Chop Wood, Carry Water

“There’s a Zen saying that goes, “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” The point: Stay focused on the task at hand rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. “Phil Jackson, Eleven Rings “When will life get back to normal?”, “Everything is just so crazy now.” “Who knows what will happen?”, I don’t…
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A Walk In The Woods

Quarantining hasn’t been going to bad for us until the other day. My coffee cup had barely touched my lips when Boy Wonder pulled me off the couch and insisted I run a few laps around the room with him. I mean it, we actually jogged, in circles, around the dining table for 45 minutes. That was way more than my weekly workout. I was huffing and puffing at the end of it but he wanted to keep…
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The Fine Art Of Arc & Stream

Teaching Boy Wonder to master the fine art of arc and stream is arguably the best thing to come out of our time in quarantine. In fact, he was thrilled to demonstrate the mastery of his newfound skill during a recent outdoor walk. As far as technique goes, his stance is satisfactory, not to mention his acumen for judging the wind trajectory, and he has the inclination of "when and where" to go…
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What Kind Of Parent Has Quarantine Turned You Into?

Congratulations! You're staying at home, wearing your mask, social distancing, and you've never once thought of ingesting disinfectant. You’ve survived the Easter Holidays, fasting through Ramadan, and a run on toilet paper that none of us ever wants see again. Personally, I've realized that the education of young, impressionable minds is better left to old masters of the craft like Dr. Suess,…
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He’ll Make A Great Lawyer Someday…

Negotiating With A Terrorist Boy Wonder is one of the most stubborn people I have ever met. He inherits that shimmering quality from his dad…and his mom. Now imagine the warzone that our living room becomes when these three strong wills oppose each other; at bedtime, on a school night. It’s an unpleasant experience that usually ends in tears. Well it used to. Somewhere along the lines;…
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Superhero Training

THE HIDDEN BENEFITS Real heroes don't get superpowers from a spider bite. Gamma rays don't turn scientists into jolly green giants. And super-men don't crash-land on our planet. It just doesn't happen in real life. Real superheroes have to train every day, in order to hone their skills. That's just another reason why Batman has always been my favorite hero. Super-heroism didn't happen to him, he…
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Coming Soon – Attack Of The Fifty Food Toddler

Attack Of the Fifty-Foot Toddler! FADE IN: Cue Dramatic Overture INSERT - A revolving globe. When it stops revolving it turns briefly into a contour map of the United States, then into a flat map. Superimposed over this map are scenes of refugee parents fleeing from suburban houses by foot, car, and bicycle. NARRATOR (V.O.) Horror!Shock!Frenzy!Devastation! The images of map and refugees…
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Golden Aged Heroes

I wish I could say that I was Boy Wonder's favorite superhero but I'm not. Like most people, he is a fan of the Golden Age of heroes. The OG's. The one's I steal all the gadgets in my utility belt from. On the West Coast he has the dynamic duo of IncrediPapa and IncrediGramma and GreatGrams. On the East Coast, he has Super Grammie, and two GreatGrands. IncrediMom and I are outnumbered! We never…
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Trials of Toilet Training

Did you know that there are apps to help with potty training? Why the hell would anyone want that? Call me old fashioned, but I believe technology and the toilet are the farthest thing from peanut butter and chocolate. This sentiment goes double for any tech that is “smart” or “connected”. There’s a reason it’s called Twitter and not Shitter. Of course, I’m guilty of scrolling…
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Thanksgiving With A Toddler

Today is the big kick off of the holiday season. For most of us, it will be the first inevitable family gathering of the season. Since this could set the tone for how public outings go for your toddler over the next month, it might be important to pull some tools out of your utility belt to help you both survive until the new year.  Spoken from childhood experience, Thanksgiving break is…
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