Month: April 2010
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It pays to read to children
My daughter and her 3-year-old stood by a backyard fountain watching the bubbling water. She began explaining to the child the pumps, pipes and water pressure involved. The owner listened and gently laughed — obviously the child was too young to understand. Then she did a double take, “He really understands!” “Of course,” my daughter…
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almost a winner
Every spring area schools submit announcements of their students’ successes in one competitive activity after another. So many ways for kids to prove themselves academically as well as athletically. I wish I had a chance at a couple of those academic games before I graduated from high school . . . but then again, maybe…
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Ironing for mom
Wrestling the ironing board into an upright position, Mom plugged in her iron, pulled the basket of water sprinkled and rolled shirts, slacks and dresses near her and began ironing and ironing and ironing. As a 6-year-old, I watched and asked to do it. She didn’t offer to buy me a toy iron and ironing…
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50 years of family traveling
Traveling with children has never been easy. Always it has demanded imagination, patience and flexibility. Luggage, blankets and pillows became beds with my mom’s creative determination to tend and entertain her five young children in our family station wagon while Dad drove us from the tree covered hills of New York to the cactus covered…
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Frozen Easter candy
Shake a leg, get out of bed, grab some clothes, head for the store to load up a cart with marked down chocolate bunnies, cream filled chocolate eggs and packages of all your favorite candies wrapped in Easter colors. It’s time to stock up for next year’s Easter basket. At least that used to be…