May, 2014 | PulseonParenting

Hooray for Summer?

May 29 2014

Recently we installed a wireless pet containment system for our sweet but “born-to-run” dog. As we train Lucy to her boundaries, she is becoming rather “hang-doggy” as she realizes the restriction to her freedom. No loping off to see her dog friends. No unleashed running through our neighborhood for the wild amount of exercise she desperately needs as a border collie mix. She is relegated to a leash for her daily walks now, under the watchful eye of one of her “people.” Does this sound familiar? If not for your own furry friend but for you yourself? Because it is…

Roll “Em!” (And Let it Roll?)

May 27 2014

What movies do you remember watching over and over as a kid? Ah, silver screen memories. The movies that defined our (respective) generations and which we pop in the player when we want to stroll down memory lane. And of course see if we can quote them word-for-word like we could years before. Have you shared your favorite flicks with your kids? It’s fun to experience those timeless Disney classics. Remember the “Wonderful World of Disney” on Sunday nights? Even though kids are amazingly tech-savvy and notice the graphics are out of date, the stories still draw them in. No…

Well, Enough About Me…

May 22 2014

We’ve all heard the line: Enough about me…what do YOU think of me? Ever realize you get so caught up in your own vision you forget: The situation isn’t about YOU? Just a rhetorical question. Except not for me. Since I mentioned it I have to ‘fess up (otherwise I wouldn’t have this blog post!). And my answer is: All too often. How much my being an only child plays into this, I don’t know. But I freely admit my forays into egocentricity because I realize that as a parent (it’s ok to silently agree with this) I hope my…

Makeup!!!!

May 20 2014

To set the right tone, let me help you hear what I hear when I read the title of this post. Remember the Looney Tunes cartoons? In at least one of these animated features someone gets blown up (Wile E. Coyote comes to mind) and then another character yells, in a manner that curdles blood: MAKEUP!!!! Eeewww. My circulatory system is in havoc, pulse racing and heart pounding. This is the same way I felt, and the same voice I heard (in my head), when I saw my child’s third grade friend wearing, you guessed it, lots of…. MAKEUP!!!! Now…

May 15 2014

{Ok. The first draft of “Part Two” was a mess. The junk has been corralled and put out to pasture! Below is the honed, endlessly-edited version.} To get this post organized I had to make a handwritten list of all the points I wanted to include. (The definition of gravitas in our electronic world!) Previously on May 13 (How About Homeschooling, Part One), I wrote how a friend (an educator) and I talked the topic of homeschooling and our sugar-fueled discussion caused me to wonder about the possibility of homeschooling my son. As I pondered, many thoughts and concerns came to…

How About Homeschooling? Part One

May 13 2014

{I have too many jumbled thoughts and the mental noise is deafening. To clarify, this is not a researched, fact-filled piece, it is simply my attempt to coherently organize my thoughts and concerns, in two parts, on virtual paper. Who knew almond croissants and coffee would fuel the blogging fire?} Sometimes the inspiration for blog posts takes me by surprise. Recently a friend of mine and I (over the aforementioned treats) had an engaging discussion on the topic of homeschooling, an education alternative I never seriously considered for my children. I attended public school from Kindergarten through twelfth grade….

A Question for You

May 08 2014

The end of the school year is rapidly approaching. Of course there is “Senioritis.” There is also “Third Grade-itis.” And even “Extracurricular Activity-itis.” My kids haven’t caught the last affliction but I sure have. Have you? I find the after school and sometimes weekend running to be exhausting. And not just at the end of the school year but in the fall and winter as well. The question I need to ask you is two-fold: Are you tired of the running? And do we keep our kids too busy with activities outside of school? I’m curious what you think.

“Family” Vacations

May 06 2014

I need some feedback. And a serious dose of reality. Because I think when it comes to planning a trip that includes our kids, my husband and I are misguided. I would love to hear from you, my readers, your opinions on traveling with kids and how to work the tough yet inevitable situations where one of the children is super-unhappy. Or if all of them are double super-unhappy. Because we just returned from a weekend away in Moab, Utah. Hearing about the spectacular beauty of Arches National Park and the less-heard-of Dead Horse Canyon and that kids love the…

The Book Selection for May 2014

May 01 2014

I am looking forward to reading this next book. Based on reviews I’ve read and the cover flap description, Masterminds and Wingmen by Roselind Wiseman sounds like the male counterpart to her previous book about “Girl World,” Queen Bees and Wannabes. We all hear “boys will be boys!” and “boys are easier (to raise) than girls”. Hmmm. I wonder what Ms. Wiseman thinks about these ubiquitous phrases?

Archive - May 2014