I am starting a regular series of posts of organizational tips, called "From Chaos to Zen." It is all about what I am learning and noticing as I organize. I hope you find it helpful!
In website terms, user-experience design (UX) is all about configuring virtual, visual space in such a way as to guide users to see, do, or experience a particular thing. In a well-designed site, you know where to go and what to do, because it is really visually obvious.
Read MoreMy kid loves to do art (so do I). She is also something of a hoarder. This of course makes me, the home organizer, cuckoo bananas. The artwork that she does at school, art class, and at home piles up and piles up. And then piles up some more. Which also, of course, makes me cuckoo bananas.
Read MoreI hate playing. I don’t want to pretend to be Kirsty Tate to my daughter’s Rachel Walker. I don’t want to stuff everything I own into several old shopping bags and imagine that I’m going on an airplane with an imaginary cat named Chester. This is not fun for me. But the guilt! Oh, the guilt. So I do it. Painfully. Begrudgingly. Who’s with me!?!
Read MoreGetting out the door in the morning is the bane of my existence and undoubtedly that of many other parents. You mean I *have* to get dressed? Brush my teeth? SIT ON THE POTTY??? Oh no no no Mommy! I *HAVE* to put this sparkly bird sticker! On my face! Because [BFF] did it yesterday! MY SOCKS! ARE. TOO. TIGHT. MUST. THROW. FIT. NOW. (And I don’t CARE that I could just simply go change them! No! Never!)
Read MoreIf you have a four-year old (OK fine, a four-year old girl), then you are likely well acquainted with the series of fairy books “written” by “Daisy Meadows” (very obviously a ghost-written conglomerate). There are approximately four hundred million of these books about Rachel Walker and her best friend Kirsty Tate, who, when they get together, have magical encounters with various types of fairies. And for the love of Pete, there are fairies for all manner of [girly] things–flowers, jewels, sports, dance, pets, holidays, fashion, weather, colors, music, “magic night” (whatever the crap that means), and so on (and on and on and on). The fairies are constantly plagued by Jack Frost, an errant fairy with a freezing cold palace (natch) and a self-serving attitude. He is always stealing the fairies’ magical objects with the help of his goblin minions, stuffing things up in both the fairy- AND the human worlds. In every book, the fairies solicit Rachel’s and Kirsty’s help to get the objects back, which they always do by out-smarting the goblins.
Read MoreFor the first 6 years of marriage, my husband did the cooking. I’m not going to lie to you, it was freaking awesome. Then we had a kid and I wound up staying home with her, while said husband went to work outside the home full time. Though he offered to continue doing the cooking, logistically, it made sense for me to do it, so I began reporting for KP duty.
Read MoreI’ve been doing some digging into children’s literature for some princess stories that show girls being brave, strong, active agents* in their worlds. I am happy to report I have found some gems; here are my reviews of them, in no particular order.
*Points for knowing the number of times I use the phrase “active agent.” Hint: A-freaking lot. Active agent.
Read MoreRaised on “Free to Be You and Me,” it was my aim to keep our playroom free of All Things Pink and Princess. I’m the first to admit I’m hypersensitive about media messaging and I try to limit the gender-polarized influences upon my kid, where I can. For example, I switched pediatric dentists because the one student dentist we had kept referring to “the princess chair,” “the princess toothbrush,” etc., even after I very politely informed her that we don’t *do* the princess thing. (I know! I told you! I’m hypersensitive!)
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