Elementary School

Mama J on May 26th, 2011

I didn’t blog yesterday because the day was filled with “last days of 5th grade” events. Graduation in the morning, the outdoor celebration lunch, followed by the annual field day. Whew! At the luncheon, one of my friends asked, “Are you going to miss elementary school?” (This is truly the end of our own kids […]

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Mama J on April 27th, 2011

I am reading the book Success in Middle School: A Transition Road Map with my 11-year-old daughter. I believe that the key word in the title is “transition.” I picked that word instead of “success” because I think success becomes a very personal definition for each student. Those definitions will range from success equaling academic […]

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Mama J on April 6th, 2011

In the last month I have seen several references to the havoc that information overload can wreak on our brain power. (Most recently the cover article, “Brain Freeze,” from the March 7 issue of Newsweek.) In light of watching my youngest daughter grow up in an age of constant, excessive stimuli, I couldn’t be more […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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