Author: Terri Shearer Trenchard

When Your Kid Is Benched

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My son was on the bench.  For four weeks.  Injured from his favorite sport.  Or shall I say his passion ?  It was rough, for all of us.  It was physically painful for him, not to mention emotionally painful — for him — and for all of us.  Some kids find themselves on the bench…following an injury…awaiting their call to the line-up…as a result of committing a penalty…or being “put there” by a coach to carry forth a lesson. What can our kids learn from The Bench? They learn how to view life, sports, and “the team” from a different perspective —  to see things outside of the box.  A great deal of sports strategies and tactical plays arise from watching from the sidelines.  Some kids on the bench can find themselves in the perfect position to learn not only what to do . . . but what NOT to do.  Sometimes watching from the sidelines can be its own premier training, especially for those visual learners.  It can be prime time viewing of “where I or the …

Family Dinner: Leave it To Beaver . . . or Grab ‘N Go?

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  Family dinner:  Is it more like Leave It To Beaver or Grab ‘N Go?  Or something in between? Me & my house?  We go through phases. One night . . . the kids will set the table.  And I’ll prepare the meal.  We’ll gather ‘round and talk.  Even have dessert.  Just like Beaver and the Cleavers (well, not exactly.)  Sometimes, two — three — nights in a row.  All of us.  As a family.  Dinner.  Sitting down.  Round the table.  That feels good. Not only does it bring back visions of Leave It To Beaver, but studies show all kinds of benefits to family dinners: kids who eat most often with their parents are 40% more likely to get mainly A’s and B’s in school than kids who have two or fewer family dinners a week  (National Center on addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University via sixsistersstuff.com); adolescent girls who have frequent family meals, and a positive atmosphere during those meals, are less likely to have eating disorders (University of Minnesota, 2004, via zenfamilyhabits.net); when …

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 …

I Finally Got on Facebook and My Kid Got Off

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Facebook is out, Instagram is in. At least in these kids’ eyes. He’s following him. She’s following her. I seem to be following everyone and everything except my kid. On social media that is. These kids are two steps ahead. No matter how hard we try, no matter how fast we try to stay ahead, we are two steps behind in this social media world. Even a middle school technology teacher told me she can’t seem to stay two steps ahead of them. And what about Tumblr. Kik (me). And what appears to be the the most elusive of them all (because nobody is following anybody, at least we parents of these kids) – Snapchat. What’s a mom to do? Like I said before (in that other blog back there), I do what every good millennium mom does. I google. Tried it. Doesn’t work. The answers just aren’t there. But lo and behold, I can offer you this: 11 Sites & Apps Kids Are Heading To After Facebook. The quickest, most comprehensive thing about all …

The Give and Take of Teenagers

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There is a lot of taking in my house . . . the “taking” of rides to practice, the taking of dinner, the taking of clean clothes, the taking of food purchased at the store. I don’t always see a lot of giving. I’m not talking about the generous-save-the-world kind of giving. I’m talking about what my friend calls Common Kitchen Courtesy. I’m talking about the Common Kitchen Courtesy that should be “given” not only in the kitchen, but in the car, the family room, the laundry room, upstairs. I’m talking about a (simple) “thank you” to mom when she takes you to practice and delivers you home. I’m talking about a “yes” instead of a grunt, with just a tad of eye contact. I’m talking about answering the (basic) questions and acknowledging the (loving) comments posed to you from the people who love and care for you the most. I’m talking about the give and take . . . of teenagers. I get teenagers. I get that they need their space . . . …

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 only 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 millennium 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 …… 101 Ideas for Kids Lunches and 10 Sandwiches to Spice Up a School Lunch. (In case it helps your What Do You Want For Lunch? dilemma.) Check it out . . . and share your own lunch box favorites . . .