If your only tool is a hammer, everything becomes a nail.  So my husband would say.  I am finishing Roselind Wiseman’s book Queen Bees and Wannabes (hammer) and finding myself looking critically at the dynamics of “Girl World”, especially that sector involving my first grade daughter.  In my last post, “Should Schools Require Uniforms?” I mentioned my daughter dressed up for school in order to play “princess” (nail) at recess.  [Or should I say “Queen,” as my daughter was apparently anointed in her and her friends modern day game of royal life.  Mentally hearing “Bee” after “Queen” (another nail) in my daughter’s…

My kids love to make up jokes.  Here’s the latest: Which state has the smallest sodas? Minnesota!!!! In fact, they have inspired me to try my hand at penning riddles.  So I have one for you: How do you feed a vegetarian from Iowa? You can’t. Vegetarians don’t exist in Iowa. Admittedly not a zinger.  But I am from Iowa.  And if there is ever a meat-loving place on earth, it is the Corn State.  (I know.  That nickname doesn’t make much sense.  It should be the Ribeye State or the One-Inch-Thick-Pork-Chop-the-Size-of-Your-Head State.)  And years back when Paul McCartney performed…

Today, and for today only (ok, that’s a lie but it sounds good), I am passing the Pot-Shot Bull’s Eye over to my dear husband.  I don’t think he’ll mind as he has been forewarned and didn’t tell me to leave him alone.  I share many of my own snafus and fallacies with PulseonParenting and the time has come for my husband to do the same. Although I am doing it for him.

I’m not sure what “drops” after the “other shoe,” but let’s just say this:  whatever it is did so in a big way the other morning. I could see it coming and managed to stick to my guns and let it happen.  I had only one primal scream (in private, I might add) as a result.  Which is good, isn’t it?  And I think lessons were learned by all. Ownership is a tough skill to master, and it’s not only a challenge for kids…we adults struggle as well.  As parents, we work daily to take and keep charge of our…

It’s only a matter of time before the other shoe drops.  Due to acclimation, burnout, or poor motivation, the honeymoon has to end sometime.  In this case, “sometime” is seven days. But no way, no annulment here.  I don’t give up easy.  Never have and never will.  Ownership is way too important a life skill to just toss out like yesterday’s news.  My kids and I are going to see this one through. And be all the stronger for it. Isn’t it true?  We get the Perfect Plan off on the right foot, feel good about the initial success, and…

The other day after lunch in town, my first-grade daughter found a vertical pole to spin around.  In her innocent fun, she really got into it.  I mean, really got into it and…yeah.  It was disturbing.  Anyway…I’m going to continue on in a totally different vein.   But her little, uh, performance, will tie in.  I promise. What is more frustrating, time-consuming and stressful than potty-training the kids?  Getting them ready for school and out-the-door (hereby known as “OTD”) is a top contender in my book.  I think I’ve sprouted more gray hairs with the latter than the former.  It is a…