I Hate Green Beans!

As a kid, I had a very strict rule. I didn’t eat anything green. I was a finicky eater at best, but I just hated the awful taste in my mouth. And to make matters worse, my mother wasn’t a cook. She put everything on the table as best as she could, unfortunately, that meantContinue reading “I Hate Green Beans!”

Darkness Within

The dark sky loomed, relentlessly following every step, blocking every turn. I never thought I could feel so powerless.  How could the world twist so out of control that it would target my child? I’ve always trailed my own unconventional path, but I can’t imagine what it feels like to be trapped in your ownContinue reading “Darkness Within”

Compromise

Sarah and her friend Lauren sat in the backseat giggling while showing each other funny memes and fashion dos and don’ts on their phones. Sarah’s, brother Lucas sat next to them with his earbuds tuned to his favorite music, trying to avoid boredom on this long ride. Their moms, Chloe and Elise were perched inContinue reading “Compromise”

Mothers and Children

I’ve been a mother for over thirty years now and a daughter for nearly twice that. On Mother’s Day, I found myself contemplating the juxtaposition of being a child and a mother.   When you were a child, you often do things your mother doesn’t like or makes it challenging for her to be yourContinue reading “Mothers and Children”

What is Emotional Bullying?

Most people agree a bully is someone who physically assaults another by pushing, hitting, punching, grabbing, knocking books out of hands, stuffing someone into a locker or a dumpster, sticking a head into a toilet, etc. But physical bullying is not the only brand of terror; emotional bullying often leaves as many and deeper scars,Continue reading “What is Emotional Bullying?”

A Starry Night

One of the best things about being a kid is exploring and noticing the little things in life. Tyler and his friends were no different.  On a warm summer night, they enjoyed a rite of passage for eleven-year-olds, the backyard tent sleepover. Tyler and his dad pitched a small pup tent in the backyard andContinue reading “A Starry Night”

Which of These Things Don’t Belong Together?

SNEAK PEAK! This is a character introduction to an upcoming YA/middle-grade book “Popularity”. Certain kinds of combinations like spaghetti and meatballs, movies and popcorn, and shoes and socks are famous pairs, but socks and sandals or spaghetti and tuna are definitely not.   What if people were like that? Meredith was. She was movies andContinue reading “Which of These Things Don’t Belong Together?”

Talk to the Hand

Before “talk to the hand” became popular, I believe I used and saw the idea of that gesture many times. As a parent, you often feel that many conversations with your child, back and forth, can be illustrated with one hand held affirmatively in the stop position. With young children, you want them to quicklyContinue reading “Talk to the Hand”

Newtakes not mistakes

Albert Einstein said “A person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new.” After all, one person’s mistake is another’s invention. That statement was never truer than with my childhood friend, Skizitz. Others saw everything she did as a mistake, but to me, it was creative and amazing. She was definitely an original. AsContinue reading “Newtakes not mistakes”

Reruns

“Hi Mom, I need to ask you something about your crockpot.” Jamie called her mother on Facetime.  “I can see you, can you see me? Isn’t this Facetimes thing fun?” her mother laughed.   “Mom, hold the phone back, I can only see your mouth. Good. I’m using your old crockpot.  How did you getContinue reading “Reruns”