Big Kids

"I can't believe you failed me! I worked hard in this class and I deserve a passing grade." My student emailed me this message recently after she discovered her final grade at the end of the term. This student had...

Raising kids is hard. They reveal areas needing growth, challenge us to the very core, trigger past trauma, and threaten our sanity every day.  Then when you have a high needs child, it adds another layer of intensity. And yet, most...

School boundaries are a big deal right now if you’re in the Portland Public School (PPS) or Beaverton School (BSD) districts.  I am not talking the “please stay out of my space” boundaries. I mean the school boundaries that devastate parents...

It was another typical, stressful morning. The kids were playing legos instead of getting dressed. There was sword fighting with toothbrushes instead of brushing teeth. Eating breakfast somehow involved dance moves and a bowl of cereal ended up on...

It's here! The PMC 2023 Guide to Portland Summer Camps is live! Find everything you need to learn about our regions very best that summer has to offer!

In a desperate attempt to up my game in the making mom-friends category, I decided to attend a birthday party for my son's classmate from school. It reminded me of high school because all I wanted was to fit...

When we moved to Oregon, I was desperate to meet other people and feel connected with our new community. I decided to try a parent-teacher organization (PTO) meeting at our new school. Thanks to TV and movies, I was...

So apparently my daughter knows the F-word. Come to find out, she also knows a lot of other swear words as well. She’s not alone, though. In the same conversation where she revealed her expanding vocabulary, it was also...

Some kids love politics and civic engagement and some kids don’t care. For the kids that don’t care, I still think it’s important to engage in the discussions, albeit briefly so their minds can digest it. I struggle with this...

My Sweet, Practically-A-First-Grader, On your first day of kindergarten, I was awash in conflicting emotions. I was excited for you to move into the next phase of your life and worried that you would be hurt or sad when I...