I was driving home last night from Julianna’s last horseback riding lesson of the year, and pondering what to write for a blog post today, when I realized Julianna and Michael were in the back seat, fighting over… …wait for it… …a dirty paper plate. This was not the first fight of the afternoon, either.…
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Me, My Kid, And Risk Aversion
There was an article in the Washington Post last week about middle schoolers and risk taking. Essentially, it said: in order for children to morph into adults, they have to take risks–defined as anything that takes them outside their comfort zone: crazy hair, weird clothes, a new activity–or scarier alternatives like drugs, sex and…
Read MoreThe Un-Twinning of the Littles
It lingered so much longer than I expected. When Nicholas first left babyhood, he seemed like Julianna’s developmental twin. I expected it to last just a few months, but the twinning grew firmer and firmer. For over three years, they have kept pace with each other, Julianna managing to stay just far enough ahead in key…
Read MoreRaising My Strong Willed Child
We don’t parent on our own. Or at least, we shouldn’t. If we try to muddle through on the basis of our own (lack of) expertise, we’re more likely to screw it all up. So I was very grateful to sit down for a long, focused conversation with a woman I respect deeply. She is…
Read MoreChild Abuse, Part 2: Personal Defense
A commenter once took issue with a post I wrote about parents’ responsibility to arm their children against the threat of child abuse by teaching children about their dignity as human beings, and in particular the dignity of the human body. This person took issue with the idea that such concepts can provide any protection against predators.…
Read MoreSibling Love?
“I’m sure you know this already,” said Julianna’s teacher, sitting in our living room on Saturday morning, “but…Julianna is just so sweet.” Christian and I exchanged a glance and chuckled, because we hear it all the time. In fact, he’d heard it from the counselor at her school just a couple of days before. And…
Read MoreA Julianna primer
First, an introduction to Julianna-speak: Kwawk-wee–chocolate Kee-yoh–carousel Kohl-ee–Nicholas Al-ee–Alex Bah-koh–Michael Bah-ee–Mommy Geepaw Geepaw–Grandpa (or Grandma, or both) wei-ee yah-yee–swim lessons wah bee-bah–watch baby signing times (but it means “movie”) pah-tah–pasta Hah boh-bee–happy birthday hoe-ee–horsie geiger–tiger goggie–dog Beebee Iccshee–Baby Izzie. (Not sure how to put that consonant into letters; it’s in the back and the front…
Read MoreRhyme And Reason (or: the Reason she can’t Rhyme)
I haven’t written about Julianna’s speech and cognitive development in a while. You’re ready for a post on that, right? Last Friday morning, hours before the second day of school post-Christmas, Julianna woke up at 4:30 a.m. with terrible respiratory distress and a moderately high fever. By 7:30 a.m. I was sending emails and calling…
Read MoreThe Trouble With Absolutes
I used to think I was an “attachment parent.” I have kept my babies, all four of them, close by me, never put them on a schedule, never fed them a bottle, responded to their needs and always proceeded on the belief that we have to learn to be parent and child together. I don’t…
Read MoreA Portrait of Nicholas
This isn’t something I do often, but just for my own sake, I want to share a glimpse of my kids, separate from how they interact with me (which is what I usually write). Since I’ve been struggling with the stage Nicholas is in a lot lately, it seems like a good idea to start…
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Kathleen M. Basi 