NerdyTeacherMom

When dealing with kids, sometimes you have to encourage yourself. After threatening to "slap the black off you," "knock you into the middle of next week," or "slap the taste out of your mouth," my mom would simply pray out loud: "Jesus, keep me near the cross!" My sister and brother and I would then know she was on edge, and we were usually smart enough to back off. These days, my go-to line is more of an affirmation: "Children are a blessing to be enjoyed." It's one of the many sayings I've learned from listening to Joel Osteen on satellite radio. Taken from Psalm 127:3, it reminds me that no matter how far my girls have gone, how much they are weighing on my last nerve, I need to be thankful for them. Saying it aloud helps me remember to not get worked up over little things. Hearing it aloud alerts my children that they are "skating on thin ice." Hearing me chant it multiple times further drives the point

NerdyTeacherMom has only 17 more days of summer. I envision my colleagues enjoying themselves, stress-free. I see them reclined at the pool or at their beach houses. I picture them in their home theaters with their feet up surfing the Netflix menu. I assume many on on their decks sipping out of wine glasses and chatting with their friends. Why such imagines? E verybody at school seems to talk about spending weeks on the Eastern Shore or Delaware beaches. I, on the other hand, run around my house telling kids to stop bickering and wondering how Chic-Fil-A and Costco manage to pop up so frequently on my account statement. And I'm already losing sleep over the school year that hasn't started. Of late, the routine is to wake up around 2:30 a.m., go to the bathroom, get back in bed, think about all the things I have to do. After losing good sleep on three nights this week alone, I've developed an action plan. I've decided to devote 2-3 hours each day until school s