Birthdays and holidays are tricky enough to make special during average times. Figuring out the right activities, the perfect restaurant, who to invite, what gifts to get… Now add in a quarantine. Tricky becomes even tricker. Especially when kids are … Continue reading 3+ME: Kids’ birthdays in quarantine
Most things come to an end. School is over when you graduate. Vacation is over when you go back to work. Lunch is over when you reach into your bag and realize you’ve already eaten all the food you packed … Continue reading 3+ME: This is the job that never ends
It’s good to have goals. It’s also good to learn from, uh, messing up on those goals every once in a while. (Or if you’re ambitious, possibly more than once in a while.) Two weeks ago, I wrote a column … Continue reading 3+ME: Do’s and don’ts of stepparent staycationing
This isn’t a real word — If by “real,” we mean something found in Merriam-Webster. The word is “sonder,” and it was invented by a person who, well, invents words — a guy named John Koenig — and compiles them … Continue reading 3+ME: Everyone’s story is as complicated as yours
Ah, summer and part-time custody. If you’ve got a blended family like ours, chances are summers toss a few curveballs over home plate. Or at the very least, over home itself. I guess that’s generically true for any family — … Continue reading 3+ME: A stepmom’s summertime, and the livin’ is … easy?
Give a child a sledgehammer. Then get out of the way. Because apparently when you have a deck that needs demolishing, kids get really excited about helping. Particularly boys. I know this because we in fact had a deck that … Continue reading 3+ME: Smashing things and building friendships
#bonusmomnotstepmom A friend hashtagged a social media post with this a few weeks ago, and I paused when I saw it. I understood why she’d written it. Her blended family situation is very different from mine: She’s the full-time maternal … Continue reading 3+ME: ‘Stepkid’ vs. ‘my kid’: How important are the names we use?
In part-time custody, the kids have two houses, and that can complicate things It shouldn’t have been phrased as a question. “Do you want to come to our house tonight?” It ought to have been a statement, not an option. … Continue reading 3+ME: Why a “vacation” home is the worst
Apparently today is Easter. I completely forgot. Until five days ago, anyway. I mean, yes, I’ve seen ads for Easter, and promotions, and decorations. My mom was even talking about making a bunny cake and coloring eggs this weekend with … Continue reading 3+ME: Random acts of kindness don’t have to include snacks (but it’s nice when they do)
Most goals (like a second-grade research project) aren’t actually hard; they just take time Here at The Herald News, we have a scary elevator. From what I understand, it’s the second oldest in Massachusetts, and it took me a while … Continue reading 3+ME: Goals? Take the stairs
