The Power of a Hug

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I know this is kissing, but we seriously have zero photos of us hugging.

My arms wrapped around him, grasping him, clutching him. I squeezed his sides as hard as I could. His back straightened under my arms. I closed my eyes and pressed my cheek against his chest.

This scene has played out over and over again between my husband and I throughout the 16 years of our relationship.

In a park before a high school make-out session on a picnic table. In my college’s parking lot, just before he drove away for another six weeks. In our kitchen next to a sink piled high with dishes.

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What I’ve Been Reading

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Another day, another several times I scowl at my phone and click the angry or sad face on Facebook. So I’m launching a new feature on my blog’s Facebook page – Kindness Saturday! Each Saturday morning, I’m going to feature a person or a group standing up for the right thing, showing kindness, or otherwise loving their neighbor. When there’s so much that’s depressing, we need to be reminded of the good work people are doing. Come to the page tomorrow for my first one.

In the meantime, here’s some awesome links about what’s really important as a parent, surviving the Trump years, effective discipline, traveling with kids, and more.

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How to Encourage Your Kids to Eat Vegetarian Meals

Want to eat vegetarian meals more often in your family but not sure how to introduce your kids to it? Check out these 9 tips!

How to Encourage Your Kids to Eat Vegetarian Meals (Photo: Pile of multi-colored peppers on a tablecloth)

“Come on, try a broccoli tree,” I say, my voice taking on the edge of a whine. My three-year-old pokes at his broccoli with a finger. Most of the time in this situation, he tries at least one. For a preschooler, that’s not too bad. While I love the health benefits of eating your vegetables, I also want to eat vegetarian more often for the sake of the environment.

Agriculture contributes to  nine percent of the greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. that cause climate change, with meat and dairy production making up a large percentage of that. In addition, many livestock farms also have negative impacts on the air and water in their local areas. Fortunately, you don’t need to go full-on vegetarian or vegan to make a difference. Not eating meat once a week – such as meatless Monday – can reduce your carbon footprint.

Since many kids are resistant to trying anything new, here are some ways we’ve found to eat vegetarian food and make it more appetizing.

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Being Present in the Dark

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The room is dark and my eyelids flutter. My baby, who is in my arms, squirms and calls out, shrieking, then whimpering. I startle awake and gaze down at him, taking in his round cheeks and elfin nose. His eyes are closed, but out of exhaustion, not relaxation. Cries of pain and discomfort slip from his mouth, no matter how much I hug or rock him. His teeth are coming in and even medicine isn’t quite enough.

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Want to Help Refugees? Win a Picture Book and Donation in Your Name!

It’s often hard to know what we can do in response to national policy, like the recent ban on immigration and refugees from several predominantly Muslim countries. Between the seemingly prejudiced way those countries were chosen, the terrible implementation, and the many people suffering as a result, it’s easy to feel helpless.

But I hope to make helping a little easier. While I almost never run giveaways, I want to raise awareness on this issue. To help parents talk to kids about refugees, I’m giving away one book from this list of picture books about refugees. The specific book will be the winner’s choice, depending on their child’s age and interests. I’ll also make a donation of school supplies to the International Rescue Committee in the winner’s name.

To win, you just need to like my Facebook page as well as “like” the specific Facebook post about the contest. Next Friday, February 10, I’ll randomly select one person to receive the package.

This is not a sponsored giveaway – I’m just doing it because I think it’s important. Immigration is a huge part of my family story. I want other families to have the same opportunities that my ancestors did. Teaching our children how refugees are like them and providing refugee kids with tools to help them heal is one small way to do so. Resistance takes a lot of forms, but I want all of mine to be driven by love.

For more on my thoughts on refugees and immigrants, read my post Refugees and Other Families Looking for a Better Life

My Three-Year-Old is Already Too Clever For Me

My Three Year Old is Already Too Clever For Me (Photo: Young white boy standing on a street holding a stuffed frog on his head)

“What’s that?” my son said, pointing into the bathroom. As I looked to see what he was talking about, he ran in the opposite direction. At that moment, I realized that my son, at the tender age of three, had pulled one of the oldest tricks in the book.

I’m not the type of parent to brag about my child being “gifted.” But I do suspect that with a mom who often thought she was smarter-than-thou as a child (yes, me) and a father who’s an unrepentant wiseass, my older son (nicknamed Sprout) is already more clever than I am. Here are just a few of the ways:

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A Preschoolers’ Guide to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

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The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History – a national treasure full of priceless specimens and engaging exhibits. But the perspective looks a whole lot different through the eyes of a preschooler, for better or worse. Living near Washington D.C., we make a trip to the museum at least once a year, typically in the coldest doldrums of winter.

Here’s a breakdown of the best and worst of several of the major exhibits, from a preschooler’s and a preschooler’s parent’s points of view:

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My Top Five Parenting Posts of 2016

2017 is in full swing, but it’s worth looking back on the good times of 2016. (Yes, there were some!) As part of a group of parenting bloggers, I’m participating in a round-up summarizing our most popular parenting posts of 2016.

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Admittedly, almost none of mine are “tips.” Unless you count “don’t bring a three-year-old to a wedding when it’s a zillion degrees outside.”

So what was popular in 2016? It was all over the place, from getting outdoors to contemplating the personal in the political. One caveat – a lot of my popular posts in 2016 were actually from my archives. I’m leaving those out and just including the ones that I originally posted last year.

  1. A Holiday Gift Guide for Outdoor Families: Even though Christmas is past, this is still a great list of gifts for your outdoor-loving kid!
  2. Green Kids: A Toddler’s Guide to Starting Seeds: I’m hoping to order my seeds this weekend, so I’ll be looking back on this soon to see how our experience this year is different from the last.
  3. Weddings, Threenagers and Grace: People love a good story about bratty three-year-olds.
  4. To My Children Upon the Election of Donald Trump : I stand by every word.
  5. The Agony and Ecstasy of the Third Trimester: It’s not all bad, especially when it’s three and one-half weeks shorter than it’s supposed to be.

For more bloggers’ top parenting posts from the year, be sure to check out The Most Popular Parenting Posts of 2016 on The Jenny Evolution!

 

Marching for the Future: The Women’s March on Washington

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“Tell us what democracy looks like – this is what democracy looks like!” chanted by countless voices rang through the National Mall. I and two of my friends were in the middle of the Women’s March on Washington yesterday, along with about a million other people. From creative signs to the chants, the crowd was seriously pissed off. At the same time, there was a serious sense of solidarity and dare I say – hope.

As Dave Engledow, the photographer of the World’s Best Father set of photos, says, it felt like the scene in The Grinch Stole Christmas when all of the Whos in Whoville sing together despite the Grinch trying to ruin everything.

Maybe democracy doesn’t come from a store – perhaps democracy means just a little bit more!

A few of my highlights from the day:

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