Welcome, Star-Ledger readers!

For those of you not living in New Jersey or regularly checking the Star-Ledger's site, I was featured today in the paper and the Star-Ledger's Parental Guidance blog. I can't think of a single complaint about this interview, which is unusual for me. I wasn't renamed Alice Brady, and the writer actually made me sound like an intelligent, reasonable being, neither bitter nor narcissistic. I'm not sure how she accomplished this, but I won't question her methods. Thanks, Carrie!

And now I suppose I should prove myself worthy of her kind words by, uh, writing something, or whatever. Hrrrm.

As some of you know, my son is currently enrolled in half-day kindergarten, which is (I'm trying to phrase this delicately) kicking my ass all over town. Half-day translates to two hours and fifty minutes, and factoring in the time it takes to walk him there and back and then answer a few calls and maybe make some lunch for myself before I keel over, I'm left with exactly three minutes to write. (Don't double-check that math.) In general my son is an easygoing sort, the type of kid who can be left alone for hours while he builds deadly Lego constructions, so I thought our mornings would be full of him playing while I, you know, channeled the Muse. But lately he wants quality time. With me. And you've seen those eyes; how can I say no to those? Even if his eyes were squinty and not particularly disarming, how can I turn away my baby when he requests a little face-time? I cannot. And so I have been listening to story after endless story, stories I can't really follow involving superheroes and Star Wars characters involved in multi-tiered conflagrations, and my brain, it is crammed full of five-year-old chatter. Inventive chatter, to be sure, but chatter. General Grievous! Trans-warp systems! Alien nanotechnology! Etc. So now I can no longer put sentences together in a way that sense they make good. Soon, though, the child will tire of me and let me get some work done. And then, crap, I'll have no excuse.

Comments

[Candy]

As it turns out, I AM in New Jersey, and I think there's a copy of the Star Ledger in my company kitchen. I'm off for a good read!

[Robin]

Nice write-up. Congratulations on the publicity. Keep on writing Alice (Bradley, Brady, whatever they call you). I want to be you when I grow up!

[suburbancorrespondent]

You definitely need to set up morning playdates for him! I'm sure another 5-year-old would get a heck of a lot more out of those conversations than you do. Off to check out your link...

[nate]

Could be worse. My daughter's kindergarten starts at 7:45, which means we leave the house no later than 7:30, which means she wakes up when it's dark. It's impossible to get breakfast into her, and when she gets home she's exhausted, and can't be persuaded to do anything on her own, but then keyed up at night and can't sleep. So Hey! Guess What! She's even more tired the next day! And it's ONLY TUESDAY!!!!

So--Henry may be going full-tilt on Star Wars stories, but at least he's rested...

[Heidi]

I am a card-carrying member of the Ignore Your Child for Their Own Good School of Parenting, but my little girl knows my weaknesses:
"Mommy, will you hug me and love me? I want to 'nuggle with you!"
Can. not. resist!

[Astrogirl426]

Congrats on the interview! Yay!

<--extremely grateful that my almost-5-year old still wants nothing to do with me. Still getting brain filled with almost-five-year old stories, shouted at me from across the room. Yay.

[bessie.viola]

Oh, the five-year-old babble... I cannot resist it ever. And I think I would be especially weak to your boy's pleading eyes!!

Maybe that's because mine is only 7 months? The novelty wears off, I'm sure... :)

Great article BTW!! Congrats!!

[elise]

Great write-up. And don't worry. One day your website will be popular. Keep working!

[George]

When your son perfects his Photo-Ototomic Trans-somgobulating-Yecto-fantriplutonic-zanziptomiser, and heads out to a faraway planet, you will miss these times together. (See: Captain Underpants)

[edj]

I thought that was a really good article. Congrats.
And I am always amazed (always, I tell you) at how much time is taken up with transporting children to and from school. My kids are in the French system, which means we do it four times a day. It's my life. So much for writing.

[Mary Anne]

yeah, good luck with him tiring of you. I thought the same thing 5 years ago when mine was 5. Here's what you need to know going forward: the topic will change to things like Pokemon and Charizards and what kind of fire/water/make me mental power they have. I had to share this same info with another blogger friend earlier in the week. I'll be here for you when you need me after your head explodes from too much Japanese Animae.

[Mauigirl]

Loved the article, you're right, she did a great job!

I am highly impressed with your web traffic, LOL! After this article it will likely double!

[Jenn]

My four year old son is all about superhero's and all of their possible different special abilities right now so I feel your pain.

[MFab]

Ah, yes. General Grevious. My 5 year old calls him Admiral Grease, which is much more entertaining for me.

[Email From The Embassy]

I feel your pain. We, too, are in the midst of a 5-year-old General Grevious obsession. Add that to 8-year-old Pokemon stories, and your head starts spinning. I suppose this is the age when moms master the all-important word "hmmmmmm," spoken as if considering what's just been said, when in reality your mind is screaming for something, anything, but light saber talk.

I miss Blue's Clues, really I do.

[all things BD]

Congrats on the interview.

Damn that George Lucas and his insistence on dredging up the Star Wars machine for another generation. My two girls (GIRLS!) are OBSESSED with all things Star Wars and have been asking for their very own "Life Savers" so they can be like "Dark Vader" and go to the "Darth Side". I give up.

[Christina]

I just read about the star ledger article on Baristanet(our local blog)! I've been reading you for over a year now and while I knew you were in Jersey - I didn't realize you nearly next door - Congratulations!
http://www.baristanet.com/2007/05/bloomfield_land_of_the_alpha_m.php

[One Mom]

You do realize that some day soon your son will not want/need this face-to-face time and you will actually miss it?! You will be the one seeking quality time. Take advantage of the present and impress it upon your memory. It is good. Your muse is standing by.

[Angel Funk]

The Star Wars role playing wears me down every time. And my kid is only 3.

Congrats on the interview and why in the hell is there half day kindergarten?

[Asianmommy]

Congrats on the news article!
We only have girls here, so I'm not up to speed on the Star Wars stuff. I don't know, it's a toss up--would you rather be dressing up like a princess & having a tea party?

[sara]

great article. you are, by the way, kinda like a rock star. an acquaintance told me they read your blog, and i shamelessly mentioned that i used to hang with you at the tot lot in brooklyn. (don't know if you remember me...but no matter...i'm not making it up, we did, in fact, hang). i didn't claim much-- i just mentioned that i had actually talked to the living, breathing alice bradley. and henry! before i knew you had a blog. and this woman, she got wide-eyed in disbelief-- she grabbed my shoulder-- she said, "no way!"-- this is more or less the same response i got when i said that i had seen david bowie on mercer street.

[Euthie]

I read the Star Ledger article about your blog today, and actually found your "OF COURSE" post funny (I understood the context in which you meant it). Lovely site! Hope to enjoy more of your musings!

[lurky mommy]

Congrats on the good article! Not to burst your bubble but last year, my lego-loving, star wars expert, half-day kindergarten son did not tire of me. Not for even one half day. And not all summer long either. Lucky for me, I'm OK at legos and find him to be good company. Now the schools no longer offer a half-day option, and my full-time kindergarten daughter is exhausted and melting down on a daily basis and grumpy and often down-right mean. It could be worse...

[Susan Davies]

Having seen those eyes, I can safely say they are completely irresistible. I believe that in a few years they are going to break a lot of hearts. What a gorgeous kid!

[Stephanie]

I feel your pain with the half day kindergarten. I thought "Wow, three hours, five days a week! I'll get so much done!" And I just didn't. I hated having my days so broken up (I had a third grader, too, so it meant walking back and forth to school four times a day). But it gets better. You'll find a groove and be able to get more done. And if you don't, there's always first grade!

[Erin]

Funny, I hear that kind of talk from my husband all the time. Then I try to interject with my own version of nerd-speak, and he has to correct me. Me: It's as cold as the planet Hoff in here! Him: It's Hoth. Duh.

Our seven-month-old even has a Yoda costume for Halloween.

[Sue]

Loved the interview (see, now THAT'S blog famous).

I long for the day when my kids think I'm too dorky and uncool to play with.

[HeyJoe]

Dearest Alice,

Oh SURE, the Star-Ledger readers get a special welcome; a bunch of Johnny Come Latelies, reading ONLY because you're a well-known hottie mommy (mottie) blogger, while us regulars get the occasional, lackadaisical scrap from your table of profundity.

Just so you know, it hurts. But not really, unless of course your guilty conscience prompts you to give me treats.

Eschewedly
Joe

[Michelle]

I have a nephew, and I've realized that he has big words in his vocabulary that I know are real but that I have probably never used in my life. Little boys are SMART. Thank you, Transformers.

[erin]

Congrats on your publicity! I'm not from that part of the country, but sounds like a big deal.

I can't think through a GROCERY LIST with my kids in the same room. No way I could get work done.

[Jennifer]

I saw a tweet from Mom Bloggers Club with a link to your article, which I read and wanted more, and now I'm here! Isn't it fascinating the paths that are taken to blogs? Congrats on the article. You looked good on the Today show, by the way!

[Natasha @ Becoming Something]

I am so glad it's your son who's so into Star Wars and not mine as I've never seen Star Wars and don't desire to. I just read your essay in Things I Learned About My Dad (in Therapy) and while it was good and entertaining, also cringe-worthy for me because I do don't relate. I ended up feeling sorry for you and I don't think that was the emotion you were going for.

Half-day kindergarten is a disappointment for me as well. We either have full days every other day or half days everyday. I opted for the half days because it's the only option of you want French Immersion.

[Natasha @ Becoming Something]

Just read the article. It IS great! I love the last line. Hadn't read that far into archives (if you even wrote about it at all).

[Tabitha]

your site is so great and your writing so funny! I know it's hard to be pulled away from it but you're right, your son is a cutey!
http://www.fromsingletomarried.com

[Hi Kooky]

You were published in a Norton Anthology?!? Seriously, Alice. You've arrived.

[MotherhoodTheUltimateSurvivor]

I feel your pain and raise you one four year old who wants to spend the morning harpening pentils (sharpened pencils). So for two hours I harpened pentils while my brain silently screamed....Write Sharon! You need to write lest your head explode.

[Lisa Clarke]

I haven't read an actual newspaper on actual newsprint paper since 1998, but I do spend more than my fair share of time ingesting information online - that's how I found you. JerseyBlogs Blog of the Day.

And as I am also a New Jersey mother of a 5-year-old half-day kindergarten boy, I can relate. I have an 8-year-old son, too, and as much as I hate to tell you this, I will anyway: if you thought he could be such a teenager at five, just wait until you see what eight looks like. I'm just sayin'...

[manager mom]

I feel your pain on the whole mystifying boy culture. My son starts speaking Transformer and all of the sudden my head starts to hurt. I have two master's degrees, and yet the boy thinks I'm the stupidest person in the world because I can't remember if Optimus Prime is a good or a bad guy.

[STUFT]

My co-blogger is in the same boat with the half day kindergarten thing. I can't believe they think this is viable option for parents. She has a child in grade one, another in half-day kindy and another at home with her. She drops two kids off in the morning, returns home for a couple of hours with one then returns to school to pick up the kindy kid goes home again for an hour and returns yet again at 3pm to collect the eldest child. I'd last a week tops with sort of routine. Who came up with this concept?

[Beth]

The suck of the half-day. Mine's at a preschool (the only one we got into) that does 2 half-days per week. OK, we love the preschool, but for a working parent, this kills.

[Linda]

Congrats on your placement! I was equally as thrilled when my Travelrific blog and podcast were featured as Blog of the Day online at nj.com!

[Roxanne]

Hi! Found your website after I googled how to get rid of mice and now it is almost 2 a.m. and I am still reading it! You are a great writer!