Mary Beth McNulty
You Can’t Hide from Politics: Why I Don’t Shield My Kids from Politics
As a family of four in Vermont with a newly adopted habit of binge-watching fantasy tv shows, it would be easy enough for us to look the other direction when anything “political” comes up....
An American Mom Experiences Reopening Society in Norway
Over the past few weeks, our family has experienced a reopening society in Oslo, Norway.
I’ve written before about what it was like to choose to stay in Norway during the start of the coronavirus...
A Cranky Mom Shouts her Dissatisfaction into the Digital Void
Everything is making me cranky today.
My husband. My children. The stranger at the grocery store who stood too close to me. My colleagues and students thousands of miles away. The dust on my table....
A Mom’s Manual for Navigating a Pandemic in a Foreign Land
Before the pandemic struck, there were many situations I wish I had a manual for: how to navigate raising teenagers, how to stop my hair from thinning and neck skin from falling without becoming...
How to Temporarily Homeschool Your Kiddos without Driving Yourself (or Them) Crazy
Whether you’re moving, vacationing, fighting an extended illness or injury, or battening the hatches because the coronavirus is impacting your community, there may come a time when you have to temporarily homeschool your children....
Teaching My Children Greater Responsibility Through Storytelling
On a day when I had done more grumbling, groaning, and gnashing of teeth at my children’s behavior than actually talking to them, the NPR article, How Inuit Parents Raise Kids Without Yelling, stopped...
What I’m Doing to Prepare Myself for My Daughter’s Future Sexual Assault
In the U.S., one in three women and one in six men have experienced sexual assault in their life.
It makes me physically ill to say this, but the chances are good that one...
Four Tips for Improved Parent Teacher Child Communication
Our children spend a gazillion hours of their lives in school, so chances are good that you and your child will have to speak with a teacher about a problem at some point. But...
Getting Yourself Ready for Middle School in 25 Easy Steps
Congratulations! Despite having only just brought your baby home from the hospital last week, today they’re suddenly ready for middle school! However ready your kiddo is, the chances are good you may find yourself...
European Travel with Kids: Tips and Tricks to Make Them Like It
My passion for travel first took hold when my parents took me to Europe when I was just 8 years old, and I’ve continued to jump at the chance to see new countries whenever...
Spectator Sport: Observations from the Sidelines of My Kids’ Hobbies
My kiddos are 8 and 11 and I believe that they each now have the same number of active hobbies as years. From skiing to taekwondo, from dance to piano, it feels like my...
Summer Can Wait: Summer Scheduling is a Nightmare
Most everyone I know in my town is tired of winter’s ice, slush, and snow. On the few warm days we’ve had, my co-workers fling off their coats, saying they, “Can’t wait until summer!”...
Romancing the Dinner Dishes or What Counts as Middle Age Romance
For Valentine’s Day this year, my husband “gave” me a pair of warm, winter boots that I’d purchased for myself. In return, I gave him much needed winter mittens. At first glance, these might...
Chapter Books the Whole Family Will Love to Read Aloud
Has your family graduated from enjoying picture books to also reading chapter books aloud?
But are your kids’ age and interests wildly divergent? Sure, you could read two or three different books, one for...