Tag - the-parent-trip

 
 

THE PARENT TRIP

Japan Times
LIFE / Language / THE PARENT TRIP
Oct 4, 2002
More than just child's play
Until I became a mother, I had never heard of a playgroup. Three babies later, I can say that establishing a thriving playgroup has been one of my greatest achievements in recent years.
LIFE / Language / THE PARENT TRIP
Jul 5, 2002
Equal but different
My 18-month-old daughter, Marin, was involved in a tug-of-war over a toy with a little friend a few months older. The boy gave my daughter a small shove and won possession of the coveted toy, and Marin promptly burst into noisy sobs. The other mother hurried over. Handing the toy back to Marin, she scolded her son. "Don't push Marin-chan like that. You have to be gentle with little girls!"
LIFE / Language / THE PARENT TRIP
May 31, 2002
Footloose in 'Holland'
Sue stared intently from across the sandbox and asked, "Have you ever heard of Asperger's Syndrome?"
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / THE PARENT TRIP
Mar 8, 2002
Not every parent wants a model child
I had noticed the woman in the shop, but hadn't really thought anything of her. She was watching me as I tried to keep an eye on Alex, my hyperactive 2 1/2-year-old son, while at the same time picking my way through the kids' section to find a new jacket for him.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / THE PARENT TRIP
Jan 11, 2002
When 'Snap to it!' is just no use
Patience. Parents need it by the bucketload; teachers, doctors and nurses must be able to summon it by the truckload. But where do other people get their reserves of patience?
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
Oct 26, 2001
If it's Tuesday, it must be . . . swimming?
No doubt about it, life in Japan is busy -- and even small children have a "schedule." All of my son's first-grade friends at Japanese elementary school have at least one after-school activity, if not two or three. An informal survey revealed that piano and ballet are tops with the girls, that the boys prefer soccer and karate, while English and swimming are popular with everyone. Then there are academic classes in mathematics or Japanese, extra practice for those who need a little help -- or who want to get ahead.
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
Sep 14, 2001
Disney domination
I should have known that Disney characters would one day take over my home.
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
Aug 10, 2001
We are family . . .
My seven brothers and sisters testify to the reality that families come in all sizes, shapes and colors. We range in shades from straight coffee to cafe latte to cream.
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
Jul 13, 2001
Whatever can go wrong . . .
Writers of how-to articles about traveling with kids usually talk about Baby's ears popping in airplanes and keeping little Junior and Sis amused on long drives so they don't refight the Macedonian War in the back seat. Older kids, these writers seem to assume, can take care of themselves, when they deign to travel with Mom and Dad at all.
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
Jul 6, 2001
Remember always -- graduation day
Dear Son,
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
Jun 22, 2001
Sho-chan's send-off
In Japan, leave-takings are marked with fanfare. Parties, gifts, speeches, photos, train-platform farewells, never-ending waves goodbye and bows -- the Japanese really know how to say sayonara. As a long-term resident of Japan, I have been on the receiving end of these rituals many times. But the most memorable send-off I have ever witnessed was the one given my adopted son when he left the orphanage to come and join our family.
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
Jun 8, 2001
Trips, tripwires of expat parenthood
Life with Corey started long before we even knew what his name was to be. On a summer day in 1999, we were shown the first confirmatory ultrasound after pregnancy was suspected -- he was the size of a pea, if that. From there, we watched him progress through the months in a series of ever-more pronounced human features until the delivery-room handoff to Dad.
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
May 18, 2001
A journey with two routes
Like every other woman crammed into the waiting-room couches at the infertility clinic, I was desperate to conceive a child. Trying to become pregnant through artificial means had consumed my emotional and physical energy for over three years. Every time a heavily pregnant woman, often with another child in tow, trudged past, some of us looked up from our magazines, unable to conceal our pure, unadulterated envy. Others made a brave show of continuing to read.
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
May 11, 2001
Terrible 2 goes on holiday
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
May 4, 2001
Big threat in a small box
I'm sure I speak for many parents out there who have had to deal with a threat to their children's mental and physical well-being more terrifying than television, more pernicious than pornography and more insidious than ijime.
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
Apr 27, 2001
Being completely fair
When I brought my children to Japan a year ago, I expected they'd pick up on certain things faster than me. I did not, however, anticipate that they'd so quickly succumb to the Japanese national obsession with janken.
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
Apr 20, 2001
Thievery and redemption: a normal Sunday
I am seduced by a late-flowering sprig of cherry blossom in the morning. Number Two Son -- all of 6 years old -- thoughtfully snags my nose with it as he lays it on my pillow. Feelings of undying gratitude are quickly spiked by concern about provenance. Not our garden, not the neighbors', not the nearby park -- is it plucked from some poor innocent's terrace on the way to the convenience store?
COMMUNITY / THE PARENT TRIP
Apr 13, 2001
English as a father tongue
You are living in Japan in a bicultural, bilingual relationship (meaning that you can deal with the dry-cleaning guy in Japanese). Little Tomu or Tommy, your first, has gone from goos and gurgles to words and even sentences. How cute! Kawaii! You, who have struggled so hard to master Nihongo (or at least understand the dry-cleaning guy when he comes to collect), are amazed, pleased and more than a bit envious that this pint-sized wonder is picking up the language so quickly. You want to help him along (or fear that he is going to overtake you), so when he prattles in Japanese to you, you prattle back.

Longform

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