What Are You Looking Forward To?

Plus: Should you punish your kids for fighting?

In conversations with people over the past few weeks, I’ve gotten the distinct impression that January has flat-out sucked for many of you. I’ve been hearing about illnesses, school closures, financial hardships, and more. I’m really sorry, and I hope that February brings some relief.

My January involved lots of stretches without heat, internet and/or water; several snow days; a broken septic pump and a totally dead car; a dent in a very new car; an ear infection; and more.

As I said to two of my friends last night, this month can go crawl in a hole and die already.

If you need to vent today, please, go ahead. (I just did.) And also, let’s share what we’re excited about. What are you looking forward to right now? It could be a future time, a vacation, a plan you have in the works … anything, really.

Right now, I’m looking forward to our home renovation being done in a few weeks (HOPEFULLY) and to visiting my parents in (again, hopefully) sunny Florida during my kids’ February break. Share what you’re hoping for or excited about in the comments so we can live vicariously through each other’s distant dreams.

Should Sibling Fights Evoke Consequences?

And now for this week’s

Today I’m commenting on this Instagram post that I’ve seen shared in various places:

Here are my thoughts.