Warmer weather is fast approaching, and if you’re a parent of older kids (like me), the search is just beginning for them to land a summer job. Now, back in my day (we’re talking the 1980’s here), a job that paid more than $5 or $6 an hour was pretty hard to find. Sure, you could flip burgers, mow lawns, or find some other seasonal profession, but the pay wasn’t all that great (although to be fair, I can still…
Ahhhh, the happy dreams of a young (or older) couple that decides to have children. At first – as infants – they require round-the-clock care. Mom and Dad look forward to the day when diapers and formula will no longer need to be purchased (it’s like getting a raise to one’s weekly paycheck each time one of these necessities is eliminated from the weekly grocery bill). Someday, this wiggling, crying human will sleep through the night. What a day that…
Well, after five days, six states, and around 2,000 road miles, we successfully dropped off both of our kids at college this past week. One is relatively close (about a 90 minute drive), but the other is located a bone-crushing twelve-hour drive away (one way) in order for her to attend the college of her dreams (and who’s university is a sprawling mammoth of Southern charm and powerful football heritage). For our oldest, this trip and move-in process is now…
As August is now upon us, our family is preparing for a monumental event this coming week. Both of our kids will be off to college, leaving my wife and I as “empty nesters”. The missus and I haven’t had a lot of downtime from family life since waaaaaay back in early 2001, so I’m sure it will be an adjustment for everyone. For one thing, our grocery bill will be considerably less than current standards. We’re planning on getting…
Following on the heels of last year’s school calendar ending with a rushed and emergency distance learning set-up (locally, our kids were forced to online learning in March to finish out the school year), this year school officials (in Maryland) have already announced that the upcoming school year will start out (on August 31st, 2020) with distance learning (no onsite presence) until the COVID-19 situation can be assessed and reviewed. This, of course, has received mixed reviews from local parents…
Yes, it’s time for our annual review of the Oriental Trading Company’s latest catalog, full of all kinds of toys, games, and tchotchkes for your party planning needs. Spring means Easter, and Easter means some of the looniest, strangest, and just plain weird gift ideas for your holiday celebrations. Here’s my pick for this year’s favorites: Easter Bowling Game Yes, in these days of cell phones and internet, we need our kids to be more active, but I’m not…
Since my holiday preparations are woefully behind this year, this past weekend I was forced to wade into the sea of humanity that is the holiday shopping crowd. In my trip to the local mall – between a line at ‘Old Navy’ that literally snaked through the store and proof that yes, sometimes ‘Bath and Bodyworks’ is crowded – I took a few minutes to observe families take part in an annual holiday tradition that has been going on for…
Wow! School has been out for only two days and already I’m hearing “I’m bored” from the kids in my household. That certainly didn’t take long. The summer has “officially” returned, and this one will be one of the longest away from school in many years (thanks to the decision to send the kids back to school after Labor Day this year). So what’s a parent to do? How can the kids fill the hours (and not drive you insane…
My oldest daughter recently completed a week-long excursion to London this past summer. It is a tradition started by my mother. Whenever one of her grandchildren reaches their 15th birthday, Grandma will take them on a trip – anywhere they want to go. Pretty awesome gift, huh? She’s accompanied grand-kids to Paris and on a cruise to the Scandinavian countries (with Germany and Russia thrown in for good measure). My youngest is eagerly waiting in anticipation for her turn in…