Dana
Dana is a working mom of two active boys, ages 4 and 8. She was born in Tel Aviv and raised in Atlanta. With a background in journalism, she spent 12 years chasing deadlines as a news and documentary producer, writer, international news desk editor, and web editor. After the birth of her first child, it became obvious she was not going to be the next Katie Couric or Christiane Amanpour. She was still dedicated, but the only thing gained from the grueling weekend and overnight shifts was a case of gastritis. She remembers being "so busy" she could not step away for lunch/dinner/breakfast and would have to shove the food down while hovering over her computer. The disgusting crumbs piling up in the keyboard were hers. As luck would have it, another round of layoffs was near and she seized the opportunity (having survived a few layoffs before). Several months into her severance she was fortunate to find a job in PR and Communications, promoting a subject that felt like a natural fit.
The most important lesson she's learned since becoming a mom is: NEVER say never. "I will NEVER shop at Costco, drive a car with a carpool number, become a 'soccer' mom, live near my parents in a house in the suburbs." She now does all those things and more she never thought she would with the utmost feeling of gratitude.
Transition from Little Kid to Teen: What I’ll Miss Most
It hit me as soon as I opened his bedroom door. I was greeted by an unearthly rank odor that smelled like an 80s locker room. Socks, worn during baseball practice, were the culprit(s).
That's...
A Passover Explainer – What’s on a Seder Plate
Passover -- also known as Pesach -- is one of the most important high holidays in the Jewish calendar. The week-long holiday commemorates the anniversary of the Jews' exodus from Egyptian slavery as it...
Why I Passed Up Work Trips to be at Home with My Kids
The past several months have been some of deep reflection, as I've been *blissfully unemployed* and contemplating my next career move.
I have worked in a corporate environment pretty much since I've been out of...
6 Reasons I Push My Kids to Team Sports
I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I'd become a soccer mom. Nor a football or baseball mom, for that matter. My family moved to the United States as new immigrants when I...
Best Venues to Watch The Nutcracker in Metro Atlanta
'Tis the season for holiday productions and nothing comes quite close to a classic Nutcracker performance. This year, there are plenty of theaters presenting their version of the classic, and some with a twist....
Grappling With the Tween Boy Years
My oldest son is approaching age 12, which means he's becoming a tween boy. He is growing closer to a height where he's able to look me directly in the eye and as wondrous...
6 Reasons to Love the New Cinderella Adaptation
Every once in a while, a family-friendly film comes out that makes us so happy to have children. It gives us a reason to watch the film or series over and over, and continue...
Sleepaway Camp: Amazing for Kid, Hard on Mom
My eldest son recently returned home from an 11-day sleepaway camp in the North Georgia mountains. He returned a bit taller, his voice was a bit raspier, and a bit more sure of himself. Meanwhile,...
One of the Reasons I miss Having Very Young Kids May Surprise You…
My youngest just started Kindergarten, embarking on a new chapter in his childhood. I've had to come to terms with the fact that my children are getting older...fast...and there are so many things I...
With All Our Modern Luxuries, Parenting is Harder than it was 20 Years Ago
I was recently at a friend's daughter's birthday party, a family friend of theirs made a remark that stuck with me. She was a fit grandmother in her 60's. "You moms have it much...