If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, parenting might indeed be driving me insane. I make these mistakes over and over again, and the results are always, well, the same. 1. Believing I'm capable of multi-tasking. Yesterday I was making dinner while sorting through piles of untouched mail, answering two children's repeated requests for help with homework, and formulating witty responses to a very large group text with high … [Read more...] about Five Parenting Mistakes I Make Over and Over Again #10yearsaparent
parenting mistakes
Don’t Call Me Mommy #10yearsaparent
There's something about being called Mommy that makes me shudder. It's one of those unexplainable cringe-worthy things like nails on a chalkboard or forks scraping plates or the sound of Kim Kardashian's voice. Cloying. That's the best word that I have to describe it. Every night, I bow my head to thank the parenting gods that I went straight from Mama to Mom and skipped Mommy all together. My aversion is a mystery. I'm always hearing Mommy, Mommy, Mommy in the world of parenting, and it … [Read more...] about Don’t Call Me Mommy #10yearsaparent
Eight Ways Parenting is Like Working in Retail #10yearsaparent
Recently I was having a very circular argument with one of my children, trying to get him to use logic and reason instead of going into Hulk mode which includes a lot of stomping, yelling, and throwing of things. It dawned on me. This is exactly like trying to talk down a Crate and Barrel customer about the scratches on their nonstick All-Clad cookware or trying to explain the final sale policy to a shopper at A Pea in the Pod. I've worked my fair share of retail jobs, and meeting the … [Read more...] about Eight Ways Parenting is Like Working in Retail #10yearsaparent
I’m Dropping the Camera #10yearsaparent
My picture taking devices and I have decided to enter into a conscious uncoupling. After many holidays spent together and countless forgotten uploads, we have decided that we can not carry on in the same way we have been. It's just not sustainable. We want to remember our children's formative years, but are unable to manage the deluge of photos that result from trying to create a visual history of every family moment. We are at an impasse. We simply have no idea what the hell to do with … [Read more...] about I’m Dropping the Camera #10yearsaparent
Letting Go of Screen Time Shame #10yearsaparent
If you want to jump right into the belly of the parenting beast in 2015, just mention the words screen time. A term that only emerged in the last few years to encompass all of the electronics in our lives and how much we use them. It's a hot topic because we don't want our kids to be the Generals in the Drone Army, but we also find ourselves needing the respite that a screen can provide. Enter today's parents most challenging decision: to screen or not to screen. Times when screens seems … [Read more...] about Letting Go of Screen Time Shame #10yearsaparent
The War of Sorry #10yearsaparent
There is a battle constantly brewing in our house. There are two sides to every story and this conflict is no different, but it seems that we are in ongoing disagreement about the terms and conditions of saying "I'm sorry." Ten years into this occupation and and we're not any closer to peace than when these children entered our lives. Will we ever be? Or is this war destined to last for the next 8 years? One side believes you should always say you're sorry, immediately as soon as you … [Read more...] about The War of Sorry #10yearsaparent
they never talk when you want them to talk #10yearsaparent
I have two children with very different personalities. One that will tell you everything in detail. And not only will he tell you, he wants to talk about it. He needs to share, work out his experiences, and his emotions (kind of like Taylor Swift trapped in a seven year old boy's body). It's how he processes. Often he can't fall asleep, because he can't clear his head, and he tells me that, "Mom, I just can't turn my brain off." I sit on the edge of his bed and listen, even though I want … [Read more...] about they never talk when you want them to talk #10yearsaparent
it’s okay to be bored #10yearsaparent
I never dumped a bucket of ice over my head. And I've never hopped on to a social media campaign that involves holding up a handwritten sign (until now, see picture). It doesn't mean that I don't think the issues at hand are important. It just hasn't been my thing. But when a fellow blogger sparked a conversation about sharing real experiences about mothering and creating a network of support for mothers that might be struggling or feeling alone, something inside me connected. And so here we … [Read more...] about it’s okay to be bored #10yearsaparent