Sunday, December 25, 2011
Goals for mom and dad in 2012.
As we come to the end of 2011, most people take time to reflect upon the year and consider positive changes going forward. Eating healthier and exercising more are always in the back of my mind, but I thought I would also set some realistic resolutions around parenting. These are my hopes for me, my son and my family in the New Year. Unplug. This applies to everyone in our household. Many times during a typical day I find that I will have my laptop open, while my husband is on his smart phone and my son sits in front of the TV. These things are all okay in moderation, but it’s easy to get sucked down the rabbit hole of technology. We already resolved a few months ago that phones are not allowed at the dinner table. Going forward we will …
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Joe Curro becomes the first candidate for Board of Selectmen, police stop a drug deal near Arlington High School and Post Office closures to be pushed back.
Authorities this week identified the man whose body was found in Spy Pond on Tuesday. The deceased is Cameron Raudonis-Blicker, 23, of Derry, N.H. A cause of death has not been determined. School Committee member Joe Curro became the first candidate to take out papers to run for the Board of Selectmen. In an interview, Curro said he wants to be the voice of Arlington Public Schools parents, following the expected 2012 departure of Selectman Annie LaCourt. And Superintendent Kathleen Bodie has been asked to review the school district’s protocols on student confidentiality, after an official mistakenly distributed a redistricting map showing approximate addresses of special education homes. Here are more of this week's essential news from …
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Gifts for kids that will make parents love and hate you.
There are certain toys that will send parents running for the ibuprofen. During the holiday season, the phrase “Some Assembly Required” is like a dirty word in most households with young children. And I’ve been known to plot the mysterious disappearance of anything with loud repetitive sounds or flashing lights. Maybe I asked for it. In my pre-parent days I purchased a drum and tambourine set for my niece, thinking I was helping to expand her creative side, not realizing that I had given her parents the gift of incessant noise. They turned to me with pleading faces and rolling eyes, even making the vague threat, “I can’t wait until you have kids. Pay back.” I’ve learned my lesson. At this point our son is not quite at the age where he is …
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Splitting time between houses during the holidays.
It’s a situation to which many can relate: Driving back and forth between two (or more) houses on Thanksgiving day, splitting time between families as judiciously as possible. But even after years cultivating finely laid plans for the holidays, I still get heartburn before I’ve even had a bite of turkey. Don’t get me wrong, I adore spending time with our families. One of the things I am most thankful for is having our family close by and that they are actually fun, enjoyable people to be around. But Thanksgiving day seems to have a general malaise about it; perhaps it’s all the turkey and wine. And right about when I’m ready for a nap, it’s time to load up the car for the hour or so drive to the next house. Add a child into the mix and …
Monday, November 7, 2011
Using technology and proper planning to get shopping out of the way.
Perhaps I’m jumping the gun covering the topic of holiday shopping in early November. But since the winter weather has already hit us with its first punch, I figure it’s time to get a head start on the holiday season too. There are huge advantages to shopping early. One is avoiding the December chaos and constant crowds at every mall. After you’ve already finished shopping, driving by a packed parking lot instead of fighting for a spot comes with a certain smug sense of pride. Starting early also takes the edge off the inevitable budget strain of the season. Spending money over a number of months is much less painful than dropping it all at once. And when everyone is still cramming in their shopping the week before Christmas, those of us …
