Yes, the Bookworm Family is going to camp. Do not misunderstand. We are not “going camping.” I don’t “go camping.” I have never slept in a tent in my entire life, and don’t ever intend to. This probably makes me even uncooler than I already am, but the fact remains: I like my creature comforts. Yes, I love nature and all that wilderness survival stuff, but only in the abstract. I’ll take my vacation in a plush hotel, thank you very much.
Category Archives: Parenting
Parenting tip: heatwave survival strategy
On the first really hot day, invite your dad to go out for ice cream along with yourself and the kids. Have a really good time. Have such a good time that Grandpa spontaneously — and without thinking about the consequences — offers to repeat the outing on any day that the temperature is over 90.
Pearls before swine
My yard really wants to be a beautiful garden. It’s not like I’m trying and it’s fighting me every step of the way, like the yard at our previous house did. No, this yard is begging to be gardened. If I gave it just ten minutes a day it would probably look like the cover of the Burpee catalog.
Homeschooling chez Bookworm
Frustrated Inspired by my kids’ constant carping over my shortcomings in the dinner-planning department, about a month ago I decided it was time to augment their public school education with a little Home Ec. Tuesday night is Kids’ Night now. Joey and Lena take turns on alternating weeks planning and cooking dinner.
Rite of passage
Lena, my 7yo, started taking violin lessons in January at her own behest. It’s been an interesting few months. I’ve learned some things about my daughter that surprise me.
Surprise number one: she gets foot-stampingly frustrated when she’s practicing. There are tears at least once a week. (I agree with her teacher, who said: “But she’s not supposed to cry while practicing until she’s in high school!”) It’s surprising because first of all, Lena’s generally phlegmatic. Not easily fazed. And second, all her life thus far she’s shown a pretty remarkable ability to persevere. Even as a toddler, she’d set herself a task, like jumping with both feet off the ground, or learning the alphabet, and she’d cheerfully work at it to the exclusion of all else until she achieved mastery. I rejoiced that my child was born with good study skills — something which despite many years of schooling I still don’t possess. But alas, this ability doesn’t seem to extend to violin-practicing. When we practice I am on shifting ground, unfamiliar territory, and I have to learn to navigate it better.
Happy Birthday
It’s hard to believe, but… I’m married to a forty-year-old! Happy Birthday, dear Steve!
He’s not finding this a big deal at all. In fact, he mistakenly thought he was turning forty last year. I, however, am thinking about it a lot. I’m turning forty this year, too, though not until December. How on earth did this happen? Just yesterday I was ten!
Who was I kidding?
What ever made me think I could go four months without blogging?
It’s been five weeks and withdrawal has been severe. Unlike some bloggers, I’ve never had trouble thinking of “what to write.” The only trouble I’ve ever had is finding the time to write it. And finding the time to visit my blogroll. A lot has happened in the last five weeks, and not writing about it was painful. Here are some highlights.
