The Return to School Creates a New Parenting Battleground

Like many parents, my partner and I agonized over the decision of whether or not our daughters should return to school in person this fall. New Jersey has the advantage of beginning the school year after Labor Day, so we’ve watched as state after state, family after family, has made the difficult choice before us. Many districts opted for all virtual instruction, but for others, like ours, parents have the option to choose between virtual or in-person learning.

Somebody Check On Marie Kondo

Sure, when I read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, I fantasized about carefully curated capsule wardrobes and matchy-matchy stackable storage bins. But I also couldn’t stop thinking: “So what if it doesn’t spark joy? What if I need it someday?”And 2020 has been full of somedays.

Summer of Simplicity

This summer was supposed to be our most epic bucket list yet. We trekked to the passport office in February in preparation for our first international trip in July. (Ok, it was Canada, and we were driving, but it required a border crossing, so I’m counting it). The girls’ passports arrived the day after everything shut down in March.