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Posts Tagged ‘Kids’

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Burnt Toast

Tuesday, June 18th, 2013

burnttoast

This Friday marks the closing of another chapter– kindergarten graduation and 4th grade completion. What a wonderful school year it’s been. The boys have grown, thrived, overcome challenges, and are what I can call “mensches” in the true sense of the word. All that to say, I don’t know about you, but I am DONE with this school year. I am over homework, making lunches, packing backpacks and being the full-time CCO (Chief Cheerleading Officer). It takes a shitload of EVERYTHING to raise happy kids.

In fact, the moms I have been speaking to this week are feeling it too — “burnt toast” is what one called herself, kinda just like moi! The end is in sight, and I’m ready.

You know it’s the end of the school year when… (more…)

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Posted in Kids, Motherhood | 4 Comments »

Helicopter Parenting Vs. Tough Love

Friday, June 7th, 2013

This week’s Global TV parenting segment was one of my favorite topics: Helicopter Parenting. Haven’t heard of it yet? Here’s your definition:

“A helicopter parent is a colloquial, early 21st-century term for a parent who pays extremely close attention to his or her child’s or children’s experiences and problems, particularly at educational institutions. Helicopter parents are so named because, like helicopters, they hover closely overhead, rarely out of reach, whether their children need them or not. In Scandinavia, this phenomenon is known as curling parenthood and describes parents who attempt to sweep all obstacles out of the paths of their children. Parents try to resolve their child’s problems, and try to stop them coming to harm by keeping them out of dangerous situations. (Wikipedia)”

This week I discussed why you should resist the urge to hover, and why you could be doing your child a great disservice by sweeping all problems out of the way and not allowing them come to resolutions on their own. Tune in…

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Posted in Kids, Motherhood | 5 Comments »

Wordless Wednesday: Making The Best Out Of Any Situation

Wednesday, February 20th, 2013

I haven’t checked in since last week, as my kids have been on Winter Break this week. I have been spending some good quality time with them. Good quality time that came to a screeeeeching halt on Monday. I’ll spare you the projectile vomit details that came two hours after my 9-year-old son hit his head on an ice slide after skiing.

I was by the lake alone with the two children when this happened, so I immediately rushed myself and the two boys to the local hospital, still wearing our ski clothes. Shaking, frazzled and frightened, we waited the six critical hours post head trauma to ensure that we didn’t have a Natasha Richardson case on our hands. And after my husband raced up north to the hospital in 30 minutes flat (a drive that normally takes 50 minutes), it was these images below that captured the essence of the moment. I was praying my 9 year son was going to LIVE, and  here was my little 6 year old son, trying to make the best out of a “boring” 4-hour wait at the hospital. Do you see this guy? Trying to mooch a screen from the strangers sitting behind us.

And then came this one– after those two guys up and left with their DVD player, so did my son. He moved over to mooch more screen time in the corner. Gotta love the masked kid watching him.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

Party’s Over. Back To Reality. And No, I’ve Got No Plan.

Tuesday, January 8th, 2013

Hello, I’m back! Back in the groove. Kids are at school. I’m at my computer. Happy 2013 my beautiful ladies!

For the first time in over three years, I did not check in once while on a blogging hiatus. I felt guilty for not connecting with you these past two weeks, but I really wanted to decompress, rest my head, spend time with my family, and be fresh for 2013. I feel ready.

Well not really.

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Posted in Career, Kids, Marriage, Motherhood | 11 Comments »

Winning Wednesday: Do You Sleep With The Door Open Or Closed?

Wednesday, September 19th, 2012

Okay, today’s “On the fence” question: Do you sleep with your door open or closed?

Why I am asking, is because this weekend, I discovered one of the greatest sleep secrets known to man mom. It’s called… wait… here it comes…. I give you… SLEEPING WITH THE DOOR CLOSED. Winning!

I grew up with two very “open” parents. Open, I tell you. No topic of conversation was off limits. I slept in their bed almost nightly for 12 years. When I wasn’t in their bed, they always slept with their door wide open. That is what I got used to, and my husband and I took the same approach. Our door has never been closed a night in our married life. Not even for… yah that.

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Posted in Kids, Sleep | 18 Comments »

The Race To Have It All

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012

Has there ever been a more pressure-filled time than now to be a child growing up in North America? I almost think not.

I was at the gym today, and was chit-chatting with another mom I hadn’t seen in a while. We caught up in our lives, and she asked me what my boys are doing this summer. I proceeded to tell her that my 5 year old son is going back to his day camp and hockey camp at the end of the summer. And that my older 8 year old son was going to sleepaway camp, up until last month, when we cancelled.

She then said to me, “You did the right thing, Erica. Besides, why are we in such a rush today to push our kids into everything?”

I told her about his adamant request to go to sleepaway camp this summer, at end of 3rd grade.  Despite the fact that my husband and I felt he wasn’t emotionally ready, we didn’t deny his request. We visited the open house this winter, and he loved it. It was also the camp where his mommy and daddy met, and how cool that he’d be going there too! We asked him, “You’re ready, buddy?” He replied, “I love it. I’m so ready.” He begged us, and we happily complied. Our boy was growing up!

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Posted in Kids, Motherhood | 13 Comments »

Hangovers N’ Hockey

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

I almost feel like this would be the name of a great blog. Yes, a blog about the musings of a beer drinking, ass-kicking hockey team– you know, HangoversAndHockey.com. But sadly, no. You’re still at WomenOnTheFence.com. It’s still the same me– the same go-getting, inspirational diva, just wrecked after a weekend of over-drinking and over-arena attending. But hey, what would life be like if you ONLY walked a straight line, right?

Friday night marked the beginning of a big intercity hockey tournament weekend for my 8 year old son. It was again, another weekend that our family would NOT be skiing, and would not see the light of day. We’re talking 2-3 games per day if the team advances through the rankings. See right there, I’m already starting the weekend a little p-‘d off. The ongoing argument every weekend goes something like this:

Me- WE MUST SKI.

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Posted in Kids, Motherhood | 8 Comments »

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