While traversing the vast regions of the USA on a month long roadtrip in the 70s, my parents had a lot of rules of the road. You can only eat at McDonald’s, Howard Johnson’s or Burger King. My mom believed big corporations and franchises were always reliable. She had no interest in local flavor. WeContinue reading “Rules of the Roadtrip”
Tag Archives: preteen issues
Tales from the Backseat: Viva Reno
Soon after our California departure, the view from the backseat was blank. Literally nothing to see. But then some snow capped mountains appeared bigger and bigger in the windshield, despite the 70 degree temperature. It was so out of place in the desert, it almost looked like a movie set, so my dad decided toContinue reading “Tales from the Backseat: Viva Reno “
I Left A Lot in San Francisco: Tales from the Backseat Episode 7
The difference between being a preteen and a child on a family vacation is like the comparing Mount Everest to the dirt hill kids jump their bikes over. It’s a continental divide. During my preteen years, I wanted to be cool and strived to seem grown-up. And I definitely did not want to act likeContinue reading “I Left A Lot in San Francisco: Tales from the Backseat Episode 7”
A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes
Episode 6 – Tales from the Backseat California here we are. After three weeks navigating most of the lower half of the US and a bit of Mexico, we finally made it to the golden west coast. And as any red-blooded American family, the first place we went was DISNEYLAND. It was the mecca of small childrenContinue reading “A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes”
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”
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?”
Chatty, but not Cathy
Everyone is unique. It’s the engine which makes us go through the world. Some people ridicule differences and many people dwell on what they consider to be bad personality or character traits. I believe self-clarity and acceptance is the path to serenity. Here is my response to a writing prompt from my group which asksContinue reading “Chatty, but not Cathy”
SUZANNE RUDD HAMILTON 