Is your kid overscheduled? Here’s your fix.
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Is your kid overscheduled? Here’s your fix.

When we started my daughter in piano lessons at 4-years-old, I was excited.

You see, I had always wanted to be able to play piano.

Make no mistake, my parents signed me up for lessons. First through the local parks and rec, then through a private teacher when I got to high school.

I bordered on mediocre – mainly because I never practiced.

In high school, I saw the students who played piano beautifully and secretly envied their skill

They went to summer music camp in Boston, got offered college scholarships – all sorts of recognition. And here I was – too lazy to practice.

When my daughter started piano, I vowed that she wouldn’t be like me.

Your perfect after school checklist (that’s completely editable)
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Your perfect after school checklist (that’s completely editable)

I’ve learned one major thing about picking my kids up after school.

I cannot – by any means – ask them in any sort of cheery voice, “How was your day?”

My nine-year-old daughter recently told me that for some reason that question produces this fiery rage inside of her. She can’t explain it, but it makes her so mad.

I asked my husband about it that night and he said that the question has too many expectations attached to it. If someone really wants to know about your day, they will ask you directly with no fake cheer.

The cheer places too much of a burden on having a happy answer in response and that’s all fake.

OK, I get it.

But then, I realize that the response to anything I ask my kids to do after-school is met with groans and whines.

Why? Are your kids like this too?

How to give your kids criticism (so they’ll actually listen)
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How to give your kids criticism (so they’ll actually listen)

Every time I attend one of my daughter’s dance performances, I see this mom who looks like she’s in a constant state of panic.

She leans forward in the front row watching every step and studying every move.

When the dancers leave the stage, she corners her daughter. I hear her say,

“That was great, but you need to smile more.”
“Next time, kick your leg up a little higher.”

The criticism is all well-meaning.  She’s being nice and I can see that all she wants is for her daughter to improve.

I get that.

Her daughter retorts with an “OK mom, OK” and walks off.

I let my kids get away with not doing household chores – and its going to change
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I let my kids get away with not doing household chores – and its going to change

I come downstairs to see a pile of dishes in the sink. I hate dishes.

Unfortunately, I’m in this tough spot where I don’t want to do them and yet I have not yet assigned responsibility of them to anyone else.

Sure, we say its our kids’ job is to unload the dishwasher.

However, it doesn’t happen automatically.

I call to my kids, “Hey, the dishwasher needs unloading”

“OK,” my four-year-old yells, “I’ll do it when I come home from school!”

How does he know how to procrastinate at 4? I know what happens. He promises to do some household chore and then conveniently forgets when he comes home.

One Magic Phrase to Tell Your Kid When She is Scared
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One Magic Phrase to Tell Your Kid When She is Scared

“Mom, I can’t do this. I’m scared”

My daughter glares at me from the backseat, ready to cry. I can see it.

Recently, she’s developed a fear of bumpy and windy roads. Every road trip we take, her first question is always, “Will it be bumpy?”

I have no idea how this started or how the fear originated, but man, she can work herself up to the point where she starts feeling stomach aches and refuses to eat.