Author Archives: sheswrite

An American Family in London

Posted on by January 17, 2014

Just as England is known for its ubiquitous love of pubs, our family is known for the same thing. And when we went to the UK for Christmas, it was like a match made in Heaven.

There’s something special about pubs. It’s like the community’s place of gathering, where you make new friends, catch up with old ones and simply connect with each other beyond the screens of our gadgets.

In Chicago we had our favorites and once I organized a train pub crawl with … Read more ...

Preparing Your Teenager For Travel Abroad

Posted on by January 10, 2014

Once your kids reach a certain age – usually just before they are getting ready to head off to college – they are going to want to spread their wings. In fact, more and more teenagers are heading off to travel by themselves once they finish high school – while this has been a trend for a long time in Europe, it’s starting to catch on in the US as well. Travel is a great opportunity for teenagers to start to make the transition from

… Read more ...

Peace Meals: 4 Ideas for Entertaining Your Child in a Restaurant

Posted on by January 5, 2014

Misbehaved children in restaurants has become such a problem that some eateries have banned children under the ages of 6, 10 or even 18, according to ABC News and the Huffington Post. Most parents would prefer to keep their children entertained and well-behaved while in a restaurant and not terrorizing other diners with screams or flying dishes and forks. From playing games to taking walks, here are a few ways to enjoy a meal with your kids in public.

1. Restaurant Games

The Child Development … Read more ...

My First Fox Hunt

Posted on by December 30, 2013

It was Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, and we joined in on a centuries-old tradition in England: Fox hunting.

Though the fox hunting of yesteryear was outlawed in 2004, people still get dressed up and go through the other motions of preparing for a big hunt. My sister-in-law and her family live in a small English town, where there is a “fox hunt” and I was stoked to take part.

Gathering in the square to see off the hunters.

Gathering in the square to see off the hunters.

In packing for our trip … Read more ...

A Christmas in England

Posted on by December 28, 2013

Christmas is already a magical time of year, but that “something special” seems magnified when you’re spending the holidays in another country. In comparing our traditions, I find myself admiring theirs and appreciating ours even more.

My husband is Norwegian so we’ve spent a few Christmases in Norway, reveling in the special dinners, the kids finding an almond in their porridge, and even a visit from Santa who delivers a few gifts early in the evening of Dec. 24 before he heads out for … Read more ...