Motherhood is a trip . . . are we there yet?
Original Publish Date: July 14, 2011 Written by Ronit Baras (2008) Last week, I wrote about the things that parents say that turn off communication between them and their teens. Today, I would like to talk about the buttons teens push to set their parents off and “make” them lose their minds. From their early years,…
Original Publish Date: April 11, 2011 Better than feeling like the prettiest girl at the ball is feeling like the best mom in the world! I had a splendid day with my daughter yesterday—one of our Sunday “dates.” I honestly thought it was going to be a bust because she overslept for work and ended…
Original publish date: April 7, 2011 It figures—after being so frustrated with my daughter and what she DOESN’T do, she goes and DOES something lovely that makes me forget all about it. She has the gift of a close, warm relationship with her grandmother, my mother, and she fully appreciates it—and yesterday , she showed…
Original publish date: April 5, 2011 “I love you with all my heart. I can’t wait until we move into our new house. We’ll have so much time together.” That is a recent text from my “troubled teen.” I put that in quotations purposely—that’s what a mother will wait a lifetime to hear, and when…
Original publish date: March 31, 2011 You can sometimes find us:
Original publish date: March 30, 2011 My older daughter never had the same issues as my younger one with depression or hyperactivity or even rebellion. Her problems arose in college. She noticed that she was having trouble finishing her work or paying attention to lectures. I thought maybe she was too interested in her social…
Original publish date: March 30, 2011 My girls don’t really mind my company at times. I’ve been known to be fun—as long as we’re doing what they like to do! We’ve found some common interests—though I’m happy just spending time with my children when they’re amenable, lucid, open, or just plain willing to indulge me…
Original publish date: March 30, 2011 This is a really sensible, albeit liberal, article from an Ann Landers column from a long time ago. It’s been shared and modified a hundred times, but it’s still interesting stuff. Thought I’d pass it on. 6 Things for Parents of Teenagers to Stop Doing (and what to do…
Original publish date: January 2011 I’ve spent a lot of time talking and fretting over my younger child with all the problems, past and present. Sure, she’s been a major focus of my parenthood, and the subject of this blog, but I’ve realized that it’s not fair. Leaving my first born out doesn’t paint a…
Original publish date: January 31, 2011 A weekend that wasn’t too bad—possibly even good. I was busy with my friends all day Saturday and my daughter had the day off from me (and from any responsibilities). So it was a win-win situation. I went skiing and she watched TV and dyed her hair black. We…