Wobbling Toward Grace :: Milestones In Parenting A Neurodivergent Child
We took the kids to the West Baton Rouge Library’s Lego Club a few Fridays ago, and as we were trying to corral them to leave our younger son pointed at the ground and went, “AHHH!”
That’s his way of letting us know he has seen something out of the ordinary - revolting (a cockroach), surprising (a sock or a package of chips his brother has thrown into his visual range), or delightful (an almost-forgotten toy that has disappeared for a while). I followed his pointing finger to a small beige shape in the dark green industrial carpet weave of the library floor.
I squinted at the block and said, “well, let’s...
Honor Roll Mom :: Keep Your Expectations Reasonable
My oldest child is smart. Like mind-blowingly smart. At 14, I don’t remember a single time he ever had to study for a test. He’s able to remember vast amounts of knowledge and the adults in his life regularly look to him for guidance whenever they have a question about history or geography. He’s been on the honor roll ever since he was old enough to be on it and I’ve been the proud mom, sitting in the front row cheering him on every step of the way.
With a child like this, you get used to seeing the A’s and as much as you don’t want to be “that parent," any time...
Barbie, Made For Mothers And Daughters
"We girls can do anything, Right Barbie?" That was the slogan I would proudly sing aloud as a little girl playing with my Barbie dolls back in the mid-80’s. If you’re a young Gen X / elder Millennial Mom (a Xennial, if you will), you were probably singing along too.Barbie was not without controversy, but for many of us she symbolized what we hoped to be; beautiful, independent, successful, and happy. Luckily, for little Black girls at that time, Barbie could also be Black! Thanks to Mattel’s Chief Designer of Fashions and Doll Concepts, Louvenia (Kitty) Black Perkins, the first Black Barbie was created in 1979. Barbie was living her best life and she...
In my house, I'm the glue that holds the family together. I do not mean this in a prideful way because I would love to give someone else this title, at times, just so I can breathe.
I have to remember, I am used to this role. I'm built for this role with almost all of my working career being in a management role, but some days I want to scream.
After my 12-year stint in management in radio, I went back to work the newsroom briefly, taking on the role of an assignments manager. This manager is the brain of a newsroom and gets pulled in many directions, daily. Assignment editors work in a newspaper office, or radio and TV...
Please Don't Runaway, Little One
It’s happened twice now. Once when she was four, and most recently when she was six. I’ll be completely honest with you, I took it very personally. It hurt my feelings and I felt a sadness in the core of my heart. In both instances, as I tried to understand her logic and point of view, I failed to remind my face that I was a strong person, and tears laced my cheeks like a warm, inviting blanket.
She was so serious, too. She carefully, but messily packed her clothes into a suitcase. While she packed her favorite stuffy, she not-so-quietly whispered to Baabaa, her stuffed cow that she thought was a lamb half her life,...
Around Baton Rouge
The Best Coffee in BR is Actually in Ascension
The Best Coffee in BR is Actually in Ascension
Like a lot of moms I'm often in need of caffeine on a regular basis and...
