Forget magic tricks and fireworks. Nothing truly
amazes a first grader more than the line, “When I was your age, I rode my bike around our neighborhood by myself.”
MJ stared at me with awe.
“Oh, you did not!”
“I did! And your Aunt Bridget and I would walk to the community pool when we were seven and stay there all day without our parents!”
“Tell me more! Tell me more!” she squealed, clapping her hands in glee the way I do when I read a juicy blind item on the Hollywood gossip sites.
It’s hard for any first grader to fathom – the freedom we had just 30 years ago. I know it’s been hotly debated between the helicopter mom and the free range parent – how much freedom do we give a child who has demonstrated she can handle herself? And as MJ grows older and requests more independence, I won’t deny that at times it’s been hard to hold on to my free range philosophy.
If you're thinking about enrolling your little one in Summer Camp or Kickaroos class at Vetta Sports, sign up for a FREE trial class give it a test run!
Join us for these trial classes on Saturday, May 18.
Last Christmas Eve we ran out of milk. Pulling up to 
my local 24/7/365 Walgreens I was surprised by the number of cars in the parking lot. I expected the place to be all but abandoned if not for the holiday, but for the fact that it was 10:30 at night.
As I bustled through the sliding doors I noticed a familiar smell. Closing my eyes I lifted my nose in the air to get a better sniff. Oh yes. It was a scent I'd encountered many times before. A nice mixture of testosterone and panic.
Droves of frenzied men paced the aisles, trying to both start and finish their holiday shopping in the same trip.
Some frantically compared the ingredient list on the back of perfume boxes. Some stared catatonically at picture frames. Some tried to buy off the pharmacist. Some wondered if their wives would pack up the kids and leave if she unwrapped a Hello Kitty Chia Pet on Christmas morn.
At a time when a child’s day is filled with iPods, the Wii and 
Netflix, there’s still a moment in the evening, when a parent and child snuggle in bed and crack open a book, that technology goes out the window and one’s imagination runs wild.
To celebrate a child’s love of reading, St. Louis County Library will host six children and young adult authors in recognition of Children’s Book Week, May 13-19. Popular writers such as Ridley Pearson, Heather Brewer and Eoin Colfer, will personally lead parents and kids alike through their popular adventures and inspiring stories.
For young book lovers, award-winning local author Jennifer Ward will read to kids from her latest book, What Will Hatch? on Saturday, May 18 at 10 a.m. at the Daniel Boone Branch of the St. Louis County Library.
For this mom of one and a former teacher, What Will Hatch?, her 17th published book, is the culmination of years of hard work and a dream of a lifetime.
For years there have been battles between the 
helicopter mom and the free range parent. The co-sleeper and the cry-it-out devotee. But through it all, there’s one thing almost every mom can agree on.
The appeal of one Mr. Justin Timberlake.
Two months ago, I was devastated, devastated when I learned that JT and Jay-Z would not be coming to St. Louis on their “Legends of the Summer” tour. It was a knife through the hearts of so many moms like me. We work hard all day, we sacrifice and struggle – all we want is two hours of JT on a St. Louis stage, preferably shirtless.
Just as important, we owe it to our children. Anytime I mention “Justin,” to my daughter, her immediate response is “Bieber,” to which I silently weep.
Last year for Mother’s Day, my daughter gave me a handmade 
clay bowl. It was one of those school art projects that students make every spring, with careful instructions from their teachers to create gifts truly worthy of their love and appreciation for the women who gave them life.
Unfortunately, I wasn't exactly sure what to DO with a piece of misshapen pottery painted in flamboyant shades of pink and what I can only suspect is chartreuse, so the bowl now sits in my closet, collecting dust and holding the jewelry I never seem to wear.
I loved the gift of course (in the way that all mothers love the sloppy handmade creations we're so blessed to receive from our kids), but it turned out to be the box my Mother’s Day bowl arrived in that is actually the keepsake I’ll treasure forever.
It's a plain, brown, cardboard box – nothing special – but my daughter decorated it with hearts, and wrote my name on it, and shared a special, heartfelt message (complete with second grade spelling), just for me. It says:
“Somtimes you are meen. But I still love you.”
Not exactly a Hallmark card, I know.
I learned the hard way that I cannot tell my kids that we are going to The Magic House until we are literally pulling our mini van into the parking lot. As soon as the “ma” passes through my lips their eyes start to twitch and confetti explodes out of their ears.
If I give them any advance warning whatsoever, every waking minute leading up to the time we leave is spent like this:
If your child immediately falls in love with every dog and cat they
meet, considers their pet one of their best friends, and has a passion for improving the lives of pets around them, then Purina Farms is holding a contest that's designed just for them.
Today marked my fourth-grader’s final sex education session for the school year. He hasn’t said much about it over the past couple of months, and I’d kind of forgotten about it too. That is, until I started thinking about this blog post to mark the May 1 National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
It was J.D. Salinger who once said that “mothers
are all slightly insane.” As a mother myself, I could probably choose to be offended, but instead, I find the words of the famously reclusive author to be oddly reassuring – proof that I’m not the only woman in the world who has allowed motherhood to drive her more than a little, well, crazy.
Listen to Your Mother, the live series of readings by local writers on the “beauty, the beast, and the barely rested of motherhood” makes me feel much the same way. And in case you haven’t heard, the show – which is part of a national series taking place in cities throughout the country – is coming to St. Louis this Mother’s Day weekend for the first time ever.
On Saturday, May 11, seventeen talented St. Louis writers will take center stage at the St. Luke’s Institute of Health Education in Chesterfield to share their own personal stories about being a mom. Just who are these local women giving motherhood the voice it deserves? Meet the inaugural 2013 cast of Listen to Your Mother-St. Louis:
Now that warmer weather is (hopefully) here to stay, St. Louis
parents are once again on the lookout for exciting local destinations that offer outdoor adventures the entire family can enjoy.
We’re lucky to live in a city that offers so many – Grant’s Farm, the CityGarden, the Saint Louis Zoo, the list goes on and on – but it’s the Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden that currently tops the list as my own family’s personal favorite.
Nestled on almost two acres of land within the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Children’s Garden offers a variety of opportunities for hands-on learning and imaginative play, all within a beautiful, peaceful, and natural setting. Since opening in 2006, this hidden gem has become a favorite outdoor destination for local families, and with good reason.
Wondering if it's worth your time to plan a visit this season? Consider these 10 reasons why the Children's Garden is one seasonal adventure you don't want to miss.
When my daughter was little, she and I participated in just 
about every class or activity available to the toddler-preschool set on a weekday morning. Little Gym? Check. StrollerFit? Check. Art classes? Check. Story time at the library? Check. Mommy and Me playgroups? Check. I could go on and on.
The Magic House is building up tons of sand and excitement for the most "sandsational" exhibit ever constructed in St. Louis. Beginning May 16, visitors won't have to go any further than The Magic House's backyard to experience a day at the beach, because the popular Sandcastle Beach exhibit is returning.
With the help of ten truckloads of sand, The Magic House's backyard is being transformed once again into a beachfront park.
When the summer camp guide from a local arts center
arrived in our mailbox, my third grader paged through it eagerly … and then proudly pointed to about thirteen different camps she planned to sign up for this summer. From circus camp to acting camp to a camp where you make your own ice cream, she had visions of attending them all.
For kids, the world of summer camp is filled with excitement and possibility. For parents, on the other hand, it can be a bit trickier to navigate. The options seem endless, the costs add up, and those darned kids insist on having their own opinions and making choices that differ from your own.
The good news? With so many quality summer camp options throughout the St. Louis area, it’s easier than ever to find a camp that will meet the needs of your entire family. You just need to follow a few simple guidelines.
Every morning, my 3-year-old and I live our own personal 
Lifetime mini-series. It’s called The One She Left Behind, and it’s particularly heart wrenching – like a box of Kleenex and pint of Cherry Garcia heart wrenching – and in my head, I’m played in melodramatic glory by Candace Cameron Bure.
Washington University in St. Louis Baseball hosts a week-long baseball day camp in which boys and girls will learn baseball basics, play in the sun (and shade) and best of all - have FUN! With an age-appropriate curriculum and a safe environment, our college baseball coaches will show your son or daughter what it takes to be a Lil' Bear through instruction, games, wiffle ball, and – because every kid wants to get in the pool – SWIM TIME!
Camp is help June 17-21 and is for ages 6 to 10. Visit our web site for more information and let your kids be a Lil' Bear!
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