Getting Out the Door
The Fifteen Minutes Before We Leave the House
The last quarter hour before we walk out the door is the loudest part of our day. Here is how we finally made it survivable.
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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.
The Weekend Mornings We Stay in Pajamas on Purpose
We used to treat getting dressed as the first task of every Saturday. Now we sometimes stay in pajamas until noon, and…
We Used to Fit on One Couch Cushion Together
A crowded couch during a movie night used to be normal. Now there is room to spare, and the extra space says…
How We Talk About Birthdays Before They Happen
The weeks leading up to a birthday can build more pressure than the day itself. A little honest conversation ahead of time…
We Ruined the Birthday Party and Somehow It Was Fine
The cake fell, the guest list changed twice, and the birthday kid ended up crying before the candles were lit. Here is…
Friday Pizza and a Movie: How It Became Ours
We did not plan our Friday night ritual. It grew out of one exhausted evening, and now the kids ask about it…
The First Snow Tradition We Fell Into by Accident
We never meant to build a ritual around the first snow of the year. It happened once, then again, and now the…
The Car Seat Standoff and What Finally Ended It
Getting a strong willed kid into a car seat used to be the last obstacle between us and actually leaving. Here is…
The Vacation Day Where Nothing We Planned Happened
We had a full day planned on our one big trip of the year, and by ten in the morning every single…
The Pancake Shapes Only We Understand
We make lopsided pancake shapes every Saturday morning, and the kids can name every single one even though nobody outside our kitchen…