Because I Said So: It's not easy controlling the kids' wish lists
This time of year, my children get a serious case of the "I wants." One night at dinner, my 8-year-old spent a good 10 minutes telling me about all of the changes he needed to make to his "I Want List."
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Daily time for creativity a worthwhile resolution
As the year comes to a close, it is time to look back and reflect. (This is assuming that the noise level in your house allows for reflection.)
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Hold snow: Son would trade it for taekwondo
On Sunday night, when it actually started to snow, I informed my 6- and 8-year- old sons that there was a good chance they wouldn't have to go to school on Monday. My younger immediately broke out into...
View ArticleBecause I said So: Leaving kids home alone a matter of responsibility
Last summer, I took my 6- and 8-year-old sons to see "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" at the Orpheum. The part that stood out the most for my 8-year-old is when Elliott, who is probably about 8 himself,...
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Snow-day policy leaves mom questioning
As a child, I peered outside a Memphis City School window on many days, hoping for snow. On the days that it actually did snow, we anxiously waited to see if it would stick to the streets. If it stuck,...
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Boys getting bigger, but they're still my babies
"Measure me!" my 8-year-old commands every evening when we pull in front of the house.
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Don't mind yardwork: That's what sons are for
When we purchased our house four years ago, our Realtor warned us that the two giant sweetgum trees in the backyard would vex us year round. At the time, our boys were 2 and 4 -- old enough to mill...
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Connected bike lanes right kind of change
Last Sunday afternoon, I decided to take my young sons to Shelby Farms Park for the Down to Earth celebration. We also wanted to revisit the Woodland Discovery Playground and finally do the paddle...
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Preparation helps kids weather flood fright
I'm not one to panic, but over the weekend, as the waters of the Mississippi rose, so did my stress level. Had my husband -- a former forest ranger, Peace Corps volunteer, and all-around Renaissance...
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Don't forget etiquette on phone: Kids are listening
My 9-year-old has been playing a computer game that "requires" him to simultaneously talk on speaker phone with his friend who is at his house playing the same game and talking on his speaker phone.
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Beloved cat passes on, critters can take a breath
"Where's Olive?" My husband asks me this question at least five times a day. Olive is our cat -- my cat actually. She adopted me in the fall of 1996 after I returned from the Peace Corps. I lived in an...
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Weekend trip to New York just what Mom needed
Last weekend, I went to New York with a friend. It was my second "Girls Weekend" this year, which is completely unprecedented.
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Vacation followed wherever road took us
About a week ago, we set out on our annual cross-country road trip. Rather than head West to visit family as we usually do, we went East to visit friends.
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Operation Thrill Points revs up long summer trip
Before leaving for our 2-week road trip to Massachusetts and back, I took my 7-year-old son to see "Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer" at his request.
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Kids' busy schedule of camps makes Mom jealous
I'm a little jealous of my kids' summer schedule.
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Xbox games too much, too soon for 9-year-old
When my kids want something, I usually do my best to give it to them. Of course, I do try to have them "earn" it in some way -- typically through chores, yard work, good behavior, etc. When they really...
View ArticleBecause I Said So: Sure, moms do a lot, but we can't do it by ourselves
On Sunday, I took my boys to see the new movie "Spy Kids -- All the Time in the World in 4D." (The 4D ended up being a scratch-and-sniff postcard with eight numbers on it. When a number flashed on the...
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