Category Archives: Parenting

One Little Girl Gave Me A Much-Needed Reality Check

Posted on by October 15, 2012
AndrewEick

It’s been a long week. Hubby left for Berlin on business on Sunday night and returned Thursday evening. Friday midday he left again, but this time for a boys’ trip at our alma mater Mizzou.

AndrewEickSo I’ve been flying solo this week with my two little guys, and my youngest has croup, which means not much sleep for me and the need for an extra dose of patience as my poor baby is extra clingy, whiney, and just plain doesn’t feel good.

On Friday, I … Read more ...

Preschool Graduation: More Than Just Poop and Circumstance?

Posted on by July 10, 2012

I have crossed another milestone as a parent. My firstborn has graduated…. From preschool.

I remember before I had kids, I thought, sheesh, what’s up with all of these graduations? Preschool, Kindergarten, sixth grade, eighth grade and finally high school??? I have had two graduations: High school and college.

But then I got the notice that our daycare was having a ceremony for all the kids who were going to start kindergarten in the fall. I stopped rolling my eyes about preschool graduation and now, … Read more ...

A Snapshot from This Woman Trying To Juggle It All

Posted on by July 6, 2012

So I, along with millions others, have read Ann-Marie Slaughter’s piece in the Atlantic entitled “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All.” I’m not going to pontificate on whether indeed we can have it all. (That hearty exchange is on my Facebook page.)

I will say though today felt like a struggle to juggle it all. The day was by no means bad, it was just tough. Not single-mother-working-three-jobs-to-feed-her-kids tough, but it also wasn’t a walk in the park. Here’s a day in the … Read more ...

High School Graduates: Trust Us When We Say Follow Your Dreams

Posted on by May 21, 2012

High school graduation. Remember that? The feelings of uncertainty, excitement, freedom, anticipation all jambled up inside.

This weekend I watched my nephew graduate from my old high school. I remember the day he was born, six weeks  early, frail and had to be hospitalized for a month because of his underdeveloped lungs. He was always a pensive soul and quiet, but you could hear the wheels whirring inside. (I’ve blogged about him before here.)

Now he’s 5 foot 9 inches tall and a muscular … Read more ...

Culture Contrast: Norway’s support of working families and then there’s… U.S.

Posted on by May 15, 2012

I think us Americans could take a few pages from the Norwegian playbook, especially when it comes to families.

When me and my boys spent three weeks in Norway, we got a good sense of what our life could be like if we lived there. We’ve long known the differences between the U.S. and Norway. For one, they’ve had wonderful universal healthcare for decades. In America the average worker gets two weeks vacation each year, and it’s not abnormal that some have to use their … Read more ...