When the phone rang during my oh-so-precious work time the other day, I almost decided to ignore it without even checking the caller ID. But there’s always the chance it’s somebody’s school. Which in this case, it was–Julianna’s. It turned out there had been a minor altercation on the bus. Julianna kept touching a boy’s backpack, even…
Read MoreAll articles filed in parenthood
Kate’s Universal Laws Of Parenting
Ear infections always and only come up after the doctor’s office has closed for the night. Or during a 20-inch snow storm. The child who gets chronic ear infections is inevitably the one who’s also allergic to penicillin. Paperwork is evil. Where children, there noise. If no noise, beware. Just because they don’t react doesn’t…
Read MoreA Message for Young Moms From Someone with A Little More Experience
The day school let out for Christmas, I walked seven kids, ages 5 to 11, about a mile from school to the mall, across nine lanes of traffic on one of the busiest roads in town, so we could ring the Salvation Army bell at JCPenney. And I wasn’t nervous about it. I knew it…
Read MoreA Random Sampling of the Wanton Destruction Unleashed by Boys
Can YOUR kids crack a countertop with nothing but a toothbrush?
Read MoreKid Moments, To Brighten Your Day
Alex, 11, as we pull in the driveway after school: “You guys used 30 pronouns in the time between the stop sign by the pool and here.” Me: “Were you counting?” Alex: “Yes, and that was another one.” ** Julianna, 9, in the van, listening to Puff the Magic Dragon on the beat-up Peter, Paul &…
Read MoreThe Problem Of Teaching A Child The Faith
It’s got to be tough to be the kid who has two musical parents who are extremely involved in their church. He has a set of gifts that are his birthright—a great ear, the ability to pick out tunes in multiple keys and sometimes even harmonize them, plus a blossoming skill on the piano and…
Read MoreThe Incredible Sick
Every superhero movie these days involves a mind-blowing escalation of the final battle. You know. The Avengers are fighting creepy mechanical creatures that fly around knocking New York City to pieces. You think it can’t get any worse, and then it does: there’s a lull in the action, a low-pitched roar, and my kids start…
Read MoreDouble Standards
At the sound of a crash on wood, Christian and I both turned around, gearing up for a Parental Scowl at the offending child. By the time we saw the toy tractor, which had been dropped into our pew by the non-Basi boy in the row behind, I realized it was far too sharp a…
Read MoreCommando Olympics and other Quick Takes
-1- The kids have been entranced by the Olympics lately. Michael calls them “Olymp-kicks.” -2- I’m so glad I blogged about chicken legs a couple weeks ago. Because now when we call her that, we can’t be accused of copying Allyson Felix. -3- Last week my friend Kelley posted this status update on Facebook: Went for…
Read MoreThe Grace to Let Enough be Enough
“What come next?” There was a period of several months recently when Julianna was constantly asking this question: when a song ended on a CD, at the end of a scene in a movie, whenever we got back in the van after running an errand or going to a lesson. Lately, it feels like the…
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Kathleen M. Basi 