Adventures In Motherhood

It seemed we had created our own street playground in Portland, with no less than a dozen children corralled every afternoon playing four square, tetherball, basketball, football, whiffle ball, you name it! A veritable dream for both children, eager to compete in fresh air, and smiling parents, tired of their kids' addiction to electronics, dreaming of yesteryear when street play was our only option as children. Balls were literally flying everywhere, cut-through street traffic was calmed, laughter resonated for blocks, and we created community, until February 9th, when we received a city citation claiming violation of the right-of-way ordinance for recreational items in the street. Shaking my head in disbelief as I read the notice, I was astounded that anyone would report such positive activity, let alone in progressive Portlandia! I was determined to overcome this vigilante justice. With negative news daily, children seem to be a beacon of hope for our future. Who would wan...

I will never regret playing hooky with my daughter this week. A justified 'mental health' day, we called it. A day to unplug and reset. To sleep in and rejuvenate. The day our souls connected in peace. Free from the fear of mass school shootings. Free from the pressures of social media. Free from the judgment of strangers. Free from the stress of schedules and to do lists. Free from negativity and injustice. Huddling together under blankets in the darkness. Sharing the experience of 'Pretty in Pink'. Realizing high school hasn't changed much. And clothes are back in style. I want her to know I understand. I'm here for you sweet child, no matter what. I have your back everyday. Even if threats at school persist. And you experience discomfort. Your world grows but I never waver. We continue to feed our souls. Thai food and yoga. Connecting in restoration and breath. Nurturing what's needed. Practicing stillness and letting go. Tru...

Today my daughter called me from high school shaking with fear in her voice. "Mom, there was a school shooting threat today. The school's going on a lockdown and all my friends are being picked up by their parents. Can you come get me?" she inquired fearful of becoming another mass shooting victim. Begging her to slow down on the phone, I asked her to repeat the details as I quickly scanned social media for any breaking news. Unsuccessful, and desperate not to succumb to fear or inaccurate information without source verification, while sympathetic to my child's needs, I hung up the phone, assuring her I would verify details with the principal's office. The principal's secretary confirmed a threat was received, unspecific to the high school. The threat was unsubstantiated, and likely a social media post gone viral. There would be no lock-down. Nevertheless, the administration assured me that police presence was escalated in the neighborhood and school, and ...

Defeat builds resilience and losing gracefully is a lifelong skill of maturity. Too often children today are sheltered from discomfort with the 'every child's a winner' mentality. Luckily, my son's 5th grade Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) team 'Dumbledore's Army' experienced defeat last night. Losing gracefully to 'The Unicorn Ewok's', a team of 3rd grade girls, they failed to make the top eight teams in the tournament's second round and another mark of resilience was earned! Dumbledore's Army is anything but a failure and certainly not made up of losers. Rather, the team is comprised of five boys with the greatest sense of humor and zest for life. I was honored to coach their team, though it took every ounce of patience I could muster on Friday afternoons to practice book trivia together. Avid readers, three of the boys, including my son, returned this year to form a larger team of five, including an alternate player. Having been sh...

I often feel outnumbered as a parent with four children at different stages of maturity. Sometimes I amusingly picture myself barely hanging onto a life raft, a child dangling on each arm and one slung on my back, while my husband tosses me a fourth child from the sinking Titanic ship of life. This was one of those mornings when I needed to summon all of my 'lifelines' to gain courage as a parent, rather than succumb to the icebergs of parenthood. No stranger to my circus, I've learned through the years that in order to maintain my balance, I need to take care of myself, or risk drowning amidst the raging waves of children's hormones. Setting off on a run this morning to gather my parenting thoughts and positive endorphins, I was looking for any sign of encouragement, Pandora tunes energizing my stride. Always cautious of my surroundings, I noticed an older gentleman approaching me from ahead, the path rather empty otherwise. An enthusiastic "Good Morning!" ...

Why are mom's always required to think quick before their morning Cup of Joe? Today was no different than any other day of hectic school departures, yet barely into my morning coffee and news, my ten-year-old caught me off guard with his toothless grin. 'Oh s*&%!', I thought to myself. No one loaded the 'dead drop' and the tooth fairy's cover is surely blown this time thanks to a parenting fail! Sauntering into the kitchen after his three siblings had already departed for school, my ten-year-old asked me to guess what happened to him. Last night I attended a school meeting leaving my playful husband (a.k.a. my 5th child) tasked with the evening routine, which undoubtedly dissolved into WWE wrestling and horseplay among the boys past their normal bedtime hour. Out of sight, out of mind, is my mantra, thrilled to escape the chaos with purposeful return at least an hour past 'lights out'. Responding to my wise-guy son, my mind assumed the worst outcom...

I believe in the kindness of strangers. I'll admit my belief had been waning amidst angry city drivers and news stories as of late, but recently during the depths of frantic motherhood, my faith in humanity was renewed because I was open to the possibility. Sneaking in a yoga respite prior to the hectic after school schedule, I confidently walked home expecting to find my boys eating a snack at the kitchen counter after school, having arrived safely on their own. Mindfulness can be difficult, especially when my elementary school children are trusted with responsibility and my iPhone is in the shop. Hustling home, I found only my 5th grader devouring chips and managing his homework with the utmost pride. "Where's your brother?" I inquired. "He wasn't on the bus," my son explained, clearly enjoying some time alone in our typically chaotic house. Sheer panic ensued as it had been a full half-hour since school let out and needless to say, my mind was no lo...