Author: Terri Shearer Trenchard

When in Rome . . . And Other Life Lessons for Kids

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I want to take my kids to Europe. See the sights. Experience the art. Take in the food . . . the history . . . the culture. I’ve realized that when I take my kids to Europe it will be more than exposing them to the beauty, the allure, the attraction of Europe – and beyond. They will also learn . . . to suck it up . . . “tiens le coup,” as they say in France. In English terms, it means: to withstand the weather; to endure; to tough it out, and to stick it out. I’m not talking about the “sucking it up” that they learn on a mission trip or otherwise. That’s another story. For another time (but certainly on the radar screen). Taking kids to another country requires them to learn tolerance and the appreciation of differences, while learning to relinquish their advantaged American conveniences. When in Rome, they learn to do as the Romans do, and so on with the French in France, the Swiss in Switzerland, and …

What Do You Want For Lunch?

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These seem to be the ongoing words in my house. That linger in the air with no answer. We’re barely 2 weeks in. Two weeks in to this “get ’em up, feed ’em, get ’em on the bus” new school year schedule, and we’re already stuck. Stuck on:   What Do You Want For Lunch????? I can’t seem to get past it. Boring old sandwiches. Stuff that gets soggy in the thermos. “Nah,” my daughter continues to respond with each apparently decently-fresh suggestion. What’s a mom to do? Look online. Like every modern day mom does. Here’s what I found. Some ideas that got me thinking outside of my (lunch) box. Things like a cheddar and apple sandwich. How about PB & ….. banana?? Or a sliced egg sandwich …… Check out these 101 Ideas for Kid Lunches and 10 Sandwiches to Spice Up a School Lunch. (In case it helps your “What Do You Want For Lunch? dilemma.”)    

SleepAway Camp: A Stepping Stone for Independence & Responsibility?

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Summer. I find myself wanting to re-create my idyllic childhood summers for my children. Isn’t that human nature, parenting nature, perhaps pure Mother Nature that drives us to re-create for our children what was good in our childhoods, while also adding in what we didn’t have? I always wanted to go to summer camp, sleepaway camp to be exact. My husband too. Whether it was financial restraints, or just not on our parents’ radar, sleepaway camp wasn’t part of the summer recipe. It’s not that I’m complaining. I was blessed with the perfect childhood summers. I spent weeks at the Jersey shore, time in Pennsylvania with grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins, all while spending my everyday summer time in my then hometown in Connecticut. Mornings were spent at swim lessons, followed by the library, and then long, hot, lazy afternoons at the pool. Capped by neighborhood nighttime fun of Kick-the-Can, Witch’s Hour, Spud . . . catching a few of the hundreds of fireflies . . . which later transformed themselves into a temporary lantern …

The Perfect Stocking Stuffer

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There’s the Elf on the Shelf.  Candy.  Socks.  Perhaps an old-fashioned orange at the top. And then there’s Bork — for the boys.  And Corky — for the girls. Especially for those 9-13 year old ones. Check it out and tuck it in the stocking.  The funny, helpful, long-lasting gift for your kids  — and you. It’s never too early to “put it on the shelf,” for that inevitable moment when “those questions” will come.

The Middle School Bus Stop – One Door Closes & Another Opens

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So what’s up with that? Our pre-teens don’t want us waiting at the bus stop, but they’re the first ones to yell, “Shotgun!” as they enthusiastically plead to hop in the front seat of our car. I know I shouldn’t take it personally, like that day I ultimately acquiesced and didn’t go to the bus stop (okay, confession, I peeked from around the driveway….I mean, have you seen the news?), but can’t we maintain a mere bit of that parent-kid connection, that quality time thing……that How Are You, Tell Me About Your Day thing?   I hate to tell you, but those quality time days from the bus stop are gone. Gone like a ham sandwich with a hobo. Trade them in. Give that pre-teen of yours the rite of passage for . . . are you ready? . . . a new level of quality time. Once you view your tweener as big enough, safe enough, strong enough to handle that (gasp!) potential airbag thing, trade the bus stop in for the front seat. It’s …

Spring Has Sprung . . . And the “Buds” are Budding!

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Moms, dads of 5th graders, take hold; be ready!  Spring is here and the buds are budding. Far be it from me to acknowledge again all the “buds” that were budding on the stage of the recent spring concert in our local school, as parents in the audience muttered, “Whoa, the buds are budding in those little white shirts!” Whether you’re ready or not, here it comes. PUBERTY. Don’t let it catch you from behind. Take the quiet, gentle (imperative) lead. Spring is here, the buds are budding, and puberty is all around those upper-elementary spring concerts, classrooms, cafeterias and recesses. And the kids are noticing, asking, wondering. Take the quiet gentle lead. It will be easier than you thought. Check out my books – one for boys and one for girls – they’ll show you the way and maybe make you (and your “budding” one) chuckle a bit too. Speaking of buds, here’s a little taste of what’s in store (at least for the girls): (Page 31 of my book, just to be exact) …