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He's Army Strong, Mom's Still in Training
As a child, I remember reading about the Declaration of Independence in history class and quietly smiling to myself, thinking...THIS!...this is why my family is here."Mom, I want to enlist into the...
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Can a Cell Phone Be a Teaching Tool for Your Tween?
A few weeks ago, my eleven-year-old daughter received a text message from her friend asking for a favor. Her friend "broke up" with her "boyfriend" and wanted my daughter to text him a nasty message....
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Why You Shouldn't Innocently Call Your Daughter "Honey Boo Boo"
If you know me in real life, you know that I don't watch much TV. If you don’t know me in real life, you know that the only TV I do watch is Criminal Minds. (Apparently I like to keep myself up at...
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I Said the Wrong Thing Today
This morning, I took my nine-year-old daughter out for our regular Saturday morning bike ride. We make a habit of riding around town for about three miles. This morning, we chose to ride on the...
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Sorry We Woke You, But Your Daughter Threatened Suicide
I'm sorry we had to call you last night. I know it wasn't a call you wanted to get. But my daughter doesn't get frightened, not like that. I've never seen her so scared.They tried to handle it on their...
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I Learned First Hand Why Title IX Still Matters
"Even more importantly, we know that playing sports makes women healthier. They're less likely to smoke, drink, use drugs and experience unwanted pregnancies. Studies also link sports participation to...
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My Teen Son Is Gay: What Now?
My brilliant, quirky, wise, witty, wonderful 13-year-old son shared with me this week the fact that he is gay. And it's not a surprise to me or anyone who knows him—with his flair for impeccable...
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A Sexy Catalog Cover, A Mom, A Tween Child: What Would You Say?
Oh, Victoria's Secret. Usually I defend you without fail. I buy your high-priced bras because you understand that large-sized women don't necessarily want to settle for “lightly lined” (read: ZERO...
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My Daughter Is Her Own Girl
While my eyes catch the bubbly, outgoing gals enjoying their friends in the school pick up line, my 7th grade daughter is standing off to the side, alone.She is a total introvert.In many ways, her...
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Why We Still Need Diverse Books: Lemony Snicket Author's Series of...
This is why we can’t have diverse books. Author Jacqueline Woodson received the National Book Award Wednesday night for her young adult memoir Brown Girl Dreaming, a moment every writer dreams of… only...
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5 Gift Ideas for Your Picky Tween (That Aren't a Toy)
I have a ten-year-old, and man, tweens are the worst people to shop for. Are they too old for dolls and toys? Are they too young for technical gizmos and clothes? No kid wants to open a gift card. I've...
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5 Ways Schools Can Do a Better Job Teaching About Race After Ferguson
The first year I worked in an American public school, I found myself at odds instantly. It was in my student teaching days when I visited a number of different educational settings in order to get a...
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When Your Kids Don't Need More Stuff This Holiday Season
Dear Mouthy Housewives,I can't get motivated for Christmas shopping this year. My kids have so much stuff already. I know I can make a donation in their names instead, but I'm not sure my teens will...
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10 Lessons in Happiness (For Your Kids)
Original publication: http://mombabble.com/2014/11/10-lessons-in-happiness-for-your-kids/I had an epiphany the other day. It was a terrifying moment of clarity that made my palms sweat and my heart...
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PHOTOS: Why We Walked the Walk and Marched for Justice
The way I see it, we have two options in wake of the national news: to talk to our children about police brutality or not. And if we tell them, which I hope we all do, we can go one step further and...
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I Want To Enjoy My Kids, But Some Days It's Hard
"Hey, Mama, did you see that hawk?""No," I snapped, "I'm watching the traffic so we don't die in a fiery crash."A moment lost, I know. Ordinarily, I would have enjoyed sharing this experience, a...
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It's Just A Table... Or Is It?
Something happened last week that made me realize that I've spent a whole lot of time reflecting on the changes Jim and I (and this house) have gone through since J left for college (when we officially...
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5 Reasons I Really Suck At Preparing My Kids for Adulthood
I've been a mother for a long time. 27 years, to be exact. I've had kids in my home for this long, since after I was halfway done raising my oldest son, I had two more, then married a man with three...
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Should You Tattle to Other Parents?
No one likes a tattletale, least of all the English language. Any and all synonyms for the title conjure up nasty images; snitch, whistle-blower, narc, sneak, squealer all make you want to twist your...
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Surviving Your Child's First Real Punishment
This past weekend was a tough one. Adrian received his first real punishment.He has been misbehaving at school, saying disrespectful things, and not listening when spoken to various times. By Thursday...
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