Search Results for: blog when do i get to be smarter again

Million Dollar Money Drop

I used to be a game show junkie. I always wanted to be on Wheel of Fortune and thought I’d be good at it. An ex-boyfriend and I went on Shop ‘til you Drop together and won almost everything. Who Wants to be a Millionaire was the last great game show for me. Regis Philbin was a good host and the game was fun to watch. It was a hard game to play so I didn’t kid myself that I’d be good on it. Lingo was played with a partner and the teams had to build five-letter words. I wanted … Continue reading →

Do They Live To Frustrate Us?

As much as I love my teens, sometimes they can just be frustrating. They disagree just to disagree. They correct you when you are talking to other adults. They go to the other parent when the first one says no. When my kids are being disagreeable, I have to admit that sometimes I take the bait. I get angry, I snap at them, I fight the battle they have started. This does not mean that I win the war. If our kids can get us to react angrily to they win. Not that we have to win every time, but … Continue reading →

Do You Protect Your Eyes When You Exercise?

I once doled out $120 for a pair of sunglasses designed specifically for runners. I wore them once during a marathon and haven’t used them since. I bought them after reading several articles about the importance of eyewear for long distance runners. I worried about my cornea’s being burned while running in sunny conditions and the increase risk of cancer associated with lack of proper eyewear, so I bought the sunglasses… and now I barely use them partially because I can never find them when I need them and partially because I don’t enjoy having to constantly fiddle with them … Continue reading →

Meet a Families.com Blogger – Kori Rodley Irons!

Today I am joined by one of our most prolific bloggers here on Families.com, Kori Rodley Irons. Kori, thanks for visiting with me today. How long have you blogged for Families.com? Since December of 2006, 1 year and 3 months, I suppose. What topics do you blog about? Parenting, Single Parenting and Home Business. What is your favorite thing about blogging for Families.com? I enjoy the discussions and comments, and the fact that we touch on so many different subjects and interests here. What do you like to do when you’re not blogging? I work a lot! When I am … Continue reading →

What Would Bill Cosby Do? (Or Mrs. Cosby for That Matter?)

Even after nearly twenty years of parenting, I do NOT think of myself as an expert. Instead, I think of myself as still a parent in training. I try to draw on experts and channel the wisdom of those parenting sages who have gone before me. Usually it is a combination of Erma Bombeck and Bill Cosby—although I do tend to lean toward the feminine perspective… I think we all need a mentor—even if it an imaginary one. After all, when we’re deep in the parenting trenches and faced with one of those many situations where we are completely out … Continue reading →

Does Being A Parent Make You Smarter?

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Have you ever felt that becoming a parent has made you smarter? I do. As the parent of a young gifted child, I have had to step up my game, so to speak. I have to stay three steps ahead of him, anticipating his every question and being able to come up with an answer to the many questions he might ask. If I don’t know the answer, then I have to find out post haste. I was an honor student throughout school, graduated number nine in my class in fact. But Tyler is so smart it’s scary. And it … Continue reading →

How Many Times Have I Been “Done!”?

One of the marvelous and disconcerting things that happens when you’ve been at this parenting thing for a while is that your kids grow up—they get old enough to be quite intelligent and independent and they are more than happy to give you direct feedback and critique of how you’ve been as a parent. All of your faults and foibles will be held up as a glowing sign for you to re-live, and you’ll find yourself surprised at some of the things you did accidentally that your children really appreciated and responded too. Recently my 17 ½ year-old was teasing … Continue reading →

Parents Get Bored Too

I have been at this parenting thing for quite a while. At least it feels that way some days–nearly twenty years. And, while it usually feels fresh, different, and unpredictable, I have to admit that sometimes I get bored with hearing my own voice, dealing with predictable personality quirks and some things just get mighty OLD… We talk about keeping kids active and helping them keep from getting bored during the summer months–but I have to tell you–I get bored with having to step over wet towels, coordinate divergent schedules, and wait up yet again for a teen who’s missed … Continue reading →

When Do I Get To Be Smarter Again?

For those of you with younger children, you probably have not experienced the amazing process of actually getting dumber and dumber in your children’s eyes. For those with pre-teens, you’ve probably started to get the feeling that something is amiss. By adolescence, we parents have become certifiable idiots and our children wonder on a regular basis how we manage to get ourselves dressed in the morning or make any decisions requiring intellect at all. What I am starting to wonder, however, is when I get to be smarter again? The last thing my teenagers want to admit is that I … Continue reading →

Getting Teenagers to Wear Sunscreen

I’m open for suggestions here—you’d think that with all that we’ve learned about skin cancer and UV rays and all the other harmful affects of too much sun, that the younger generation would wear sunscreen with the same ease and obviousness that they wear seatbelts. But, as the mom of three teenagers, I’m here to tell you that just isn’t the case. “Tanning” and lying in the sun are as popular as it ever was—even though these kids have heard of the harmful results since they were tiny! I’m a pretty pale-skinned person who burns, sizzles, and fries easily. I … Continue reading →