Dear Tracy,

As you know, pretend play is so important to early child development. 

(Here’s an article from Psychology Today if you’d like to learn the science behind it.)

As Mister Rogers always told us: 

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning, but for children, play is serious learning.”

But, I’m going to be honest: Some days Imaginary Play is not my strong suit.

I can’t be the only mom who feels this way, so I put together a list of some easy to play ideas and some of my favorite props to help foster imagination in our home. 

Dear Tracy,

Tonight while tidying up the kitchen as my kid asked for dinner (finally) at 8 pm, I was struck by this thought: I should have asked if she was okay. 

Let me back up…

Monday, I was talking to a mom and relaying a story about a friend’s travels and how I’m a bit envious and gosh wouldn’t it be nice to get away by myself for a week or two to a remote location. And overheard by another mother, she proceeded (with some palpable disdain) to comment on how she gave up her chance to live that life for her husband and children. She said, “I gave up a life, FOR YOU…?!?” and at the moment I felt awkward.

I felt we all make sacrifices, but aren’t they worth it? It’s a different path in life, but it’s worth it when your kid runs up to you and gives you a kiss whispering how happy they are you came back to pick them up from school before running off to play on the playground for just one more minute (or hour in his case).

And instead of responding, I just let her vent with minimal interaction on my part. 

And this was a mistake. 

Dear Tracy,

This isn’t something that moms “should” say, but being a food allergy mom…is exhausting. 

When we’re out in public we have to be on high alert for well meaning people who pass out free samples in the grocery store. We have to be vigilant against other mothers in our childs’ classes who bring snacks or cupcakes or treats to class. We have to always check the labels of everything even if we’ve purchased it dozens of times before because corporations like to cut corners and make a buck swapping out ingredients. We have to be the shield between our child and a family member who doesn’t treat this as a life and death situation…or call you dramatic for getting angry over crumbly falling apart peanut butter trail bars brought into your home. (An actual thing that has actually happened in my home.) 

I feel you mommas. I feel you HARD. 

And that level of hyper vigilance cannot be maintained without consequences; namely…exhaustion.

And Halloween Candy?! 

It’s our worst nightmare, isn’t it? Strangers passing out Reese Cups into our kid’s bucket potentially cross contaminating anything in that previously peanut free treat collection? I’m about to have an anxiety attack just thinking about it. (No seriously, I have anxiety, I’m about to hyperventilate here people.) 

Dear Tracy, 

I’ve been thinking a lot on the themes of “best summer ever” and “self care” as the summer slowly slides into fall. 

As a kid, my mom would drag me back to her home town in the middle of nowhere Appalachia to experience a country summer. Summer days of riding bikes, picking blackberries, hiding in the apple orchard, being told don’t come back in until the street lamps come on, canning peppers, and soaking in the sunshine. 

One of the best parts of summer is the abundance of fruit in season. 

Strawberries are sweeter. Blueberries are bigger. Blackberries are sweeter. Peaches are the juiciest. 

One of the best parts of winter was my mom’s blueberry pancakes with summer berries she froze for that moment or my grandmother’s strawberry jam over fresh biscuits as I watched the snow come down in our Michigan home. If I want to give those same memories to my son, that means making jam now. 

It’s really a two-for-one activity. The best of summer fruits preserved in a fun summer afternoon with the tiny human -and- the self care of jam on scones in the months to come? Sign me up! 

Dear Tracy,

Thank you for taking a summer hiatus with me. 

As you know, the whole “18 summers with your kid” that’s been floating around social media hit me hard.

18?! That’s all I get?! And I’m already down three?! 

And I got knocked off balance trying to make it the best summer ever when I should have been reminding myself that childhood is already magical with a bike and a garden hose.

Or…in the case of these pictures, baking soda and vinegar mixed with old washable paint makes for a fun morning. 

So, we’re back from our unplanned (but necessary) hiatus which included some brain storming.