Rushing the Holiday Spirit
Thanksgiving at my sister's house was close to perfect - from the table settings to the array of food and pies. But one thing she did surprised me: we partied to a soundtrack of Christmas music. Don't get me wrong: I love the holiday songs, from "Adeste Fidelis" to "White Christmas" and everything in-between. But the urge to get into the Christmas spirit earlier each year makes me crazy. I don't want to hear Christmas carols or see holid

Saved in Los Angeles
 Aside from Monday, when the kids go back to school after a usually frenzied weekend of sports and church and wild careening around the house, Saturday is my favorite day of the week. And lest you think I'm one of those mothers who relishes the constant company of her children, the reason I love Saturdays is because I have a babysitter who comes at 9 am and leaves at 5 pm. She is a wonderful woman whose job is to mainly watch my daughter Sophie who, while fourteen years old, is severely di

How Camp Snoopy almost killed me
I used to be an amusement park daredevil. You know the kind: the kid who drags her parents (well, parent – my mom refused outright) on every single ride; the kid who thinks going upside-down only once is the equivalent to being pushed around in a stroller when you’re 15; the kid who is happily willing to stand in an hour-long line to ride the Screaming Devil of Doom for a fourth time. Well, I am no longer that kid, but my child is

In Fighting Our Children's Battles, Are We Losing the War?
The other day, I received a newsletter from my daughter’s elementary school.  One section caught my eye, “If your child has had a problem with another student on campus; whether before school, during school, or after school, you are asked to discuss the issue with the classroom teacher or the school administrator.  Please refrain from confronting the other children about the issue.  Allow the school to appropriately investigate concerns and sit

Saving the World, One Baby Butt at a Time
It's all Katie Couric's fault.I'm a full-time out-of-the-home working mother.  I have two little boys under 5.  I