HARVEY KARP WILL SAVE YOUR MARRIAGE (And Keep You from Murdering Your Toddler, Too)
My Cavemen.
I have blogged about Harvey Karp before. His Happiest Baby on the Block and DVD
(Don’t know what that means? GO BUY THE BOOK!)
But I am long past babies. I’ve done this four times, people. Every child in this house is now walking and talking (hallelujah). They eat, they sleep, they play nicely 30-40% of the time.
I haven’t needed Harvey Karp in some time.
Or at least that’s what I thought – until last week, I heard him give a TODDLER seminar at The Pump Station and Nurtury in Hollywood, built around his “Happiest Toddler on the Block” book and DVD.
I was at The Pump Station on other MomciergeLA business, I wasn’t planning to attend the seminar – I mean, come on. What more could Dr. Karp have to tell me that I haven’t already figured out (or completely screwed up) on my own already?
But when the store manager said there were a few cancellations and I could sit in if I liked, I took the seat.
Research, right? Never too late to learn a little more I can pass on to all of you?
Bullshit.
Truth is, I have a bit of a toddler problem of my own.
Two of them, really. And I’m not talking about my twins.
I’m talking about Pancake and his dad. Continue reading “HARVEY KARP WILL SAVE YOUR MARRIAGE (And Keep You from Murdering Your Toddler, Too)” »
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Coolest. Calendar-ing. Ever.
Diddy Young Dancer
So, I read this post from Unclutterer.com at 530 this morning before heading out on my daily run (yes, I’m still running! woo-hoo!), which inspired me to totally automate my weekly schedule today.
Life around here since school started up again has been totally chaotic, mostly because Continue reading “Coolest. Calendar-ing. Ever.” »
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What We Do On Our Summer Vacation
We have a few family traditions that I am very very very attached to. These are things I absolutely can not have a logical discussion about. Just the mention of most of them makes me tear up – either out of extreme joy and anticipation or because YOU BETTER NOT BE SUGGESTING WE CHANGE A FUCKING THING.
I have been like this my whole life. When I was 20, I spent a semester living in London with seven or eight other Americans. When Thanksgiving rolled around, I insisted they all cook MY FAMILY’S recipes. I called my home town butcher in suburban New York and got his Turkey Cook Time instructions faxed to me. Then I went to Harrods and unloaded on the poor guy who tried to sell me THEIR pre-made stuffing.
I like things the way I like them.
For instance: Continue reading “What We Do On Our Summer Vacation” »
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Experience Days vs. Gift Days: How To Exit Through The Gift Shop Sans Tears
Every once in awhile I do some big grand parenting thing that makes me think I’m not completely screwing up our kids.
Not enough that these moments of Mama Mojo come anywhere near balancing out the constant “Therapy Talking Points” I provide my kids on a daily basis – She’s always DEMANDING us, she never says please! She left us with sitters she found on the internet! Sometimes she starts screaming at us before we’ve even finished breakfast! She won’t make us a back-up dinner if nothing on the table is appealing enough to our persnickety palates! One year she chose to attend a WRITING WORKSHOP for three whole days rather than celebrate MOTHER’S DAY with us! When one of us hits/kicks/bites the other one, SHE ACTUALLY TELLS US TO HIT/KICK/BITE THEM BACK! – but hey, we’re Jewish, they were going to end up in therapy anyway, so I’m doing them a favor by at least offering them something to “explore” while they’re there.
That said, sometimes I really do stun myself by coming up with something that actually helps them negotiate the world in a more logical way, and turns them into better people, with an actual value system, and umm … makes my life easier on the-day-to-day level, too.
And by easier, I mean less expensive. Continue reading “Experience Days vs. Gift Days: How To Exit Through The Gift Shop Sans Tears” »
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Wake Up Call: 7 Ways To Give Your Kids the One-on-One Time They Want
Someday I hope to juggle all my kids with Al Pacino's aplomb.
Not too long ago, I experienced a serious wake-up call.
No, I’m not talking about the mistaken 5 am wake-up Mr. Big(Ideas) and I were graced by last fall, the one weekend we managed to get away without our kids, you know, in hopes of maybe just once in the entire calendar year sleeping a few minutes past 8 am. (Dear Reception Lady: I apologize if we were a little gruff.)
I’m talking about a slightly more metaphorical wake-up — though now that I think of it, it’s kind of literal, too, as I was still in bed when this happened, snuggling Diddy before school, and these WERE basically the words that … umm … woke me up.
Continue reading “Wake Up Call: 7 Ways To Give Your Kids the One-on-One Time They Want” »
