It took me over thirty years to give up sugar. They were long decades of trying, failing, and trying again. Why did I even attempt such a feat? I explain it here, in The Unexpected Thing That Happened When I Gave Up Sugar. Of course, it was helpful, when I finally succeeded, that most of … Continue reading The Aftermath of Giving Up Sugar: Trying to Stay on Course When my Kids Bring Home an Ice Cream Maker
Parenting
It’s Just Material: Writing as a Coping Strategy
A decade ago, when I was in my son’s room folding laundry, he told me about an experience he was having on a school sport’s team. The exact details don’t matter – all kids deal with some sort of challenge in the middle school years. But if I had to name this one it … Continue reading It’s Just Material: Writing as a Coping Strategy
The Thing I Hadn’t Seen Because I’d Never Really Looked
It was an attempt to get them to sit there longer – my reading of story books at the dinner table. I had several little boys and a husband who worked late and a lack of patience at day’s end. I also had a picky eater, the tipping point of it all. He … Continue reading The Thing I Hadn’t Seen Because I’d Never Really Looked
“You Should Read This Book”
We have this occasional exchange, usually at night, my husband and me. “You should read this book,” he or I say, whoever gets to their bookmarked page first. And then we go off to our separate lands on the pages in front of us and leave it at that. We know it is probably unlikely. … Continue reading “You Should Read This Book”
Facing My Fear of “Not Getting It”
It’s hard to admit that I often dread the process of learning new things. I worry that I won’t get “it,” whatever the “it” is. This is why I quietly cringed recently when my son opened up a birthday gift from his brother, the board game Settlers of Catan. I knew he would eventually ask … Continue reading Facing My Fear of “Not Getting It”
How I Found the “Merry” in Christmas by Suddenly Letting Go
Every year, in early December, my husband and I have the same conversation: Him: Can we not overdo presents this year? Me: Sure. Him: But you say that every year. Me: But this year will be different. I promise. By middle December, I start to feel panic rising. “The most magical time of the year” … Continue reading How I Found the “Merry” in Christmas by Suddenly Letting Go
For the Last Time
Published on ScaryMommy.com (Club Mid) as Washing my Son's Hair for the Last Time With icecream, you have some warning when you are getting to the last bit. You can emotionally prepare bowl by bowl and when things are looking close to the end you can go out and get some more --or at the … Continue reading For the Last Time
Megan Houston Sager 