Category Archives: On The Go
My Purse is NOT a Toy!
In the changing room after swimming, I put my purse down on the bench to help my 4 year old get his clothing on. As I’m working his buttons, I see a little girl who is probably around 18 months waddle over and start looking through my purse. In a very gentle and kind voice, [...]
Also posted in Mean Mommies 1 Comment
Why do parents tear each other apart?
From the driveby attacks in public to the ackward moments with your closest friends and family, parents today seem to be under constant attack on everything from their deeply personal parenting choices (think nursing, co-sleeping, spanking, discipline approach, you get the picture) to their off moments (a kid who isn’t wearing socks on a cold [...]
Also posted in Judgment Days Leave a comment
Help another mother out
I saw this great post on Mommy Brained about a mom who reached out to another mom, mid-meltdown no less, in a kind and gracious way. I always try to make a point of opening doors for other moms struggling with strollers, but could never figure out how to intervene mid-tantrum without making things worse. I [...]
Also posted in Public Tantrums Leave a comment
Resisting the Urge to “Help”
Yesterday at Costco, I witnessed a full blown public toddler tantrum. Kicking, screaming, writhing on the floor as strangers tried to steer clear with their carts. The poor mother seemed embarrassed but determined to make it through the check-out line without having to abandon the mission and her cart full of diapers, wipes and other [...]
Also posted in Public Tantrums, Thanks for the unsolicited advice 1 Comment
Can’t you control your kid?
We’ve all heard it. Our kid is screaming on a plane, tantruming in a store, melting down in a restaurant and some annoyed bystander asks us, “Can’t you control your child?” In a word, no. At least, not at this particular moment. Sure, we can try to guide, model, coach and cajole, discipline, punish. Sometimes [...]
Also posted in Parenting Police 1 Comment
Outsourcing Toothbrushing
The Wall Street Journal’s blog The Juggle posted what I initially thought was going to be a silly article, “Outsourcing Toothbrushing and Other Parenting Tasks.” Of course parents who work outside of the house have to rely on nannies or daycare staff to oversee the care of their kids, and that includes hygiene. I get [...]
Also posted in Judgment Days 4 Comments
Surviving the Mommy Mafia
I’ll never forget my first introduction to the mommy mafia. A friend and I were sitting in on the couches in the Nordstroms women’s longue feeding our infants – me from the breast and my friend from a bottle. The moment my friend whipped out her bottle, another mother in the room started attacking her [...]
Also posted in Parenting Police 1 Comment
Tantrums of the World, Unite!
I was reading a Babble interview with Kristin Armstrong and laughed when she shared her strategy for handling her daughter’s meltdown at Target. During the full-on tantrum, complete with screaming and fist-pounding, Kristin realized everyone was looking at her and judging her, so she acted fast: she got on the floor, mimicked her daughter’s behavior [...]
Also posted in Public Tantrums Leave a comment
Taking Discipline into our own hands