Talk To Your Kids About Lockdown Drills.

If you haven't had this conversation before?

Have it now.

It's impossible to avoid it.

Many of us in the south have started school already.

My daughter had her first fire drill today.

My first question after she told me that was ...

Did you have a lockdown drill yet?

She said no.

But it's coming.

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For The Single Parent: Children and Transitions

When parents and child(ren) live together in one home they're a family unit.

Regardless of how the day plays out, the child(ren) knows that they will return home to that family unit - together - whether they go to work, school, travel, whatever they are out and about doing, that child will - at some point - be under the same roof with his / her parents. Two parents. Whatever the combination of parents that may be.

When couples divorce, it's a brand new world for them. And for their children.

Brand. New.

These kids, they're learning that what they trusted. What they expected. What they thought would last their entire lifetime and beyond? Is no longer there.

And boy, it hurts. It stings. It's freaking confusing. Painful. Head-shaking.

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Parenting: You're Their Safe Place

Good day, friends. I've got some valuable information here for you. I hope you'll take a few moments to read, and possibly share, if you think it will benefit others, as well.

This piece is the first part of a new series (possible multiple posts hopefully = a series) that I'm writing about parenting. What you are about to read is related to the really young ones. Children of grade school age, and younger. I'm not being age-specific because our children develop differently, only you can determine if I'm referring to your child when you read my words. But I remind you that there are many other aspects of parenting where parents - maybe one - maybe both - maybe other adults in our children's lives - represent the safe place for them. Stay with me and I'll be sharing more on those scenarios, too. Soon.

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Fall = Football, Y'all

image courtesy of pixabay

It finally feels like fall in North Carolina.

Hurricane Michael has come and gone, and somehow left a bit of crisp air in its wake.

I'm catching up on my DVR, and although I know it's Saturday, my body, mind, and my TV make me feel like it's Sunday.

Because all I'm seeing.

On all the channels?

Is game after game.

Is football.

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Lace up and Join Marathon Kids This Summer!

This is a sponsored post in partnership with Marathon Kids.

My daughter and I are no strangers to walking around our neighborhood. Although lately she's more inclined to hop on her scooter while I walk behind, trying to catch up. I'd like to change that, and I'm hopeful that this summer could be the time that we do.

Evenings in North Carolina are often hot and sticky. And I know, it's kind of like that everywhere right now. But, some days you find the cooler temps taking hold and that that's the best time of the day to get out and MOVE.

I'm partnering with Marathon Kids this summer to help encourage moms and dads everywhere to engage our children in participating in their FREE Summer Walk and Talk Challenge.

This free challenge is a great way to not only get your kids moving, but to get them talking. And talking to YOU!

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Motherhood Is ...

Good morning, y'all.

It's barely 7:30 and I'm ready for a nap.

My morning was, for lack of a better and more gentle word, interesting.

My morning was motherhood.

And if you're not this mom you may be wondering - what exactly does she mean?

Allow me to share this morning's definition of motherhood with you.

Motherhood is ...

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6 Graphic Novels For Your Grade-Schooler

image via pixabay

My daughter is currently in fifth grade.

Over the last few years she has developed an affinity for graphic novels.

There are so many cute ones out there right now for kids of all ages.

I'm going to share a list below of some of her favorites - with the hopes that maybe a child you know might enjoy them, too. For your shopping convenience you'll find affiliate links throughout this post.

Recommended age range and grade levels shared from Amazon, but as always, use your judgment based on your child's maturity level and reading ability.

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It Comes Again

I am a girl without a father.

Father's Day is tomorrow and I am, currently, a girl without a father.

A woman, sure. But when I think of my dad I am and will always be a girl.

A young girl at that.

I had a father.

Don't get me wrong.

I had him for forty-one years of my life.

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Nostalgia.

Once upon a time there was a teenage girl.

That teenage girl started high school in tenth grade, which was the norm in her neighborhood back in the day.

What this meant for this girl and her friends was that there was already a group of students at the high school who knew one another. Who had already had the awkward first year of connecting. Who had already formed their alliances and the like.

But no worries. This teenage girl was very friendly. Not always secure and self-confident, but friendly, for sure. This teenage girl also arrived at her new school, the high school, with her entire graduating class.

So - you could say she brought her own arsenal. Her own posse? Her own peeps.

Though back then, in the late 80s? Peeps would not have been used. Ever.

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One Plus One

When you are the parent of an only child you sometimes receive inquiries as to whether or not you're going to have another.

I can say that during my daughter's ten years, thus far, I haven't been asked quite as often as you might expect or imagine.

But I've thought - to myself - to others - that I wasn't done.

I've thought - surely - surely I'm meant to have another child.

But life goes on.

Things change.

This is not something I have shared publicly.

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The Emotions of Motherhood

* I wrote this yesterday and didn't give myself the time to bring it to the blog. This morning I am feeling much better, but I find it important to share just the same. * 

I pick it up.

A journal of inspirational prompts.

I started it yesterday.

Smiling. Answering. Knowing.

Today I know nothing.

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Talking To Our Children

On this day before the inauguration, I have decided to share these words I've been sitting on all week. It's been a trying week. A week of emotional and exhausting news. A week where we find ourselves worried about what the future holds, and what tomorrow brings - for our children - most of all.

It's been a week where I reread my own words over and over and found them lacking. And still, a week where I kept speaking. About education. Fear. Grizzly bears (I had to). And Girl Scouts.

It's a week where we should be proudly selling cookies in our area. A week where we should be celebrating the end of an era and the start of a new one in our country. And a week where we should be uplifted in hope.

But it is a week where we will be wrapping things up with a march. Across our country I see friends and loved ones gearing up. With signs. Without. A week where I think - I've got the right people in my life - in so many ways.

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When She Grows Up.

Today I went on a field trip with my daughter's school. All the fourth grade classes headed out to Old Salem, in North Carolina. It's kind of like Colonial Williamsburg-ish.

It was a great trip. Exhausting. I walked over 11,000 steps. And then some.

My feet hurt more than when I walked around Disney a week ago. And that's saying something. Although I may have walked more steps at Disney. Which is odd. But I digress ...

And so, at Old Salem we walked around and absorbed history.

We learned a lot, or we glazed over a bit. Admittedly, I was a lucky chaperone. I only had my child and one other child. Which was fantastic. We got to enjoy more. They took loads of pictures on their tablets (yes, electronics, I know - it's crazy!) and zoomed through the museum.

We walked around Main Street and through stores and such cute places, and then all the way back to eat lunch. And then all the way back again to make it to the bakery so I could buy them oatmeal raisin cookies and pumpkin muffins.

And all of it was very cool to see. And quite beautiful, honestly.

I took some pictures and captured the colors of fall that seemed to have settled in a bit in that area of the state. We're not getting much here - it's still high 70s and low 80s, which is a bit ridiculous for November, if you ask me.

Anyway, one of the best parts of the whole day?

Stopping to see Salem College.

Stopping to absorb a piece of history.

Taking these two girls onto the campus, and into the building that is the main hall, and showing them what a college campus looks like.

My daughter's friend really wanted to see it. And my daughter was in a bit of awe when we were inside. It was very cool to watch. And so fun to consider the future.

And then I thought to myself, my goodness, the future. What WILL the future hold?

Will my child go to college? She said she wants to be a vet and go to NC State. So it's certainly in the cards. It's possible. And her friend said she wants to be a pediatrician. So they're both interested in the medical field. And it made me think of so much more - watching these two 9-year-old girls discuss their futures.

And walk through the gardens of a college campus with some fear, some delight, some intimidation, and some laughter.

As you can see ... I captured a few moments that I'm sharing here. And I have blurred out my daughter's friend's face out of respect for her privacy - I don't know her parents so I won't share her publicly.

And so - I thought a lot about the future. And what it holds. And it's no surprise that this has been on my mind a lot lately. Anyone who is anyone living in the United States - heck - or abroad somewhere - has had the future in mind.

Next week Election Day will come and go. And we will learn what the future holds for our country. And more especially? For our children. Our daughters. Yes. I stress that because I am mom to a daughter, but goodness, if ever there was an election that held consequences for the future of our girls it's this one.

And I hope you will keep that in mind when you vote. That you'll keep in mind that your friend who is a blogger has a daughter and her future and the future of her adorable friend is dependent upon you and your choice. On who you cast your ballot for this Tuesday.

I wasn't necessarily planning on heading in this direction with this post, but you know what? I did. I went there. It's time. No time like the present and all that.

Keep our girls in mind when you vote.

It's critical.

And hopefully when my daughter chooses her college - if NC State is or isn't the choice - so be it! - you'll be here, chatting with me, saying, remember how worried we were about the future? Gah! How lucky we were/are/will always be.

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6 Ways To Manage Parenting Without Losing It

Parenting is no easy task. As our kids get older we trick ourselves into thinking it's going to be an easier road to travel - but you know what? We're so wrong.

We're lying to ourselves, likely to make it through the witching hours and the temper tantrums. But each year comes with new developments and new struggles. New hurdles to find ourselves jumping over, looking forward with a smile on our faces, and then over our shoulders to see what's coming up next.

So I'm here to offer you a few strategic tips on managing parenting without losing it on your kid. I don't always manage to pull these off, but when I do? They work. And since I know they work I try to do them more often. The trick is remembering.

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It Happened in Maine.

It's no surprise that all I keep seeing on FB over the last few days is the woman in Maine who yelled at some 21 month old to stop her from crying. She is the owner of a diner that the child and her parents were eating at, and apparently she has no issues with yelling at a kid to shut up - not in so many words - but as she describes herself in her countless interviews, she says that she SCREAMED and SLAMMED her hands on the counter saying 'This has GOT TO STOP!' ... and she is all pleased w. herself that the child stopped crying. Of course the kid stopped - she probably scared the sh*t out of the child. 

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It's coming again. Father's Day.

Father's Day is coming.

Again.

You're still not here.

I lack the words.

I lack the poetry.

The thoughts.

The movement.

This year I just stumble along.

Pretending that it won't matter.

That Father's Day isn't coming.

Because you're not here.

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Across My Internet: Bits and Pieces

I'm all over the place with the things I've been trying to write. As you'll notice, it's been a while since I've published anything. Unless you count this post over at SITS entitled: 8 Places To Submit Your Writing. That's by me. But otherwise I've been stuck. It happens. It's a weird place to be, though. And sometimes when I'm there I find amazing things to read. But even those get slow now and then.

So I'm all over the place with the reading, too. And the opening of the things I want to read, and all that's out there, leaving tabs scattered open across my screen. And I know that people say don't link your readers out to other sites, they'll leave yours and not come back! Oh no!! But that's never been my style - never been my fear - I know you guys will stick with me when you're in the mood to and if something appeals to you you'll read it, share, come back, whatever works.

So, here's what's happening on my internet this week (and last week - as I'm really slow with the motivation these days).

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The Laurie Berkner Band Visits the Triangle!

* The Laurie Berkner Band has sponsored this giveaway to enable me to invite one of my readers to attend this event in Raleigh, NC on February 28th. Full disclaimer is posted below. *

If you're a parent anywhere you have to know who Laurie Berkner is.

And if you don't? I'm going to introduce you right now. Watch.

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Love conquers parental imperfections. Every time.

If you've been reading my blog over the last week or so, you may have seen the recent post I shared that was written by my friend Carly. If you haven't I'm going to toss the link up here so you can check it out later - because her emotional piece about her experience as a foster mom who had to say goodbye to her foster son is such a beautiful one and it's worth reading.

The timing couldn't have been more perfect for this opportunity to cross my path, to talk to you a bit about the AdoptUSKids program.

The AdoptUSKids program is working to raise awareness about the number of children in the foster care programs across the United States today who are looking for their forever homes.

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Be My Guest: Won't it be hard to say goodbye?

Today's guest post was written by my friend Carly. Carly joins us today to talk about her experience as a foster parent. I hope you'll take some time to read what she's written and consider foster care as an option for you and your family. You could change someone's life.

Won't it be hard to say goodbye?

That is one of the first questions people asked when we said we were fostering. 

It IS hard to say goodbye. We've only done it once, so I'm no expert. It is a lot easier to say goodbye than to think about all of the kids out there that need someone to say yes. Children that need someone to look past the hurt saying goodbye would cause. 

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