Search Results for: blog why my kid wont be getting a dog for christmas

A Warning for Parents with Pet-Loving Kids

That’s my daughter with her pet snake. Okay, that slithery creature never actually made it home with us.  Thank goodness!  However, other slimy critters have sauntered, swam and slipped into our lives due in large part to my child’s obsession with being a pet owner. We’ve had Lola, Pongo, Charlie and Charlie II. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of exotic animals, but when you are a parent of a pet-loving kid, you learn to master the fine art of sacrifice. You also learn the importance of doing research on the type of varmint your child so desperately wants to … Continue reading →

Santa Bunny

The other day my 7-year-old asked me for the Easter Bunny’s email address so she could send him her gift wish list. Am I the only parent whose child thinks that the Easter Bunny is Santa’s spring replacement? What happened to kids getting dinky wicker baskets in a rainbow of pastel shades filled with hard-boiled eggs and a few Peeps? That’s what the Easter Bunny brought me as a child. It wasn’t until I was on the brink of teen-hood that the Bunny dug deep and gifted me with a few plastic eggs filled with quarters, plus a hollowed-out chocolate … Continue reading →

Sorry, Charlie!

There once was a fish named Charlie. He was the best pseudo puppy that a 6-year-old girl could ever have… until the girl’s mother got sick of cleaning Charlie’s tank. Scratch that. Until the girl’s mother got sick from cleaning Charlie’s tank. I’ve been sick for weeks with an on and off fever, headache, sore throat and fatigue. Interestingly, my symptoms appeared shortly after my routine cleaning of Charlie’s fish tank. That Betta can gunk up a bowl like no other, and frankly, I dread the task of scooping him out and scrubbing down his disgusting liquid-filled living quarters week … Continue reading →

Go for Broke

My sweet little baby wants nothing more than to not be my sweet little baby. According to my six going on 16-year-old daughter, she is the only one in her entire first grade class to have every single one of her baby teeth intact. Being a Recess Mom, I know that she is not exaggerating. She really is the only one in her class who has yet to loose a tooth. However, I am secretly thrilled she hasn’t. Personally, I think the gap-toothed look is hard to rock. Loosing pearly whites changes the entire landscape of one’s appearance and brings … Continue reading →

Poetry for Kids

Roses are red Some orchids are green I love you so much Except when you’re mean I wrote that little ditty when I was in the fourth grade. I’m a poet, and ya didn’t even know it! Unfortunately, poetry is not fully embraced by the American school system. Consequently, many youngsters these days don’t get the chance to fully appreciate the many benefits of metrical composition. According to top researchers for early childhood education, “poetry should be included as an integral part of the language and literacy curriculum because it enriches students’ lives as they discover words, sound, and rhythm … Continue reading →

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

It’s been a year of firsts for my first-born: First year of full-day school, first bus ride, first spin on a roller coaster, first time riding a two-wheeler, and the first time reading a chapter book from start to finish without a single bit of help. Continuing my week-long series of super summer reads, today I am sharing a title that will forever hold a special place in my 6-year-old’s heart: The Trouble with Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery. I suppose it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that a book about a retired search-and-rescue dog named Jonathon Joseph Tully … Continue reading →

Sweet and Simple Valentine’s Day Gifts

My six-year-old is going to flip when she sees the Valentine’s Day gift my mom got her. She wanted it for Christmas, but Santa didn’t deliver, so it’s grandma to the rescue. No, it’s not a dog—-real or stuffed. It’s a… kids’ Snuggie, but not just any kids’ Snuggie, this one features a camouflage print because goodness help us all if the kid got a pink Snuggie. Personally, I think a pink Snuggie is the perfect Valentine’s Day gift, but that’s the thing with gift giving. The best gifts are those that the recipient will go gaga for, regardless of … Continue reading →

Why You Shouldn’t Let Your Kids Sleep with Fido

My daughter didn’t get a dog for Christmas. Oh no she di-int! And it wasn’t because of the exorbitant cost of raising a pup. Okay, maybe money was a factor. A huge factor. But now I have another reason why I am glad my oldest isn’t cuddling with a pooch. According to a new report, sleeping with Fido or Fifi may increase your risk of contracting dangerous infections. In addition to an exposure to fleas, worms, ticks, and other parasites, the CDC just released a new study that found pet owners, who share their beds with their dogs or cats, … Continue reading →