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Author · Meredith Solberg

Meredith Solberg writes about the days her family spends together, which is a nicer way of saying she writes about four people trying to be in the same room at the same time. Most of what is here started as a week that did not go to plan.

Thanksgiving Without the Whole Production - holidays & birthdays
Holidays & Birthdays

Thanksgiving Without the Whole Production

We used to treat Thanksgiving like a performance to put on for everyone at the table. Scaling it back made room for…

The Goodnight Word That Makes No Sense to Anyone Else - little traditions
Little Traditions

The Goodnight Word That Makes No Sense to Anyone Else

Our bedtime routine ends with a made-up word nobody outside this house would recognize, and it has outlasted every other part of…

Eating Together When Nobody's Schedule Actually Matches - family meals
Family Meals

Eating Together When Nobody’s Schedule Actually Matches

Between practices, late shifts, and homework, our family dinner almost disappeared. Here is what we changed to get some version of it…

The Day the Power Went Out and Everything Fell Apart, Then Didn't - when days go wrong
When Days Go Wrong

The Day the Power Went Out and Everything Fell Apart, Then Didn’t

The power went out during a week that was already stretched thin, and for a few hours it felt like the last…

The Weekend We Tried a No Screens Morning, and What Happened - screens & together time
Screens & Together Time

The Weekend We Tried a No Screens Morning, and What Happened

We decided to keep screens off until noon on Saturdays. It did not go the way I pictured, in some ways worse…

The Christmas Morning We Stopped Rushing - holidays & birthdays
Holidays & Birthdays

The Christmas Morning We Stopped Rushing

For years we treated Christmas morning like a schedule to hit. Slowing it down changed how the whole day felt.

The Family Movie Night We Almost Gave Up On - screens & together time
Screens & Together Time

The Family Movie Night We Almost Gave Up On

Movie night was supposed to be our together time. Instead it turned into three phones and one screen. Here is how we…

The Morning Everyone Was Crying Before 8 AM - when days go wrong
When Days Go Wrong

The Morning Everyone Was Crying Before 8 AM

Some mornings tip over before anyone even leaves the house. Here is what actually helps once three people are crying at the…

Weekend Things We Do That Do Not Cost Anything - weekends together
Weekends Together

Weekend Things We Do That Do Not Cost Anything

We went through a stretch where every weekend outing seemed to require a ticket or a reservation, and the free things we…