Mom’s Chicken Gumbo

  Today is the first day of school for my kids!  It’s been a long fun summer but, even my 7-year old admitted he’s “ready for school to start.”   The night-before-the-first-day-of-school dinner is always important.  It’s become a tradition (started only last year) to reclaim the structure of mealtimes and scheduled days – both seemingly elusive during the fluid summer months. I wanted to make a hearty dish, one I knew would appeal to both my kid’s tastes and somehow calm their jitters. I uncovered Mom’s recipe for Chicken Gumbo … [Read more...]

Combating Your (Kids’) Jitters

Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.  ~Albert Einstein After much anticipation, school is finally starting.  It couldn’t come at a better time.  The kids have spent almost every day together the past two weeks.  They need separation.  They need structure.  They need school.  I need separation. Isn’t it interesting how kids deal with anxiety?  Emotionally, my kids are split down the middle.   My son tends to err on the unflappable end of the spectrum (like my husband).  Conversely, my daughter’s … [Read more...]