Living With Kids – Jessica Jackson
A while ago, a reader requested featuring more homes in this Living With Kids series at lower price ranges. Gabrielle put out the call, and Jessica was one of the first to respond. While her husband is going to grad school, they live with their three young kids in a town home that is partially government subsidized.
Despite living on a graduate student budget, Jessica and her husband have learned to get creative with their resources — including learning woodworking so they can build their own furniture! You’ll love seeing the happy, bright home they’ve put together. Welcome, Jessica!
Living With Kids – Jessica Jackson:
…Random Thoughts
I think it’s about time for a Random Thoughts post! Here’s what’s on my mind right about now.
Random Thoughts:
– This is a funny week at our house. It’s unlike any other that I can remember. On Sunday, we dropped off Maude, Olive, Oscar, Betty, June, and their cousin Henry, at the airport, so they could fly out to Cousins Week. June turned 8 in May, and this is the first year she’s old enough to go. I always feel so emotional sending them off. I stand there at security, waving until I can’t see them anymore. It feels so different when I fly off to a conference, versus sending them off into the world. Do you feel the same way? …Living With Kids: Katharina Tieben
I was delighted when Katharina reached out to me about sharing her home on Living With Kids. She and her family built their home in the German countryside. The details feels smart and carefully chosen, and the whole home is beautifully put together. As I looked at the photos, I noticed the European influence — the scale feels different than American homes, and there are nooks and crannies to discover. Katharina has wonderful things to say about understanding what makes us happy, and how we spend our time. It was a refreshing read for me this week. Welcome, Katharina!
Living With Kids: Katharina Tieben-
…Living With Kids: Kirsty Larmour
It’s summer road trip season for many of us, which is why this week’s home tour really spoke to me. Meet Kirsty and her family in this edition of Living with Kids. They live a nomadic lifestyle, and they make it seem romantic, interesting, and possible. While I find myself dreading an upcoming 10-hour drive with my kids, Kirsty has been all over the world with her kids — in backpacks, on trains, and in an old 4×4 with a tape deck (where I assume she played awesome mix tapes from back in the day). You’re going to love getting to know her, and you’re going to adore her beautiful home in Abu Dhabi. Her stories make me want to plan an adventures. Welcome, Kirsty!
… Do You Vote Yea or Nay to Separate the Art from the Artist?
I’m thinking about the idea that gets tossed around when an artist (usually a man) behaves badly, and we’re told we need to “separate the art from the artist.” I’m sure you’ve heard the same thing. The idea is that if we find out an artist or creator is a real jerk, we can reject their behavior while still enjoying their art. We hear it about movie makers like Woody Allen and Roman Polanski. We hear it about comedians like Bill Cosby and Louis CK.
But weirdly, I don’t remember hearing it being said about fine artists, about painters. My guess is that it has been said, but I either didn’t see it, or sub-consciously ignored it.
And then I watched Nanette.
…Do You Vote Yea or Nay to Separate the Art from the Artist?Read More »
Living With Kids: Shayla Graham
I love June because it’s my favorite month to spend outside working in the garden, walking the dog in the park at dusk, or having a drink on the porch. It’s not too hot yet (usually!) and the evenings are especially great. That is part of why I fell so in love with this weeks home tour host. Shayla lives in a more rural part of Oklahoma with her husband and kids, and her home has all the Southern charm you would expect. Beautiful green spaces, a nice porch and a sense of quite, easy living. Welcome, Shayla to Living with Kids! … If You Could Change Immigration Policy, What Would You Do?
I’m still overwhelmed with the immigration news. I did not expect to be writing a second post on this topic this week, but here we are. The good news is, the collective outcry we made about families being separated at the border was loud and powerful and pushed the President to reverse course. The bad news is, it’s not as simple as that — the executive order has caused a lot of chaos. Reports say the 2300+ kids who are already in the system are not being reunited with their parents, the zero-tolerance immigration policy is still in place, and innocent kids will continue to be detained for long periods of time.
I’m still reading everything I can, and at this point, if I got to choose, what I would put forth as a plan of action is putting all our efforts into reuniting families, and simultaneously re-implementing a program that doesn’t detain people, and was shown to be successful:
The Family Case Management Program that is being shuttered had 630 families enrolled as of April 19. Essentially a counseling service, it has operated in Chicago, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and Baltimore/Washington, D.C., since January 2016. Social workers help participants find lawyers, navigate the overburdened immigration court system, get housing and health care, and enroll the kids in school.
“The families have thrived,” wrote Schlarb, president of the GEO Group division that also manages the company’s electronic-monitoring business. She noted that 99 percent of participants “successfully attended their court appearances and ICE check-ins.” That includes more than a dozen families who were ultimately deported, added Brane, a member of a DHS advisory panel on family detention.
The Trump administration shut down this program that focused on helping displaced immigrant families who fear returning to their home countries. How about we reinstate it?
If you’re feeling like me and still trying to get more informed about the current immigration policy, I’ve collected 10 [UPDATE: Actually 12+ ] of the most helpful things I’ve read or listened to over the last couple of days.
Helpful Articles on the Immigration Policy
…If You Could Change Immigration Policy, What Would You Do?Read More »
Kids Being Taken From Their Parents: How to Help
I know I’ve been talking about this and I’ve been sharing related links for the past couple of weeks, so perhaps you’re sick of it, but please stick with me.
Raise your hand if you had a hard time celebrating Father’s Day this weekend, while simultaneously learning more details about kids being taken from their parents at our country’s border. It’s awful stuff. And there’s this dread knowing that reporters have only been allowed to see a glimpse of things, and that in reality it’s bound to be much, much worse.
For those needing to get up to date, I’ve collected some notes.
– There’s a new Zero Tolerance policy, instituted by Trump and his team in May. The policy directs that everyone who comes to our border seeking asylum will be criminalized and detained, and that their children will be taken from them and declared “unaccompanied minors,” and placed in an entirely different detainment system. The children are now being used as a bargaining chip.
This interview in Texas Monthly was published on Friday and will give you a good general overview (and may also make you want to puke). A few lines from the interview:
… How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Babysitter These Days?
The other day, in the comments on this post about phone calls, an interesting side-conversation about babysitting started up. It got me thinking about the current state of babysitting.
At our house, we haven’t had to hire a babysitter in ages. Instead, our kids have become babysitters themselves. Maude and Olive babysit for other families regularly — and they have for years. Beyond local babysitting, Maude was an Au Pair in Paris for a year, and Olive has traveled with a family during their spring breaks (to Mexico one year, and DisneyWorld another year) as the nanny. Oscar started babysitting this year too. Little kids LOVE hanging out with Oscar and he’s a really fun babysitter. Betty just turned twelve last month, and I imagine she’ll start getting asked to babysit as well.
That leaves June, who just turned 8 years old, and probably has no memories of any babysitters beyond her siblings. : )
Babysitting in the Bay Area typically pays $10 to $15 per hour depending on how many kids are involved. Maude has one family in the city who pays $20 an hour. That’s a higher rate than I’ve heard in other areas, and is definitely reflective of the insane cost of living here. As Oscar started babysitting he offered a discounted rate for the first few times because he wanted the practice.
…How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Babysitter These Days?Read More »
Let’s Talk About Suicide Statistics, Please
Hearing about Anthony Bourdain’s suicide was another gut punch. If you’re unfamiliar with his work, try this New Yorker profile. He’ll make you want to travel, and he’ll help you combat the fear-of-the-other that so many of us grow up with in America.
Let’s talk about suicide statistics for a minute, please. The CDC shared a new report showing suicide statistics rates in our country are climbing dramatically. Here are some things we know from the study.
Suicide Statistics:
…How Many Phone Calls Do You Make Each Week?
I’ve been thinking about this short essay in the Atlantic called Why No One Answers Their Phone Anymore. It’s about the disappearing phone culture in America. The essay has bits of nostalgia and melancholy, but the author is ultimately fine and settled with the telephone culture change.
Reading it brought up a few thoughts on phone calls:
– As young parents, I remember specifically teaching our older kids phone skills for a Family Home Evening lesson. We talked about different ways to answer, and appropriate ways to hang up; we roll-played with the phone, that sort of thing. Cut to 10 years later and it’s not really a skill we’ve covered for the younger kids. Do they know the basics for phone calls? Probably. But I don’t know that for sure. …Living With Kids: Jana Tigchelaar
What a treat it is to introduce you today to Jana and her husband Jeff who live in Huntington, West Virginia in this edition of Living with Kids. Jana is a Professor and Jeff is a Poet and their house is so cozy you’re going to want to grab a book and curl up in a corner to read. This nearly 100 year old house is full of charm and personality and has lovely details in every corner. Plus Jana has some really heartfelt things to say about surviving a cancer diagnosis, and about living in a town that is wonderful on many levels, but that has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic that has affected America in such a widespread way. Please say hello to Jana.
… My Feminist Husband – Is Your Spouse or Partner A Feminist?
Last week, a Design Mom reader named Jessica sent an email with a great question:
I was just reading the comments on your What Are Your Thoughts on a Female God? post and got to thinking about something I wondered if you could address, perhaps in a post. While it’s obvious you’re a deeply feminist person, do you have a feminist husband? From what you’ve mentioned about him in the past, I have the sense that he too is a feminist, but also know that diverging views even within the same moral construct are possible. (I also thought you might have a take on this because I would imagine you have to level with this to some degree with your church’s views as well.)
…My Feminist Husband – Is Your Spouse or Partner A Feminist?Read More »
Living With Kids: Jordan Grantham
I’m delighted to introduce you to Jordan Grantham, who lives in Dallas, Texas. The first thing that caught my attention in her beautiful home was the amazing gallery wall in the living room. I love when a home feels curated and collected — pieces gathered over time, each with stories to tell, some expensive, some thrifted, some given by friends. And Jordan’s gallery wall seems to have that exact vibe going for it. She and her husband are parents of adorable twins, and have a long-time love of DIY projects. In the living with kids home tour, Jordan shares some really lovely thoughts about motherhood and the struggles we often go through to create our families. Welcome, Jordan!
… Walking the Powerful Woman Tightrope: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Documentary
I saw RBG the other night. Have you heard of it? It’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary about her career. I didn’t understand how emotional I would feel as I watched it, but I started crying at two minutes in, and was a ball of tears off and on throughout. I went into the movie not knowing much about her (outside of the Notorious RBG memes that have been popular the last few years), and loved learning how she carefully and systematically built a legal foundation for working toward women’s equality. Her career is really quite remarkable.
One of the things that struck me throughout the Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary was her appearance. I couldn’t shake the idea that every detail about the way she presented herself affected whether or not she would be listened to and taken seriously by her peers — who were essentially all men.
…Walking the Powerful Woman Tightrope: Ruth Bader Ginsburg DocumentaryRead More »
Living With Kids: Sara Davis
Sara’s home is gorgeous and charming, curated and stylish. Best part? She’s a big DIYer and has done a lot of the work with her handy husband, Steve. They live in a little town outside of Indianapolis, and their home is full of traditional pieces with modern finishes, and gorgeous colors throughout. Sara is also an entrepreneur, a blogger and a former greeting card designer. Her positive attitude and her welcoming digs are going to make you want to pick out some DIY projects to tackle in your own home. Please say hello to Sara!
… What Are Your Thoughts on a Female God?
Not to stress anyone out, but I’m hoping you’re up for a religious discussion today. (Amazing t-shirt here.)
I went to a poetry reading last night to mark the publication of a new book focused on poems about Heavenly Mother, and it got me curious about your thoughts. The book, by the way, is called Dove Song.
A fun fact you may or may not know is that Heavenly Mother, a Goddess, spouse, partner and equal to God/Heavenly Father, is part of Mormon doctrine. In early Mormon history, Heavenly Mother was written about quite a bit, and then, in the 1900s, she mostly stopped being mentioned. By the 1970’s and the arrival of the equal rights movement, many Mormon women were angry that Heavenly Mother, a unique and important part of the doctrine, had been all but erased and forgotten. They started writing poems and essays about Her and attempted to bring Her back into Mormon religious discussions.
Though their efforts were diligent, Heavenly Mother didn’t make it back into Mormon Sunday School manuals or discussions in a big way. And as I grew up in the Mormon Church, I was taught She existed, but not much else. She was rarely if ever brought up.
In the last few years, as women in the Mormon Church have demanded more equality, another resurgence of writings about a female God is happening. And I’m loving it.
As I was listening to the poems last night, I was struck that they didn’t sound particularly Mormon to me — I wasn’t hearing typical Mormon lingo. Instead, they just sounded really feminist to me. And I thought they would appeal to anyone who craves a more feminine deity. Here are a couple of examples:
… Mom and Daughter Trip to The Big Island of Hawaii
Last week, my daughter Betty and I took a mom and daughter trip to the Big Island of Hawaii to celebrate her 12th birthday. A trip with one child and one parent is our 12th birthday tradition. It wasn’t a long trip — we were there for 4 days. But we sure had a fabulous time. Would you like to see a report about our stay?
…Mom and Daughter Trip to The Big Island of HawaiiRead More »
The Country’s Views on Marijuana Legalization Are Evolving. Are Yours?
A few months ago it was announced that John Boehner, a life-long socially conservative politician, joined the board of a marijuana company. As you can imagine, the responses were varied. Some people saw it as a positive sign of progress, others saw it as a sign that the whole world is going to Hell. But most of the responses I saw were from people who were upset that this rich white man was going to financially benefit from marijuana, while thousands of people of color are sitting in jail on marijuana charges, based on laws that Boehner helped pass and uphold. Which seems to me a valid thing to be upset about.
The whole thing got me thinking about weed and how fast attitudes in the U.S. are changing about it at the current moment. At the end of 2014, I hosted a discussion about marijuana legalization, asking: If it was legal, would you use it? And I explained why I’d never been tempted to try it. Obviously, the comments on the post were fantastic.
But it’s been 3 and a half years, and a lot has changed. In my own state of California, recreational use of marijuana is totally legal now, and there are marijuana shops that look as clean and modern and hip as an Apple store. The stigma around the drug seems to be disappearing. And heck, three years ago, I don’t think Mr. Boehner would have even considered joining the same board.
…The Country’s Views on Marijuana Legalization Are Evolving. Are Yours?Read More »
Living With Kids: Jeanne Washburn
