Halloween is just around the corner, and my kids have already planned out expensive and ornate costumes only available online or in specialty stores. Tickets are on sale for elaborate theme park Halloween events with all the bells and whistles and price tag, too. What happened to good old hay rides, neighborhood haunted houses and parties, and homemade costumes? When I was younger, we greatly anticipated these simple activities in preparation for our night of trick-or-treating. To those spoiled with changing seasons, a Florida fall may seem somewhat boring. It’s rare to witness changing …
I hate homework.Sometimes I feel that it’s a punishment for parents. It’s the one part of the school year that I don’t look forward to even though I know it’s beneficial for students.At the end of my workday, my brain is fried. Coming home to exhausted kids, it’s no small feat to get them motivated to crack open the books and get their work done at a reasonable hour.A few weeks into the new school year, homework assignments have already come pouring in. It’s a big transition for my sixth grader to go from one main teacher to seven. Half the battle at this age is for kids to remember all their…
I bet you never thought that when you had kids you wouldn’t be able to take them out in public. That day has come, parents, and I have mixed feelings about this new trend. When my kids were younger, it was extremely difficult to listen to any bit of raised volume, let alone high-pitched squealing.There’s just something about a child’s shrill screams that can be bloodcurdling to parents, let alone others. Kids come with these boisterous antics that are part of the package — all parents deal with this issue at one point or another. If I don’t want to hear it from my own kids, I know others …
Being the parent of a child with special needs is a very humbling honor. These children have so much to offer this world and have the potential to do amazing things. In many ways, they have an advantage in seeing life through different eyes and will be stronger individuals as a result. While there are many challenges and emotional hurdles to overcome, these kids can thrive with a strong family unit. Raising a child is difficult in its own right, especially in the world we live in today. But for parents of special needs kids it involves advocating educational needs, facing social stigmas and …
This past Sunday evening, I intentionally kept things low key. I winded my kids down early so they could get a good night’s rest. The dreaded week of FCAT, the state’s comprehensive assessment test, began that Monday morning. I wanted my kids to be alert, full and ready to focus. My goal was to keep their anxiety about the test as minimal and stress free as possible. Schools all over the state are undergoing the FCAT. Over several days students will have to take the standardized test used in public schools for third through 11th grades. It’s a mandated exam by the Florida Department of …
“Ouch” at the gas pump this morning! Every day the price is creeping up and driving up other costs as well. I’m sure that I’m not alone in my grocery bill more than doubling for the same amount I normally purchase. I get it. Everyone is feeling the pinch and has to make up for it somehow, but it’s really putting families in a bind in an already-difficult economic time. My kids even asked for an increase in their allowance! When it seems as if a dollar can’t stretch as far as it used to, there are ways families can cut back and really make a difference in the wallet. Do you really need it? …
In my generation, there seemed to be a pretty decent mix of kids that went home on their own after school and kids that had parents waiting for them. I remember coming up to our front walkway each afternoon knowing my mom would have a snack waiting for us at the kitchen counter. The front door would usually be open allowing the aroma of sweet smells from inside to pass through the screen door. It was warmly inviting and there was always a sense of security and comfort with that simple consistency. I did, though, have several friends who walked to empty houses each day and were often alone…
It all started when my son Matthew turned 9 years old and began asking me if I would get him a dog. Having three cats and a hectic schedule, I really didn’t think getting another pet would be ideal for us. I travel every other month for several days and was not willing to kennel a pet that often so other arrangements would need to be worked out. I also knew that I did not want a dog that would require a lot of activity. I was used to low-maintenance cats and wasn't sure I wanted the work that came along with a canine. I have a full-time job and our family has many obligations with …
After a long day at work I was mentally and physically exhausted. In my last hour at the office I envisioned myself walking through my front door, changing into more comfortable clothes, and hopefully winding down early for the evening. After dinner and getting the kids going on their homework, I finally settled into a hot bath and started to relax. The silence was abruptly breached with a high-pitched, blood curdling “MOM! She said something mean to me again!” followed by obnoxious banging on the bathroom door. My kids were at it again, and this time I was over it. I simply closed my eyes …
