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Is It too Much to Demand Perfection?

I recently wrote about a school where everything up on the bulletin boards have errors. Nothing, including the teacher’s comments, were correctly written–yet the work was show cased. I know that one of the “thoughts” in current educational practice is to emphasize the process rather than the product. To be honest, I give plenty of assignments that emphasize process. I think it is important for young children to have the opportunity to explore. However, yesterday I was talking to a parent who was ‘disgusted’ with her child’s teacher. A lively conversation ensued about the rigors of private elementary school in … Continue reading →

On Confidence

So much about being a parent of a new baby is about confidence. If it’s your first child, this confidence can take a while to develop. What is your parenting path? How do you best respond to the needs of your child? How do you negotiate the well-intentioned advice of everyone in sight? When I had my daughter, my only plan was to respond to her needs. In our family, this led to nursing on demand and bed sharing. It also led to gentle discipline methods – that is, when I am disciplined enough myself to follow through on my … Continue reading →

Obnoxious Husbands

Are any of your girlfriends married to obnoxious husbands? Or do you ever run across couples while you’re out and about and witness an exchange between them that makes you think, “Wow. That guy’s really obnoxious. How does she put up with him?” I have a couple of friends who are married to husbands who would be too much for me. They’re nice enough guys, and they love their wives to pieces (which is how I’ve determined my friends put up with them), but I couldn’t do it. My personality would clash with theirs. Because of my experiences with my … Continue reading →

Men: The Weaker Sex?

Before I begin, I just want to say that, even though the title might suggest otherwise, this article isn’t intended to be a slam against men. Rather, it’s just some reflections on things I’ve seen regarding boyfiends and husbands over the past 10 years during my stint as a stay-at-home wife. Not that I’ve had all sorts of relationships with other men. But I’ve had lots and lots of talks with my women friends. It was when I was living in Jacksonville that I noticed a pattern forming where our husbands were concerned. And ever since I noticed it, I … Continue reading →

Miss a Parent-Teacher Conference and You’re a Criminal?

Let me start by saying that I am all for parental involvement in school. I worked in a preschool, and I recently became a substitute for middle school and high school. I think it is important for parents to be involved in their children’s education, but I also think a Texas lawmaker may just be taking things too far. Representative Wayne Smith, a Republican no less, has sponsored a bill to criminalize parents who miss a scheduled meeting with a teacher, or fail to schedule one after being notified, unless they have a “reasonable excuse.” There is currently no definition … Continue reading →

Parenting Your Oldest Child – What to Expect and Do

I am an oldest child, I see within myself many of the traits typically exhibited by oldest children. Of course just because you are the oldest child does not mean you will exhibit all of the “oldest child” traits, but you will probably see some correspondence in your own life and that of your oldest child. There are two types of first-borns. Although they both desire control they use different methods to attain it. The first type is a compliant nurturer or caregiver. The second type is an aggressive mover and shaker. Both types exhibit many of the first-born traits … Continue reading →