
The Sum of Childhood
This day is a luxury. For me and for my kids. To wish to go back to when my kids were little now would be like giving up a winning lottery ticket and the Oscar for Best Actress and the World Cup wrapped in one.

The Most Insignificant Significant Childhood Milestone
Today is the day my son enrolled in college, which is weird, because I swear it was just last Tuesday that he was racing Hot Wheels cars across the kitchen floor.

The Most Connected, Disconnected Generation
The kids were crying and hugging each other, declaring “Love you!” whenever one of them piled their belongings into a parent’s car or a New York City taxi to leave for home. Their heartbreak was palpable, their connection undeniable. I was watching this going on around me as I sat on the bench last weekend outside […]

Raising Your Kids to Leave You
But I thought that the visit interrupted the natural flow of their scarce time away from home, when kids discover who they are when they’re not with their parents.

The 3 Things On Every College Tour — and the One That Matters
There are three things you will see on every college tour, and two of them are pretty much the same. One matters the most.

Creative Writing for the Mathy Scientist
I was surprised when my son invited me to the creative writing class presentation. This from a kid who, over the years, has stood in my home office surrounded by boxes of my books and declared, “Mom, I don’t know how you can be a writer. I hate writing.”

The Track Meet, Where You Watch Runners Stand.
I was travelling two hours by subway, bus, and car to watch 4 minutes and 52 seconds of sports.