Wednesday, January 9, 2013
After some serious surgery, Montco Mommy wants to share her stories for more reasons than one.
That’s right. I’m back in the saddle again. It’s been a long time coming, but I’m happy to announce the return of Montco Mommy. During the summer of 2012, I decided to take a break to enjoy more time with my children. They were off. We had many planned trips to the beach, to see family, camping. It was a whirlwind of a summer. It was a smart decision. My time is spread so thinly and the column seemed to be something I did largely for my own enjoyment. It hadn’t occurred to me that it would be missed. I, of course, aim to help other parents by venting my frustrations, offering my two cents and minimally showing you that nobody’s perfect and crazy things do happen all the time, to all parents! As the children went back to school (pre-K and …
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Lucy remembers family vacations at the shore.
It’s officially summer, and we’ve had a heat wave to prove it. Thoughts of vacation and going to the shore are on many peoples’ minds. Me? I’m not known for enjoying outdoor activities. In fact, I’ve always said that my favorite outdoor activity is coming back inside. Age has only deepened that sentiment. That being said, I just love the ocean. I’ll stand there, admiring it for several, long seconds, then go back to shopping on the boardwalk. As I’m sure you’ve gleaned, I don’t venture out on the beach all that often. The exception to that are random early morning walks on the shore collecting sea shells. And if I want to splash around in water, there’s always the condo’s pool. I visit that once every five years or so. I’ve even been known…
Monday, November 21, 2011
Montco Mommy takes on a parenting challenge.
Motherhood is unpredictable. That is a vast understatement, but the best way I can put it. It is just a rollercoaster of ups and downs. This past Friday was a big “down,” but in an odd way a little “up” too. It started off oh so simply. My daughter had been complaining all day recently about her tooth hurting. She insisted that she couldn’t eat dinner because it hurt. Before you cast me off as a terrible mother, I’ve heard approximately 2,000 reasons why my daughter cannot eat her dinner. So, when I didn’t take it too seriously, please forgive me. The girl insists she is never tired, nor hungry. As the pain continued and kept her up that Wednesday night, I knew I had to at least look into the problem. I called our family dentist, and the …
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Montco Mommy and son bond in the middle of snowfall and football frenzy.
If you ask my 6-year-old son if he is going to college, he’ll say “yes.” If you ask him where is going, he already knows that, too. Penn State… More accurately, my son knows that if he wants mommy to pay for college, he is going to Penn State. I’ve joked about that for enough years now, he asked me the following question last week: “Mom, is that deal still on for Penn State? Will you still pay for it?” he asked. “Yes, Seamus, of course. If you want to go to Penn State, Mommy will pay for every cent,” I replied (as always). “Good, ‘cause I don’t want to leave college with any debt.” I love that my 6-year-old is already concerned for his financial future, but more so, I love that he loves my school. Penn State, if you have not gathered, is …
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
OK, so autumn's not a favorite season, but pumpkin picking and carving provided a great time for Montco Mommy & Co.
I used to think autumn was my favorite season. I now look at it more as a precursor to winter, my least favorite time of year, and start to get anxiety about shorter days and colder weather. Summer has once again been named as my favorite, but alas here I sit a good three seasons away from it. Still, there are a few great things about fall. Football, that is pretty great. And, this weekend we did the nearly only other thing I find great about it: picked our pumpkins. I think the best part of any season is its traditions. Just like we go pick out a tree at Christmas time, or dye eggs for Easter, we also go pick out our pumpkins, in some grand way, each Halloween. Since having children, Halloween has become a lot more fun once again. In my …
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Montco Mommy and son slay the spelling test beast.
Life is all about balance. So, of course, is parenting. It is hard sometimes to find out exactly what that perfect balance of “Tiger Mom” and loving, caring easygoing mom. You have to walk a fine line between Mommy and Mommy Dearest. It is hard to figure out just how much “Do It NOW!” is needed compared to days you just need to give your kid a hug. Different situations require different strategies. One such predicament has now begun in my house over studying. My son is in first grade. This is our first year (he’s the eldest child) of real homework. This is our first year of real tests. And, while I get that this year’s grades may not totally dash his ability to get into an Ivy League college, I feel like it is the time now to set the tone …
Thursday, September 29, 2011
One mom has her limits when it comes to keeping her children home.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
With designers and retailers hawking age-inappropriate costumes for little girls, what's a parent to do?
While shopping for some last minute school supplies, I noticed that stores are already stocking their shelves with Halloween costumes. Prepackaged kits with costumes ranging from Superman to Papa Smurf were already hanging up. Boys seem to have plenty of muscle bound heroes to choose from, which is a great thing for them to model themselves after. As I began looking through the girls section, I didn’t like what I was seeing. Who doesn’t love Hello Kitty? She’s been around for a long time. I loved my Sanrio pencil case in second grade. I don’t love the costume. Some designer took the wholesome Hello Kitty idea, and turned it into a sex kitten outfit, complete with short skirt, tight shirt, kitten ears (reminiscent of a Playboy bunny) and …
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
What happens when the child has no problem letting go?
When I dropped my son off at preschool at age 3, he seemed excited. When I picked him up, all of about three hours later, they said he sat and cried the entire time. It was his first day, so we said we’d give it some time. After about four weeks later, he had spent every single day there crying. He insisted a teacher pinched his arm, and he clearly wasn’t enjoying it. That was enough for us to stop the insanity. I missed him terribly at work all day, and it was crushing to think he was so sad. My husband is a stay-at-home dad. We didn’t need babysitting, but we thought it would be good for him to socialize with other children, as well as start his educational track off right. Needless to say, he wasn’t getting much out of it by sitting in …
Monday, August 22, 2011
No, that's not a mistake. Our Montco Mommy is reluctant to see the end of her romance with the summer season.
It is only two weeks away. Fourteen short days from now, my son will be in school full-time for the first time ever. First grade is a big change for him, but at the moment, I’m stuck dwelling on the end of summer blues. I can’t believe it is almost over. Lots of moms I know are thrilled to return to a “normal” schedule and have the family’s routine back into place. I’m not. Fall used to be my favorite season of the year. I love hayrides and pumpkin patches. I love the crisp, cool air. I love digging out snuggly flannel pajamas. I love football. But now I know what fall means. It means my kids have to go back to school. Until now, I could console myself knowing it was just for a few hours. For both pre-K and kindergarten, my son was gone …
andthatsthetruth
5:39 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
We have missed you! You were starting to be the replacement for situation comedy TV that has long gone away! :) I know you don't find these situations funny at the time, but you happen to find humor in it when you write that others relate to. Stay healthy and glad you are back!!!! more ›