The Gift of Barry White

The gift of Barry White.

Back in 2018, I wrote a blog post about losing my best friend, Otis, my beloved Bernese mountain dog. He came into our lives when our children were ages six and four. Neither of them remember what it was like to raise him as a puppy, but for the rest of their lives they’ll never forget watching him take his final breath as tears pooled in their eyes.

After he left us, my heart was wounded, and I needed time to heal. I knew eventually I would want another dog, but I was far from ready. Read more

The Upside of My Son’s Video Game Addiction

Playing video games during the lockdown.

Ever since the lockdown, my fifteen-year-old son, Judd, has been playing countless hours of video games. He wears a headpiece when he plays, and I hear his voice reverberating through the house, sometimes talking, sometimes cheering, and most of the time yelling into the microphone at his friends who are playing with him.

The quarantine started right before spring break, which meant Judd’s lacrosse trip was cancelled, along with an early closure of the ski mountains. With not much else to do, I didn’t mind that most of Judd’s day was spent gaming. It kept him busy and happy, and he was interacting with his buddies. Read more

The Favorite Child

The Favorite Child.

There’s a running joke in my family that my son is my favorite child. Of course, I don’t play favorites. Well, maybe I’m lying––just a little. The truth is I love them both equally, but my relationship with each of them is different. After all, no two relationships are the same. I have lots of close friends whom I turn to for various reasons depending on what’s happening in my life. For example, I might call one of my besties to discuss family concerns, another I call when I’m looking for a light-hearted conversation, and a few others are great when I need a laugh. They all serve a purpose, and on some level, they’re all a reflection of me and how I identify myself. Read more

My Greatest Parenting Failure

My greatest parenting failure.

When the stay-at-home requirement was put in place in my community, I decided I was going to redo my biggest parenting mistake––enforcing household chores. I had visions of my teenage son making his bed every day: folding the top sheet over the blanket, tucking in the sides, fluffing the pillows, and arranging his throw in a perfect rectangle. No longer would I see his dirty laundry scattered on the floor, but rather, placed in his hamper. He’d empty his garbage can, take his evening glass of water and place it in the dishwasher the following morning, and his schoolwork would be piled neatly on his desk. He and his sister would take turns vacuuming the floors in the house, emptying the dishwasher, and wiping the kitchen counters after we eat. Read more

The Class of 2020

Thank you for the light, class of 2020 high school graduates.

Many Americans who lived through 9/11 carry an invisible scar etched in their minds, a reminder of the unspeakable tragedy that plagued our nation. Time helped us heal, the pain made us stronger, and collectively, we transcended. Once this occurs, life has new meaning.

During the catastrophic event, I was teaching social studies in a middle school right outside New York City. A few students lost their parents that day, and my husband lost his best friend from childhood. Our hearts broke for the innocent lives lost and the countless people who were suffering. Read more