Monday Memories: A Long Runway

Last updated on: January 10, 2015 at 10:17 pm By Tara Edelschick

On Mondays, I repost older pieces that are somehow relevant again. Last week, a reader asked about whether homeschooling was delaying our children’s development, and this piece came to mind. I first posted it nearly two years ago, and it still speaks to me today. Thanks again to the young father who shared the idea with me. ___________________________________________________________________________ A long runway. I can’t stop thinking about it. We had breakfast yesterday with dear friends in DC. We were joined by their... Read more

Finding Myself

Last updated on: October 25, 2012 at 9:43 pm By Tara Edelschick

On Monday, Jake the Art Guy gave each student in our group a circle on which they could design either a coin or a charm to hang on a necklace. Zach announced that he would make a necklace, and then drew a necklace on his circle. Clearly, he didn’t quite get it. It made me feel queasy. Sometimes he just doesn’t get it, and I panic. Maybe all the progress I think he has made is an illusion. Maybe we... Read more

My Kids Grew Up – And I Like Them Better

Last updated on: October 24, 2012 at 12:41 pm By Tara Edelschick

I am currently parenting three kids, the youngest of whom is eight. Thank God. Because parenting two toddler boys who were only sixteen months apart nearly killed me. Yes, I adored them. Yes, I loved snuggling them and rocking them to sleep. Yes, they were cute and funny and broke my heart open in new and wonderful ways. But it was exhausting. And I’m not a high-energy gal. The boys’ needs, both physical and emotional, took it out of me. ... Read more

Monday Memories: Get On The Bus

Last updated on: October 22, 2012 at 7:59 pm By Tara Edelschick

Tonight, as I put my kids to bed before the debate, I remembered other nights when I let them stay up late to watch something on TV. But presidential debates are not worth lost sleep in our house. Being an engaged citizen matters, and I understand that engagement often involves politics. But I don’t think watching debates will help them become the kind of citizen and neighbor I’d like them to be… …which reminded me of post I wrote in... Read more

Raising Ben

Last updated on: January 10, 2015 at 10:00 pm By Tara Edelschick

“Ezra, honey, I’ve got some bad news.” “What’s wrong, Daddy?” “Ben died, sweetie. I’m sorry.” Ezra walked slowly to the kitchen, where Ben lie on his back, one-inch claws pointing stiffly upward. Ezra stared at his beloved hermit crab in disbelief. And then he began wailing. Keening really. He was rocking back and forth, with outstretched arms, and screaming, “Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!” It went on like that for minutes. Then he walked into the living room and began kicking the sofa. He... Read more

Homeschool Killed Our Sex Life

Last updated on: January 10, 2015 at 10:02 pm By Tara Edelschick

Homeschoolers love to talk about the lifestyle that homeschooling affords them. They can take vacations whenever we want, have long, leisurely breakfasts with each other, and spend the whole week building an elaborate kite. Homeschoolers can stay up ’till midnight when everyone wants to finish the last three chapters of Wonder, which they’ve been reading aloud while drinking cocoa (not Swiss Miss) and wearing pajamas that mother made from wool that father sheered from their sheep. What they don’t say... Read more

Mr. Rogers Was A Genius

Last updated on: January 10, 2015 at 10:02 pm By Tara Edelschick

Mr. Rogers was a genius. Seriously. If you haven’t seen an episode for awhile, spend twenty-eight minutes on PBS Kids and remember what a treasure he was. I mean, you’ll have to ignore the fact that it seems like everyone is stoned, or has taken some weird kind of medicine that makes people move and sing and talk at half speed. And you’ll have to get used to the fact that everything is so, well, so simple. But Mr. Rogers might... Read more

My Testimony

Last updated on: January 10, 2015 at 10:01 pm By Tara Edelschick

The Spirituality Channel at Patheos asked bloggers to post about “Stepping Stones” on their spiritual journeys. This is my entry, a story of loss and faith. I offer it as a testimony, and look forward to hearing about your journeys as well. Scott, my husband of five years, died while I was seven months pregnant with our first child, Sarah. Ten days later, she was delivered stillborn. It was, and is, fifteen years later, nearly impossible for me to believe... Read more

The Desires Of Children

Last updated on: October 3, 2012 at 7:46 am By Tara Edelschick

I stood in the park last week consoling a weepy mother. Her homeschooled daughter was asking to go to school and the mother was overcome with guilt. “Am I being selfish keeping her at home?” she wanted to know. “Have you asked her why she wants to go to school?” I asked. She hadn’t; so a few minutes later when her daughter started begging to join the pre-school class heading out of the park, Mom asked her daughter why she... Read more

A Mother’s Plea To Christians During This Election Season

Last updated on: September 25, 2012 at 1:22 pm By Tara Edelschick

It’s that season again. The one where Target puts out Hallo-Thanks-Mas displays, and you start hearing comments like this around the house from your eight-year-old: “Momma, I’m rootin’ for Mitt Romney.” “You are? How come?” “Cuz Zach says that Barack Obama has been out of the country too much lately.” Not sure where this logic came from, but politics are in the air. Four years ago, that same child asked, “John McCain is on Satan’s team, right Momma?” “What?!!! Why... Read more