Mama J on June 2nd, 2009

One of the end-of-year anxieties girls (and let’s face it, their moms) usually have is:  who will be my teacher next year, and who will be in my class?  Different personalities handle the impending change different ways:  some verbalize, some act out, some fret, and some stuff. 
I would like to take a moment to praise [...]

Continue reading about Applauding our Elementary School

Mama J on March 2nd, 2009

For both new and existing subscribers, I thought you’d want to know more about this blog as it evolves.  
I am a writer, parent, and stepparent who constantly ponders family issues and dynamics.  Raising kids is one of life’s greatest joys and challenges.  If you are among those who wish you could consult the parenting manual [...]

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Mama J on January 29th, 2009

Oooh, oooh!  How many posts could we do on this topic?  Let’s just
say this is part one of however many we need in the months to come.
My daughter’s elementary school has done a good job of making kids
aware of some definitions and examples of bullying.  This education
started in first grade.  Shocking to me:  this timing [...]

Continue reading about Bullying, Part One

Mama J on December 11th, 2008

Today I simply have a question for you all.  I’d love to hear from
parents who have experienced the return of night fears in the eight-
nine-ten-year old age group.  I remember reading somewhere (I am
dredging my memory for the source and coming up with nothing) that
this is a common age for the return of night fears.  [...]

Continue reading about Night Fears, Part 1

Mama J on December 9th, 2008

One piece of parenting advice that has stuck with me through the
years is the phrase “wait thirty days.”  I don’t remember the source,
but I’ll explain why it had to be someone very wise.  
Does your young lady rush in the door after school, proclaiming her
need for the latest music, book, toy, fashion, etc?  If you can [...]

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Mama J on October 23rd, 2008

If we ride gracefully away from the election battlefield to view the
election from a higher hilltop, we may realize what an opportunity any
presidential election presents for the young women in our lives.
It’s an exciting time, one that provokes a lot of questions about who is
voting for whom and why.  Elementary and middle-school kids will
likely side [...]

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Mama J on October 14th, 2008

In rare form today, I’m stating my conclusion first:
I don’t think there is any one right time or age for your daughter to
get the first holes in her precious earlobes.  However, these
considerations and stories might help you make or refine your plan
about what is probably the most common request from daughters in
elementary school.
Several factors affect [...]

Continue reading about Mom, May I Get My Ears Pierced?

Mama J on October 2nd, 2008

My daughter was in a first and second-grade loop, which means she kept the same teacher and classmates for two years.  When that second grade class was split evenly into thirds, headed for three different third grades, Amy lost the company of one of her close friends.
“She’ll become closest friends with someone else,” Amy wailed [...]

Continue reading about Girlfriends in Transition

Mama J on September 25th, 2008

“Most people know that problems can arise with the sense of hearing and the sense of sight, but few people realize that problems can also arise with the sense of touch.”  –Hardy Brain Training
As I’ve watched my daughter make the transition to third grade this fall, I’ve noticed that many, many of the girls her [...]

Continue reading about Fashion Girls and Comfort Girls