A letter to my birthday girl.
Today you are 5.
5 years.
5 years wild.
You love white wolves because they are a fierce predator. You love to howl at the moon. You love otters, sharks and possums (yes, possums).
You keep my pockets stuffed with snail shells, rocks and leaves and are always collecting.
Read More“I’m not enjoying this.”
I’ve listened to parents share variations of these feelings and I’ve nodded along in understanding, because I’ve felt like that as well. And I ached, to offer something that might be helpful beyond solidarity. Because while parenting is hard, I believe we need those moments of connection and joy.
I also believe it’s not that easy. You start the day with the best of intentions, I won’t yell, I’ll play, we will have fun! But then your toddler yells at you for cutting his pancake, you spend 15 minutes in a diaper change standoff, your preschooler tries to kick you when you turn off the tv - and just like that, your frustration boils over onto everyone around you. And it just keeps happening.
Read MoreI have a deep love of my mini popsicle tray. It’s more than a quick and easy way to make frozen delights, it’s a parenting secret weapon. Please let me tell you all the reasons I love my popsicle tray.
Easy to make! Literally a spoonful of yogurt, a squirt of leftover pouch (because you always have a half-finished one in the fridge) and of course a generous amount of sprinkles and toss in the freezer. I like that they are basically made of regular snack food but just served in a fun way.
I vividly remember my first daycare drop off with my eldest. My husband and I went together and it was a good thing because I couldn’t speak. As soon as we entered the room, the lump in my throat was the size of a baseball. I knew if I opened my mouth, the only thing to come out would be giant sobs. I wasn’t expecting that. I went into the whole thing, sort of like, “this is what we do now...I go to work, baby starts daycare”. Obviously the whole experience was much more complex and intense (qualities I’m more looking for in a bottle of wine). Now I’m about to do it again with my second and I have a much different approach.
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