Jordan Reid's Blog, page 17

Three Apps Both My Kids And I LOVE

I am not an app person (except for Doodlejump; goodness, I love it). So when my son started getting into them, I was both perplexed (“how does that…work?”) and nervous (what if he spends too much money? what if he fills up my entire phone? what if I look away for a second, and all of a sudden he’s being shown NRA ads during commercial breaks?). But it turns out that the apps my son gravitates towards are amazing – so amazing that we literally spend hours (!) every single weekend (and, ok, some ...

I Have Unlocked The Riddle Of Cutting My Son’s Hair

Selfie

I have always, despite any supporting evidence whatsoever, been wholly convinced that – if put to the task – I’d be fully capable of giving someone a decent haircut. I mean, I’ve gotten my hair cut! A lot! Doesn’t that qualify me to take on the role of a actual trained human whose actual profession is haircutting?!

Yeah, so the first real haircut (apart from the baby years) I gave my son didn’t go so well. I thought it was okay, or at least okay-ish, but then he arrived at my house a few...

5 Phenomenal Buys Under $20

Maybe shopping will make the feelings go away! 

Here’s a sad fact for you: The actual most exciting moment in my day is when I hear the UPS or Amazon Prime delivery dude coming down the street. (Related: Yesterday my daughter whirled around, glared at me, and said “MOM. WHEN WILL THE CORONAVIRUS BE OVER?” …Same, my love. Same.)

Anyway, here are some extremely affordable and truly wonderful purchases that I’ve discovered over the past few weeks (hooray for shopping-related dopamine hits! #whatev...

How To Make Takeout-Style Pad See Ew With Chicken & Asparagus

K and I have been each taking one kid a night each week for “special time.” Which means the photo above is of my son and I spending a full night together, cooking and watching Thor Ragnarok and reading. It’s lovely.

I am craving Thai food in a big, big way these days. Pad See Ew, specifically – it’s one of my favorite dishes on the planet. But there’s only one Thai restaurant nearby(ish) to me, and nearby(ish) means a 15 minute drive each way, and I do not have that kind of time (or, frankly, t...

In Which We Reach The Limit Of My Abilities

I’ve gotten pretty handy over the years, mostly thanks to the presence in my life of a few Superwomen who have taught me how to do things like lay tile, resurface brick, and even demolish concrete (not the best idea for the old neck muscles, but surprisingly fun). And lord, do I wish those women lived near me still, because the house that I’m currently renting has alllllllll the project opportunities (yes, I fix up houses that I rent – you can read my rationale here).

In the course of my effort...

Brace Yourselves

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This sums it up! @blackparentmagazine @kind_academy

A post shared by Teacher Misery (@teachermisery) on Jul 16, 2020 at 3:59am PDT

Claire Zulkey, creator of the only newsletter I never, ever fail to open, Evil Witches, talks to teachers and administrators to get some answers to the questions on every parent’s mind (spoiler: There aren’t any good ones).

This weekend I had a socially distant backyard BYOB hangout with a middle sch...

Some Words For My Pregnant Self

My heart.

When we found out we were expecting our first child nearly nine years ago (!) I was unprepared to the point of near-lunacy. I ended my club-girl partying days approximately one second before we decided to try for a baby, lived in a one-bedroom fourth-story walkup with holes in the floor and an oven that wanted to kill us, and had exactly zero friends with children (in addition to having no siblings or immediate, close-by family members with kids).

The second time around, I was better ...

Teenage Boys Are The Worst: A Refresher Course

This whole post is basically an ad for my next book

Ohhhhkay, so today? Was one big reminder why I am so super glad I am not a teenage girl anymore. Because teenage boys are the fucking worst. And they’re so adorably charming-when-they-want-to-be that you forget! But then you remember. Because they do something that’s the fucking worst, and they could have really just HAD A LITTLE FORESIGHT or DISPLAYED A MODICUM OF RESPONSIBILITY, but NOPE.

I have this couch. Or rather my landlord has this cou...

The Most Calming Living Room I Ever Did See

Our Home Editor, Audrey, takes us on a tour of her gorgeous living room, decorated in calming neutral tones and textures.

Welcome to our living room! While it’s the least-utilized space in our house, it’s certainly my favorite from a design perspective. The living room was a huge selling point when we first saw the house back in February of 2019 – I knew there was potential the second I saw the large windows and vaulted ceiling. I also quickly realized that the layout of the room would be trick...

This Preteen’s Bedroom Got A MAJOR Makeover

Before

When I was 9 or so, I decided that I wanted my bedroom to be painted in shades of purple and teal (it was 1990; I have no other excuse for this) – and my parents, to their immense credit, let me actually do it. Which is great! Everyone should have a regrettably painted preteen room; it’s a rite of passage.

But another rite of passage is when you age out of that room, and suddenly find yourself wanting something a bit more…peaceful. The teenage years can be rough ones, and I think having ...