My Inside voice

“Go ask your mother.” I can’t tell you how many times I heard that over the years. Most women would admit that their dads preferred a hands-off approach to raising them. I know mine certainly did. He had pretty strong opinions on what I SHOULDN’T …

Let’s get this out of the way. Now and then, I watch trash television. There. I feel better already. I also watch the news, follow political commentary, read the paper, and listen to news radio. I may not be a Rhodes Scholar, but I consider …

I’ve been told I’m a worrier (I’m picturing my girlfriends spitting out their chardonnay at the understatement). Pick the topic, and odds are good I have some kind of concern or related anxiety. I remember at the age of eight, my son practically growling at …

Ok girls. I see what you’re doing. It’s taken me awhile, but I finally figured it out. Well, to be honest someone right-out told me, but I still feel like a mystery has been solved, and I solved it. That’s all that matters here. I’ve …

Why didn’t anyone tell me I was getting old? I had no idea. I’ve foolishly been blaming my slow lifestyle and borderline retirement conversations on my older friends, only to realize, even my youngest of compadres are talking like seniors. In fairness to me, many …

It occurred to me this week that I’m a teeny bit afraid of my nine-year-old. Not the kind of fear that sends you to a closet to hide, or to your purse for pepper spray. Just the kind that has me avoiding situations of confrontation …

“Please … write about lunches!” I can’t attribute this quote to anyone in particular because too many friends offered up the same advice. The overall theme isn’t necessarily what to PUT in lunches, but the fact that we have to make them at all. Such …

“Wow! You look so pretty … (my ears perk up) … for a mom”. And there it is; the compliment that never was. I’m sure the 16-year-old handing me coffee meant no offence. On the contrary, she looked rather pleased with herself for providing so …

If you’ve been on any type of social media for more than ten minutes, you’ve seen it. Jokes, photos, and comments on drinking wine. And yes, it’s mostly us ladies. “To relieve stress I do yoga. Just kidding, I drink wine in my yoga pants” …

Picture if you will, a school, with play structures in the front instead of the back. Monkey bars and ladders along the very sidewalk parents use to take their darling children from school, to their vehicles, at day’s end. Now, visualize the delicate dance all …