I volunteer at my son's school quite a bit and for now, he actually wants me to be there. He's still very young in terms of elementary school years. I've noticed however that he's becoming a little bit shier when it comes to his hellos. His enthusiastic hello waves that were once on display high up in the air have now become a quick semi circle down low by his hip. My name, "Mommy," has been replaced by "Mom" unless he calls out for me in the middle of the night because he's not feeling well. For the most part, he still allows hugs, but definitely not as many public kisses. A quick kiss on his forehead before he heads into school is completely acceptable. Anything more, and I'd be pushing i
I have a friend whose son will be entering elementary school this Fall. She mentioned to me that she is concerned about something she's heard whispers about, and that many of us with older children have faced on occasion...the mom bully! The mom bully can take many forms. She can be the mom who invites everyone in an established playgroup over to her house for a play date, but just so happens to leave you and your child off of her guest list. She can be the mom who constantly compares her child's achievements to yours. She clucks things like, "My child was reading at 3 months old and was potty trained just one week after after birth. You mean, your little Susie isn't doing that?" The mom bul
Happy Mother's Day, tired moms! Did the family let you sleep in? Maybe they said they would, but their "whispers" and "quiet playtime" weren't as quiet as you would have hoped. Maybe your family surprised you with breakfast in bed. You know your kitchen will be a hot mess and slightly rearranged but you smile in appreciation and take a bite out of your breakfast which consists of an egg on top of a bed of Captain Crunch cereal with a dousing of chocolate syrup, because the little one made it "just for you." Delicious?! Maybe there are gifts, homemade with lots of fingerprints, glitter, and brushstrokes, or something sparkly and store bought. Maybe your little one has been bugging you to open
I'm sure it's no surprise to you dear reader that I come from a diverse background and that my family is a fun, mixed bag of nuts :) For those of you wondering, I am half Indian and half Puerto Rican. My husband is 100% Korean-American which makes my son 50% Korean, 25% Indian, and 25% Puerto Rican. I like to joke that we're like a meeting of the United Nations. On a day-to-day basis I don't usually think about our diversity until I am made to think about our diversity, like when perfect strangers approach me and ask, "What are you?" If I'm in a particularly sassy mood, my response is usually something like, "I am a human being" or "I'm an American." Their curiosity stings a bit because wha