An Ignoble Experiment: [Parent Hacks] 2 new posts in Parent Hacks

2009/08/27

[Parent Hacks] 2 new posts in Parent Hacks

Hello, ignoble.experiment@arconati.us, and thank you for subscribing to Parent Hacks. Got a hack you'd like to share? Send it to hacks@parenthacks.com, along with your name and Web address (if you'd like us to link to you).

links for 2009-08-27

How to make a pencil bag out of juice bags « Skip To My Lou

Brilliant ideas constantly spring from this blog!

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Parent Hacks admin: Forward to school

I've decided, this year, it's not BACK to school. It's FORWARD to school.

Both of my kids will be starting new schools this year; my son is heading off to a private school for 4th grade, and my daughter is transferring to our neighborhood school (from a public magnet school) for 1st grade. We have yet another sea of change ahead of us when school begins after Labor Day. There's much I intend to write about concerning their school experiences, but I'll wait until everyone's started and generally settled before saying much more.

Last year was the first year my kids were in full-time school, and it was the most complicated, frenetic year yet. Even more than when my son was a newborn, more than when he was in preschool and my daughter was a newborn. Not what I expected. But then, when has parenting ever been what I expected?

I tell you this not to strike fear into your heart as you face the school years, but to encourage you to maintain an open mind about what's ahead. To rejoice in whatever you're experiencing now with your kids, because, soon it will be different. Easier, maybe, harder, maybe...there's no way to know. Take care of yourself. Stay connected to your family and your friends. Treat yourself gently and kindly. And celebrate every golden moment with those kids. Take pictures. Write one-sentence journal entries about them in your calendar. Turn off the iPhone. Give them undivided attention whenever you can.

I'm not usually one to get sentimental about "how fast they grow up," but I'm finding myself getting wistful. And I'm trying to get into my head that, before I know it, now will become "those simpler days" I'll miss.

Regular PH updates are on their way...after a few more late summer afternoons with my beautiful, growing-up-too-fast kids.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeziet/ / CC BY 2.0