Carnegie Hill Mom

“Emily’s a baby! Emily’s a baby!” chanted my twins’ 1st-grade classmate. “I’m not a baby. I’m 4 years old,” my preschooler rebutted matter-of-factly. Thank goodness she has thick skin . Unfortunately, my two-year-old is a sponge for good and bad behavior, so she parroted back, “Emily’s a baby!” “I’m not a baby. You’re the baby,” Emily replied. “You’re two.” “I’m not a baby. I’m a big girl. I’m two and-a-half ,” my toddler insisted. The other day, my two-year-old even went so far as to march around the apartment, exclaiming, “I’m bigger than you!” to all siblings and parents in sight. At 35″, that clearly wasn’t true. But it highlights the yearning my littlest one has to measure up to her older siblings as she transitions from baby to child. My older kids understand that sometimes it’s appropriate to give their sister what she’s crying for or grabbing at just because she’s little. But as her third birthday approaches, she can’t play that card much longer...

We all know getting out the door with little kids underfoot is an endeavor on an ordinary day. Preparing for a ski day with four kids under six , however, calls for a whole new level of parenting dexterity—and especially the determination to push through the craziness . Getting my family geared up, outside and onto the ski slope is a whole lot of journey for a (thankfully) incredible mountainside destination . When I get bogged down in the process and wonder, “Is it really worth it?” I just tell myself, “Yes” and keep moving through the steps. Any of these sound familiar? (Number 21, anyone?) Wake up and rejoice that it’s Saturday—my day to sleep in! Roll over and realize that it’s a ski weekend, so I do actually have to get up. Dish up and eat somewhere between 6 and 12 bowls of cereal. Brush six sets of teeth. Explain to my four-year-old that, no, she can’t stay by herself while the rest of the family goes skiing. And yes, that means get ready now . Make a no...

“Where can I put this, so nobody gets it?” my daughter asked, holding the half-finished art project she was working on as I pushed three kids and my husband out the door for 8 a.m. school drop-off. “In your drawer,” I suggested, knowing my two-year-old wouldn’t venture into that off-limits territory while her older siblings were at school. In our family, each kid has one drawer in their bedroom entirely to themselves, where they can store their most prized possessions. When you’re used to sharing a room with three siblings, getting a whole new drawer is like being gifted a mansion. Raising four kids in a two-bedroom apartment requires some ninja organizational skills plus one essential rule: everyone—and everything—needs a place to be. Most of our apartment is communal. We share school supplies and spots at the table, bathrooms and bins of books , toys and technology. But to coexist peacefully, it’s crucial to give our kids one thing: a sliver of personal space. ...