• Uncategorized

    Graduation Gift

    While skimming Facebook the other day, I came across two ideas that made me tear up with [anticipated] nostalgia. The first story was about a mom who had secretly collected everything that was left in her son’s pockets from the time he was little. She amassed them all in a glass lamp and presented him with this amazing gift on his wedding day. He said she had basically encapsulated his childhood inside that lamp. 
    Then I read about a dad who had asked every single one of his child’s teachers to sign a copy of Oh, the Places You’ll Go, and he presented it to his child on graduation
    Read More
  • Uncategorized

    Batch Cooking

    In my quest to “make a clearing” this year as I try to balance mothering an infant and a three year-old, starting a school and a national charter management organization, making time for health and wellness, and continuing to nurture my marriage/friendships/relationships with family/neighborly connections, I started experimenting with batch cooking. I start cooking early on Sunday afternoon. I try to cook our most difficult meal first. Otherwise, I’ll avoid it all week long and make excuses. None of our meals are particularly difficult, but some are harder than others (like Lebanese soup, which has multiple steps). 

    In between all the steps, I start the prep work for other meals.
    Read More
  • Uncategorized

    Teaching the Names of Private Parts

    I first saw the book Amazing You! Getting Smart About Your Private Parts in a Montessori catalog a couple years ago and thought about getting the book for Henry’s 2nd birthday. After reading the first couple chapters of From Diapers to Dating, I knew that we wanted to use real language to describe body parts around Henry. It feels like it helps children feel less shameful about their bodies, and I even read an article that made the argument that teaching children the real name for body parts is one component of helping to fight against child abuse. 
    Fast forward a year later and we came across the book
    Read More