Chicago Moms Blog

Preschool Ponderings

Pre-school. Is such a prelude to the next 13 + years of school really necessary? Some will argue with much conviction YES. In some ways, I agree that it is beneficial for children to have a precursor to attending school all day, everyday. I think that the social aspect of a formal classroom and an (brief) introduction to the format of what they will soon become very familiar with as they start kindergarten is the most beneficial part of preschool. 

But, I can also attest to the natural learning that occurs in children out of nothing more than simple curiosity. Jazper has independently picked up Spanish from our Nanny who uses it when talking to the children regularly. He has also learned his left from his right simply by me stating which way we are going. Both my children have learned to talk from purely listening to others talk. And of course, the TV (though I know some mothers forbid it) has certainly taught my preschool-aged child how to count and even read. Jazper seems to expand on his learning all on his own. He will come to me and ask, “How do you spell ‘Power Ranger’?” And letter by letter, I’ll verbally dictate them as he writes them.

Edgebrook Bound ...

For those of you who aren't familiar, Edgebrook is a community in Chicago's far north side. We knew earlier this year that we wanted to move when our lease was up. We absolutely love Bucktown but we have grown tired of living on the third and fourth floors. AND my country roots have also started screaming for my very GREEN space. My fantasies about sitting in my own private back yard watching the kids run and play never really went away as we settled into our urban environment 4 years ago. But I'm always torn between the things I loved from my hometown of Marietta, Ohio to the many new things I love about living in a big city. I sometimes think as we get older and have children, we revert back to those comfort zones we were accustomed to growing up.

So, we began our search for a new home this month. We knew that in addition to having more private space, we also needed to find a significant savings too. Living this close to downtown with all the amenities of restaurants, shops, transportation also comes at a steep price (as I'm sure most of you city-dwellers can relate to). As I searched neighborhood by neighborhood, I soon became discouraged by the many "dumps" I toured within our price range. I visited one place just down the street from where we are now, a rather small building, I just assumed it was a 2-flat. Not so! This place was broken into 5 apartments, all 3 bedrooms (I would say more like 1 bedroom and 2 large closets!). I started to cringe at the words "cozy", "sunny" and "vintage".

Zen and the art of learning to ride a bike

I bite my bottom lip when I'm anxious. Now, those of you that see me often will know. Right now, I have a red mark on my bottom lip that lipstick won't even cover. I guess that raises the question, 'why do we need others to know those personal idiosyncrasies that make up our persona'? My answer would be to live authentically and humbly. I want my friends, clients, family and readers to know that I'm human - I'm full of imperfections and that I am constantly trying to better myself. Whether or not I am succeeding - I'll never know. One success seems to be followed by yet another hurdle to overcome. The pursuit of happiness is not the same as happiness. The pursuit, I think, is life.

On that note, I'm 30 years old and just now learning to ride a bike. No, it's not a metaphor - you can take it literally. It has always been my intention to learn but it wasn't until last summer that my father came out of his garage, bike in hand that I knew it was time to finally learn. Once again, it brings up old anxiety about not knowing enough to pass along wisdom to my children. It's a fear I hope most parents have - that how in the world can we teach our children the answers when we, ourselves don't know them. And, I sometimes think I don't even know the questions. As overwhelming as that statement can be - putting it into the simplest form of completing one task at a time seems more manageable. Thus I'm learning to ride a bike at 30.

What an odd feeling - some fear, some anticipation as I wobble and sometimes fall ... but I’m learning that persistence overcomes.

Saving the World, One Website at a Time.

OK, I admit it, I am a bit dramatic. I'm not exactly saving lives with what I do for a living but I still hope that I am spreading some "good" around.

My job as a business owner/graphic designer is not unlike my other role in life, motherhood. By day, I focus on convincing others to buy a product or take part in a service (hopefully through unique, artistic and well- marketed design). By night, I work diligently to convince my little boys to eat more carrots, share their toys with each other, lay down and go to sleep ... you know the drill. The same principle applies with both; the need to make the offer attractive enough for others to want to partake. In a nutshell, I have found that I'm good at making things look pretty.

Although, I think I struggle, like many of you working mothers, with finding balance with my family and my work.

Mommy's Favorite? My recent experience with Sibling Rivalry

As my four-year-old refuses to take off his Spiderman suit for the third day in a row, I’m left with the itching feeling that he is struggling with something. We have a costume trunk that I keep for the boys with old Halloween costumes and such. I have come to recognize that the costumes serve as a coping mechanism for my oldest son. It is a fail-safe way to realize he is going through something. And at this moment, just five days before his little brother’s 2nd birthday, I find “Spiderman” in his room carrying invisible items and putting them on an invisible table.

I greet him with, “Can I play?”

“In just a minute.” He says. “I’m almost done decorating for my pretend birthday.”

There it was. The issue-at-hand had been revealed and was not unlike previous issues of sibling rivalry. From the beginning, my first born has struggled with feelings of resentment toward his little brother for

Who needs "please" when we've got guns?

Ralphie: “I want an official Red Ryder, carbine-action, 200-shot range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time.”

Mom: “You’ll shoot your eye out.”

We all know Ralphie Parker, the quintessential toy gun owner from “A Christmas Story”. In the world of hot parenting topics, boys and imaginary gunplay ranks at the top. And I became personally affected when my four year old was recently given the gift of a toy gun; which I politely rejected. Even though I don’t allow it, my boys will go to great lengths to make a gun out of anything: their finger, a stack of legos, even a sandwich. In a culture already filled with toy soldiers, armed pirates, violent video games and images of real war, I find it unnerving to see an innocent child pretending to kill someone. I keep asking myself if I’m giving it far more power by forbidding it.