When “Good Enough” Is More Than Enough

 Cass used to suffer from monthly UTIs when she was a baby. My gynecologist first detected a problem during my 16-week pregnancy scan. Her right kidney was dilated. Because of that finding, he arranged additional scans, 3D scans, and even an amniocentesis to investigate further. When Cass was born, all her initial tests came back…

The Best Investment I Ever Made: Raising a Reader

Cass, my youngest daughter, wasn’t an early reader. She only started recognizing words at around age five. I still remember her teacher telling her to eat more eggs so her memory would improve and she could recognize words more easily. Perhaps she simply hadn’t found the right books yet. Everything changed when I introduced her…

When Your Children Discover Passions You Never Had

Both my eldest daughter, Alycia, and my middle daughter, Sherilyn, started ballet lessons when they were 4 years old. They’re now 23 and 21. Alycia disliked ballet from the very beginning and eventually stopped after a few years. She later moved on to kickboxing, Muay Thai and tennis instead — definitely more her style! Sherilyn,…

The Midnight Mechanic

If you’re a parent of a teenager, especially one in the thick of major exams, you know the drill. The house becomes a backdrop to their intense, often messy, always exhausting routine. Chores fall by the wayside, sleep schedules invert, and you learn to appreciate the rare sight of a cleaned plate left in the…

A Peachy Chicken Chop and the Cost of Dreams

Cass’s lunner (lunch + dinner) yesterday was a delicious yet simple homecooked meal — air-fried chicken chop with tomatoes and blanched broccoli. The chicken was marinated with a mix of teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, a bit of oyster sauce, Lea & Perrins, black pepper, minced garlic, dried rosemary, and my secret twist — St. Dalfour’s…

The Great Chocolate Chip Heist

Besides butter and ice-creams, Cass also has a serious love affair with chocolate. She especially loves chocolate chips generously scattered on cakes and cookies. So it came as no surprise when I brought home a loaf of double chocolate cake topped with a layer of shiny, sugary chocolate chips, and she immediately asked, “Can I…