Published in Moms Don’t Have Time to Write·Apr 4, 2022Member-onlyI Brought My Grief to the Exam Room of My GastroenterologistMy beloved aunt has no gravestone, but I’ve found other places in which to grieve — “It’s time to examine you now.” The nurse stands up and puts her clipboard on the counter next to medical tools. She reaches into a drawer for a pale green “gown.” Holding it out to me, she says, “Take everything off, and be sure to leave the back open.” She…Grief5 min readGrief5 min read
Published in Moms Don’t Have Time to Write·Jan 6, 2022The 5 Lessons I Learned After 21 Days in the WoodsWalk into the unknown and feel the magic of the natural world — I have a good friend, my neighbor, whose habit I admire: she goes into the woods early every morning. Like a musher with her three huskies by her side, she meanders through the forests, occasionally foraging for gems like Tree Lungwort or Black Chanterelle — mushrooms she brings home, dehydrates…Outdoors4 min readOutdoors4 min read
Dec 6, 2021How We Learn To Be SmallMy boyfriend’s mother got me drunk for the first time. I was sixteen. It was a Friday night. We sat in a warm, dark dining room awaiting a “family dinner” — me, my boyfriend, his mom, his dad, and his popular older brother. Filling my wine glass with red, she…Adolescence2 min readAdolescence2 min read
Dec 6, 2021On Grief, Motherhood, and Turning 40In the days leading up to my fortieth birthday, I occasionally found myself in tears. The same emotional meltdown happened a year ago, right before my son’s tenth birthday. The night he turned ten, I cried myself to sleep. My nine year old daughter, who’s been sleeping in my bed…Motherhood3 min readMotherhood3 min read
Published in Moms Don’t Have Time to Write·Sep 28, 2021Don’t Let Your Children Accept the Limitations Imposed on ThemWe can choose, at any moment, to redefine ourselves — Over the weekend, my nine-year-old reading-reluctant daughter walked into one of my favorite bookstores — Northshire Books in Manchester, Vermont — and decided to buy a book. While this might seem mundane, I’ve been waiting for this moment since she was in kindergarten. Back when she was six, there were…Children3 min readChildren3 min read
Apr 29, 2021The Women of the VillageThere is a history of women, subversive and marginalized, who gather to heal, dissent, bewitch or even birth. Alone and together, these women work to save and secure, to sanctify and celebrate. We know these histories. We’ve read these stories. During this unprecedented pandemic, the women came again. For me…Covid-195 min readCovid-195 min read
May 18, 2020Why Children’s Book Clubs Make A Difference Now More Than EverWhy Children’s Book Clubs Make A Difference Now More Than Ever For a long while, I’ve held a deep belief that reading, in both a solitary and communal way, has an impact on who we are and how we interact in the world. That guiding notion, along with my love…Teachers3 min readTeachers3 min read
May 1, 2020Minimize Screen Time and Maximize the Experience: Simple Ways to Enhance Your Students’ Learn-From-Home ExperienceWe’ve been home for a while now. On many days, children rise and shine and then sit in front of their computers. Let’s refresh the learn-from-home experience. We can enrich the current school model and support our children to get the most out of distance learning. Here’s how: Review before…Learning3 min readLearning3 min read
Mar 25, 2020Ramshackle HomeschoolTen Tips to Turn Your Makeshift Homeschool into Bliss With schools closed across the country, parents are frantically putting together a homeschool experience for their children. In many communities, distance learning is on the horizon, but even that experience seems like another unnerving layer for parents and students. …Homeschooling3 min readHomeschooling3 min read
Jan 22, 2020A Love Letter to WinterDo you know the legend of the Holly and the Oak? When I was young and pregnant and in graduate school, one of my courses focused solely on trees and the forests they inhabit. For hours each day the class walked through neighboring forests examining and revering nature’s impressive formations…Winter3 min readWinter3 min read
