He sat there staring at the page, my last student of the day. He was already twenty minutes late. I was just about to leave work, happy to go home and finish up essays I have to write for clients. This is my last month at my tutoring center where I help high school kids…
Tag: parenting
Free Range Parenting: I Am Just a Guide
I have always been an advocate of free range parenting, the parent who provides very wide boundaries within which children are free to roam about and explore. And for the most part, for six years, I have been a free range parent. Sure, I hovered a lot when Celaya was very small. It took me…
The Advantages of Homeschooling Are Myriad
A couple of weeks ago I told Carlos I’m interested in living a more mobile life. I have been looking into the city of Tulum, Mexico, and almost everyone knows I love San Clemente and the lifestyle here where we are currently vacationing and where we spend at least a week each year. One of…
Monterey Trip Round Two: Letting Go of My Husband
“Oh it’ll be so nice this time around.” I thought to myself. “Carlos will be with us, the kids will have fun with their papa, and we’ll get to enjoy Monterey as a family.” These thoughts filled my head as I planned a second trip to Monterey in two weeks. For our first trip, Carlos…
Adolescent Freedom: Giving My Children What I Never Had
“Ugh, I know, I know.” My mother sighs, on her recent trip here for the New Year. “I was a horrible mother, and I didn’t protect you. I think I’m ready for some tequila now.” She was, kind of, being dramatic. And also kind of not. It is true that she didn’t protect me from…
Love the City of Hayward: San Felipe Park
Of all the parks in Hayward, California, San Felipe park is my favorite. Many of you know I homeschool. Homeschooling is a joy and a pain. I know I am giving my child complete freedom to learn out of genuine curiosity, I know she is free from a harsh and rigid system I disagree with…
A Twisty Take on Attachment Parenting
“You spoil your babies!” My sister burst out, accusing and laughing at the same time. She had tried, to no avail, to hold my seven month old. Matilda was having none of it. My baby will let you hold her for about 30 seconds until she erupts into full blown crying, wailing, tears and all….
Changing the Voices in My Head: Running Through Anxiety
I never had anxiety before I had kids. When I was a kid, I was fearless. I began to get a sense of my mortality in my twenties. “Okay,” I thought, “death is real, and I could die.” But still, I wasn’t going to, not for a long time. Never did I think I would…
For the Children: Insisting on Moral Capitalism
Today, more than ever before, we must insist that our businesses, the ones making money off of us, treat us like humans. We must ask questions, challenge standard practices, raise our voices and/or withhold our money. If we are marching forward, willingly or otherwise, into an even more extreme form of capitalism (and we certainly…
Five “Selfish” Reasons You Should Stay Home When Your Kid Is Sick
It started last night: “mama, I have a sore throat.” This is a sign that my five year old has an impending cold and plans on staying down for at least a day. Sure enough, when I went into her room this morning, there were tissues scattered on her bedroom floor from the numerous times…