
Earlier this week, The Climbing Daddy and I tried a new thing. We ordered groceries online and picked them up. We knew there would be disposable bags (we use reusable) but the amount of unnecessary packaging convinced us that, except in rare circumstances, we’re not going to use this service again. Set the stage: 12 … Read more