Category Archives: Family

Parenting: Does discipline require isolation?

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Barb @ 1 Sentence Diary

If you routinely isolate your child when he misbehaves, what’s the bigger message? Yes, you may get “better” behavior, if what you mean by “better” is “more compliant.” You may have a child who does what you want when you say you want it. But aren’t you also teaching him that when he misbehaves, you will withhold your love? […]
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Posted in Family, Kids, Observations | 10 Comments

Sorry, I got really sappy today

Posted on October 4, 2010 by Barb @ 1 Sentence Diary

Please forgive me. If you are in a curmudgeonly mood, please come back again tomorrow. I’ll try to be more snarky then.

I have a partner. This is big. Really, it is. What I’m saying is, I have someone to share my life with. Someone to face life’s ups and downs with. Someone to celebrate with. Someone to talk things over with. Someone to laugh, cry, and argue with. Someone to love, and someone who loves me.

Someone to help fold the laundry. […] Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Happiness Project, Observations | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Trade offs

Posted on August 6, 2010 by Barb @ 1 Sentence Diary

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk?” –Albert Einstein My house is a mess. Seriously, it’s a total mess at the moment. There are boxes all over, clean laundry … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Happiness Project, Observations, Uncluttering | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Siblings without rivalry?

Posted on August 1, 2010 by Barb @ 1 Sentence Diary

I have confession to make: My kids fight with each other. A lot.

Two recent conversations with friends about their kids’ relentless arguing has me thinking about sibling rivalry. My father once described the job of a parent as part cheerleader, part teacher, part playmate, and part traffic cop — keeping the kids apart during the worst of the fighting.

If I hear one more person tell me, “my boys are each other’s best friends,” or, “my kids couldn’t bear to spend the summer apart,” I think it might send me to the looney bin. My kids, um, definitely not each other’s best friends.

But here the thing: I’m OK with that. […] Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Kids, Observations | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

Family shorthand, and George Forman (huh?)

Posted on July 18, 2010 by Barb @ 1 Sentence Diary

Wondering why there’s a photo of George Foreman? I promise, it’ll be clear if you keep reading. But this post really isn’t about Mr. Foreman. I read something by Real Delia the other day, and I’m still mulling it over. … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Kids | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

I think I may have my hands full…

Posted on July 14, 2010 by Barb @ 1 Sentence Diary

That little Monkey of mine…she’s quite something. At the barbecue/cookout this weekend, Monkey was playing foosball with a friend of mine. My friend described it like this: The game got kind of heated and I accidentally lifted the table a … Continue reading →

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A perfect weekend day, with out-of-town visitors

Posted on July 12, 2010 by Barb @ 1 Sentence Diary

We had a lovely day yesterday. Two different friends were in town — one family from San Francisco and one from Brazil. So a third family had an open-house style cookout/barbecue to enable everyone to get together without a million … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Kids | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Oh crud, I don’t feel well.

Posted on June 29, 2010 by Barb @ 1 Sentence Diary

Yuck!  I’m sick.  I hate being sick! Pumpkin leaves for camp in the morning.  He is excited to go, and be with his friends.  I’m happy for him, but I will miss him.  On the other hand, it is really … Continue reading →

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I never would have guessed

Posted on June 28, 2010 by Barb @ 1 Sentence Diary

Best part of the day yesterday?  I never would have guessed, but it turned out to be around 11:00pm, when I was just about at my wit’s end.  Here’s what happened… Monkey was very tired, and not feeling quite up … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Happiness Project, Kids, Observations | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is it terrible to watch a movie on a weeknight?

Posted on June 24, 2010 by Barb @ 1 Sentence Diary

Last night we were all exhausted.  Monkey spent the day at “sports camp” where (according to her) they only sat down for lunch and snacks.  Pumpkin spent the morning volunteering at the SPARK Center, and those little kids really wore … Continue reading →

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