1 Late Husband, 3 Hungry Kids... And A Gesture That Changed Everything

Friday, March 30, 2012 1 Late Husband, 3 Hungry Kids... And A Gesture That Changed Everything It had been a trying day. It was one of those days in which the tiniest bump or the smallest "no" or the wrong song prompted tears. Every diaper was a "seriously? again?" diaper. No one ate well. No one napped well. A toy no one was playing with became the toy everyone wanted to play with the minute someone picked it up. There was whining. Barking. Screaming. It was too cold to go outside. I was frustrated. And exhausted. I think we all were. I messaged Andy asking him what time he was going to be home so I could have dinner ready. The kids start melting down around 5:30pm. Andy is usually home by 6pm. If dinner is much later than 6pm, I truly believe the kids believe the world is ending. It's as if the slightest hunger pains turn them into little crazy people but if I give them a snack, they won't eat dinner and then they won't sleep well at night. So we shoot for six o'clock dinners. And Andy responded and said he'd be home at 6pm. So I made dinner. I held (a crying) Owen the entire time-except when opening and shutting the oven door. James either clung to my leg or rolled around the floor, screaming. Sophie continually begged for "more TV" and "gummies," both of which I kept saying "no" to. What Michelle Duggar Calls A 'Lie' Shockingly High Number Of Autism Cases Inspires Debate A Father's Reaction To His Very Young Gay Son Lactation Consultants Of The Future? What Alicia Silverstone Was Really Doing In That Video BLOG POSTS Leah Singer: The 'Joys' of Mother-Daughter Shoe Shopping I did NOT expect the overabundance of expensive light-up sneakers and sparkly, strappy heeled shoes. Sophie's a 4-year-old preschooler, not a finalist for a children's beauty pageant. Signe Whitson: What Parents Can Do When Bullying is Downplayed at School No family should find themselves all alone when navigating the dangerous and destructive waters of bullying in school. Steve Ressler: Does Winning at Work Mean Losing at Home? Does having a child mean that a parent needs to pass on a promotion -- or give up time with a child in order to advance his or her career? Beth Kobliner: What 5th-8th Graders Need to Know About Money It's always a treat to speak at schools, where I can connect with children I don't know and who haven't been inundated with my money mania. Here are the five money lessons every kid from 5th to 8th grade should know. Jowita Bydlowska: Are you a sMotherer? The Über Mom sat in the kiddie pool with her Miracle (thankfully, that wasn't the kid's name) and blathered on about the little girl's birth, her habits, her vaccinations, her diet and her pee-pee.

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