Author Archives: tara

About tara

Off-the-grid living, homeschooling mom with a predilection for <a href="www.NearSeaNaturals.com/">organic fabrics</a>, cooking from scratch, and natural living. I share my 40-acre paradise with one husband, two sons, one dog, 20-some chickens, and some ridiculous number of rabbits, rats, mice, and rattlesnakes.

A ten-year-old’s view of diplomacy

Or, has he been playing too much “Civilization”? “Do you like that guy? If you don’t, then attack his city.” “Try and attack him, and then make peace with him and try and get technology, okay?”

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Think he’ll remember this 20 years from now, when it really matters?

Me, to 6-y-o T: T, you’re very cold T, to me: Well, that’s how life is. No one can have anyone else as they exactly want them.

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It’s good to know I’m useful for SOMETHING.

Me to 6-y-o T: T, go play outside. T, about his brother: N doesn’t want to. DH to T: What if you didn’t have a brother? Would you never go outside? T to DH, in his typical non-sequitur way of … Continue reading

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It’s important to be precise.

N, to DH: You’re the best daddy in the whole world. No, you’re not the best daddy in the whole world, but you’re a good dad, and I love you. And I don’t know if I’ve ever said thanks before … Continue reading

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And this is why one should always ask about context.

So N is 10, and even though we’ve provided him with books about becoming a teenager, sexuality, and the like (which he’s devoured, of course, because they have printed material, and could probably recite back to me ad nauseum), I’ve … Continue reading

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Things that don’t go bump in the middle of the night

T: My dream woke me up.  Wanna know how? Me: No.   OK, yes, how did your dream wake you up? T: It made an unhearable sound. Oh, of COURSE …

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As if I needed more proof that my family’s strange?

T: I wonder what we’ll have for breakfast tomorrow. My husband: How about oatmeal? T, eagerly: How about SARDINES? (No, he wasn’t joking.)

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A master of understatement…

T comes over for help zipping his coat to go outside, and I realize he’s wearing snow pants and a coat but no shirt. I mention, casually, “You know, some people choose to wear a shirt under their coat when … Continue reading

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This is why most Olympic events take place outdoors…

The boys came down stairs looking very disturbed and told us that they’d been practicing javelin with a broom (????) and now there’s a hole in the wall (??????!!!!!!!!!). We mentioned that it’s generally not a good idea to practice … Continue reading

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Conversation with N, late October

Interesting conversation, definitely related to autism, that I’m mostly posting here just so I remember it in the future… We were driving home from town, just N and me, and it was night-time, thus dark in the car, and N … Continue reading

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