Parenting

Magical Reality

drouse — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:49:30 -0500

I knew at the first parent-teacher conference of the year.

Emily has been having issues with one girl in her class. She wants this girl to like her, and this girl simply wants to hurt Emily's feelings.

The week before I had been in to speak with Em's teacher, as the little girl had placed a rubber spider inside Emily's desk in order to frighten her. Emily, true to form, had flipped out and broken down in tears at the sight of the very fake spider.

Halloween Horror!!!

drouse — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 08:42:21 -0400

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday, here is a question I have been asked.

Aside from my obviously unprintable smart aleck answer involving alcohol, here is my actual "Professional Dawn answer":

What is a great Halloween idea you want to share with other moms?

Well. To understand my answer, you must understand something about my kid.

Knowing they all do it doesn't make it easier

drouse — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 01:05:02 -0400

My kid is no more exceptional than yours. She is no smarter or funnier or more attractive. She is, in every way, a typical kid.

Particularly when it comes to picking up after herself. After speaking with lots of other parents, I know that they all struggle with this. All one has to do is mention the "trail of stuff" that is left behind by a school age kid and nods of agreement are rapidly in evidence.

Three is my magic number

drouse — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 22:44:04 -0400

I greet each pregnancy announcement of friends with honest joy.
These women with whom I share this unique space between and within
blogs...I like them. I love them.

I would, however, be dishonest is I did not say that I also feel a wave of jealousy. Envy, deep green and salty, washes over me.

Do you take this woman to be your Emergency Contact?

drouse — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 22:54:33 -0400

Who knew that the start of school would become a time to examine the external adult relationships in the life of your family?

Before I had a child, I would say to parents, "You surely must have ONE adult who can be your emergency contact person!"

To me it seemed as simple as writing down the names and numbers of your friends and Voila! Form filled out.

As I have aged, and moved towns and schools and countries, the filling out of the "emergency card" form becomes fraught with the examination of WHO.

So what are you trying to tell me?

drouse — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:49:54 -0400

Emily: "Hey Mama! Did you know that the orange bubble bath works great as soap? I've been using it in the shower."

Dawn: "Oh - Ok. It does smell really good, I know."

Emily: "Yeah, it smells like orange creamsicles.

Long Pause.

Emily ( in a quieter voice) : "But don't taste it."

Dawn: "Em? Did you taste the bubble bath?"

Emily: "No! I did not!"

Nervous giggles follow.

You're right. I'm wrong

drouse — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:39:08 -0400

Yes, see. I admit it. To the world. I'm wrong.

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong.

But it was the first day of school. And I had a huge bag of stuff to carry in for my daughter - Did you see how big the bag was? It easily weighed 80 pounds. And she was carrying a miniature rose plant to give to her teacher, so she couldn't carry the stuff.

Tick, Tick, Tick

drouse — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:16:05 -0400

There is one thing I am sure about.

Every parent of every school age child is currently doing the countdown until they can ship their children BACK to school.

The talk I failed to have

drouse — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:30:34 -0400

Running into my bedroom on Monday night:

Emily: "Mom....I think I have a bead up my nose."

Me: (Sitting bolt upright in bed) "What do you mean - you THINK? Do you have a bead up your nose? Yes or No?!?!

Emily: (trying to blow her nose and shaking her head)" I don't know - Maybe...."

I grab the bridge of her nose and pinch so she can't force it up higher.

Me: "EMILY DAMALI! YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A BEAD UP YOUR NOSE! DO YOU HAVE A BEAD UP YOUR NOSE????"

A List of Discoveries!

drouse — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:14:57 -0400

Emily has been away for almost three weeks now. We shipped her off to Detroit to visit her grandparents and cousins. A week before that, she was in sleep-away camp with the Girl Guides.

The absence of her physical prescence has led to some amazing re-discoveries, which I will now illuminate in List Form!

1. My husband and I seem to be able to use the SAME towel for almost a whole week. These towels dry because they are properly hung up and allowed to dry before we use them again. This discovery has led to number 2.