More Than Four Sides

Category: Parenting

  • The mortality thing

    OK, so I promised, a couple of days ago, to fill in on the discussions around Death (yes, with a capital D) that have been a constant theme of the past month.  We have heard, time and time again, about how J had a mommy and a daddy who died, and how he didn’t come…

  • Still pondering mortality…

    This morning continued a theme which has been running strong for 5-yo J for the past two days, but, I realize, thanks to this blog, that its been a theme for the whole month, starting with this post – death, and most particularly, what to make of the death of one’s parents. But, I’m not…

  • Mulling over mortality

    On the way to preschool today, J asked, “Why did Reaghan have to die? I wish she was still alive.” “All animals have to die sometime – dogs, and even people”, I answered. “Lions don’t die – they kill other animals”, was his comeback. “Yes, even lions die when they get old.” “No! Lions only…

  • Visiting preschool

    I finally made it to my clinic’s annual Christmas party. I’ve missed it all the years I’ve worked there, and I always get grief from my patients who come see me shortly after the New Year for not being there. But, I’d been thinking about how to fit my attendance at this party into my…

  • The Anarchist Soccer Mom: Thinking the Unthinkable

    The Anarchist Soccer Mom: Thinking the Unthinkable. I am sharing this story because I am Adam Lanza’s mother. I am Dylan Klebold’s and Eric Harris’s mother. I am Jason Holmes’s mother. I am Jared Loughner’s mother. I am Seung-Hui Cho’s mother. And these boys—and their mothers—need help. In the wake of another horrific national tragedy,…

  • Offending those we love…

    I am cautious about what I post here.  For one, I am aware that it’s available to a wide variety of folks who are connected to me either directly or indirectly.  And, it’s mostly a personal blog, but could be read by my patients, my students, and my colleagues.  So, I am always thinking about…

  • 29/30 = 97% … not perfection

    I’m bummed. Yes, I am a perfectionist. No, I didn’t actually expect to be able to blog 30 days straight. But, having managed 29 days, I really thought I had it in the bag, and then Friday, Nov 30, the last day of NaBloPoMo for November 2012, was a crazy day, and I just couldn’t…

  • Melt-down morning

    This morning was a doozy! It started off OK, with both boys getting up on their own, but things quickly rolled downhill. J got into a unique naughty space, which led him to being quite contrary about getting dressed, and brushing teeth. And S thought it would be fun to goad is little brother into…

  • Home again, home again, jiggitty jog!

    We spent the entire day in the car. Our progress was delayed by traffic jams and multiple accidents, some of them frighteningly serious – we saw one car that had the entire top section squashed down – I can only hope the passengers survived, but it didn’t look good… We have been dealing with some…

  • Our Shabbat-free Shabbat (cont’d)

    We took a farewell walk around Lake Berkley today. It was a stunningly beautiful day – sunny, with a light breeze. We got to the lake, and spied a quartet of ducks, who clearly expected that we might have some bread crumbs to give them. And, then we spotted a floating empty milk jug at…