HIGHLIGHTED WORK
IS IT SEPARATION ANXIETY OR THE PANDEMIC?
The Washington Post, November 2021
Last spring, as the weather warmed and after-school activities became a thing again, I signed my then 9-year-old son up for a basketball program. It was at a gym he had been to before, but post-covid, the landscape looked different: Parents weren’t allowed inside, so drop off and pick up were at the door. Game days were spent cheering from our cars, as we watched the action unfold via the gym’s live stream.
MY SON THINKS I'M HIS TEACHER
The New York Times, November 2020
One recent morning, as I was passing through my dining room, I overheard my son’s fourth-grade teacher ask him to explain, via video chat, how he’d arrived at an answer to a math problem.
“Because I’ve been in school for, like, four years,” he replied, as I cringed off-camera.
When the lesson was over, I sat my son down to explain why his response wasn’t appropriate, and emailed his teacher to apologize on behalf of my budding comedian.
THE PANDEMIC INTRODUCED MY KID TO FORTNITE. SHOULD I SHUT IT DOWN?
The Washington Post, September 2020
“Do your kids play Fortnite?” I asked one of my friends over text. “Like their lives depended on it,” she quickly replied. “It’s horrible and an obsession.”
This wasn’t the first time I had heard a parent complain about their child’s fascination with Fortnite, Epic Games’ phenomenon that boasts 250 million players worldwide. But until recently I couldn’t relate because I didn’t allow my 9-year-old son to play. He definitely wasn’t a stranger to time in front of the Xbox, but he (and my husband) preferred games that mimicked his real life interests like NBA 2K20 or RBI Baseball.
WRITING/REPORTING
ONLINE GAMING PLAYDATES ARE A PERFECT WINDOW INTO HOW OUR KIDS HANDLE CONFLICT
Parents.com, April 2022
Like many parents, I have a love-hate relationship with Fortnite, the multiplayer video game that my children and their friends are obsessed with. But as we're now in the third year of an unwieldy pandemic that has rendered in-person playdates practically obsolete, I can't deny the positive aspects of allowing my kids some extra screen time. Namely, it gives me a window into how they interact with their friends.
FOOD TRUCKS GET FANCY
The Valley Table, Spring 2022
Even before COVID wreaked havoc on the food industry, working in a restaurant was not for the faint of heart. “It’s a lot of late nights, little time off, and no holidays with family,” remembers John Castrovillari, who toiled away in the kitchens of The Iron Forge and Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery in Warwick and Café Luxembourg in New York City. So, what’s a passionate yet stressed out chef to do? Open a food truck, of course.
THE PANDEMIC MADE MY KIDS MORE DEMANDING
The Washington Post, May 2021
A few months ago, I was the moderator for a virtual roundtable discussion with some of the teachers at my kids’ school. This involved me going upstairs to my office — a place I rarely visit anymore — and closing the door for an hour after dinner.
SOCIAL DISTANCING MIGHT BE THE BREAK PARENTS NEEDED
Mommy Nearest, March 2020
“Hurry up, we’re going to be late.”
I often said these words to my two children as we scrambled to get out the door to wherever I needed to take them. As we drove to my daughter’s dance class a couple of weeks ago, I found myself wondering what effect our perpetual state of rushing was having on their well-being. I thought it might make for an interesting essay topic, and even made a mental note to find an expert who could walk me through what the fast-paced nature of our lives was doing to our children.
ROCKLAND NATIVE, BOUTIQUE OWNER SUPPORTS 7TH GRADE ENTREPRENEURS
The Journal News, August 2019
Two years ago, Manal Flournoy was driving down South Broadway in Nyack when she saw a "For Rent" sign in the window of one of the storefronts.
The idea of opening a clothing store had always appealed to the mother of two, who had been working in the garment industry for years. That night, she called the landlord and rented it on the spot. She named her new shop Runway on the Hudson and filled it with fun, funky pieces, most priced under $60. And then she waited for the customers to come.
MEET THE CHEF BEHIND SOONS ORCHARD'S INSANELY POPULAR 'DINNER AT THE FARM' EVENTS
The Journal News, December 2018
When Shawn Hubbell was a child, Saturday morning cartoons didn’t hold the same appeal that they do for most kids.
“I was watching cooking shows,” he says. “Julia Child, the Ragin’ Cajun, Jacques Pepin.” His father’s job at a large produce company took the family to Guatemala when Hubbell was eight and the budding chef grew up surrounded by fruits and vegetables at their peak freshness — with parents who knew how to prepare them.
LEARNING TO ROLL AT BEING 'GOOD ENOUGH' AT WORK AND PARENTING
The Washington Post, February 2018
A few months ago, an article titled “The New Midlife Crisis For Women” kept popping up in my Facebook feed. I wondered if they were talking about me, but it was a few weeks before I had time to sit down and read it without interruption.
The gist was that women who are either entering or well into their 40s are stressed out, overwhelmed and basically a hot mess — no matter how successful they are. Several women were interviewed for the piece, and as I read about their experiences, I felt as though I was among my people.
CONTENT CREATION
10 OUTDOOR FAMILY ADVENTURES TO TAKE THIS SUMMER
Mommy Nearest, June 2021
I have never embraced outdoor activities more than I have since the coronavirus pandemic came to dominate our lives. Ice skating, sledding, bike riding, hiking, outdoor entertaining in our driveway—my family has done all of these things in the last year. Something about getting my kids to play outside just makes me feel like I am killing this parenting thing. And now that the weather is warming up, I’m looking forward to continuing our outdoor adventures.
MOMMY BURNOUT: WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO FIX IT
1-800-Flowers Petal Talk Blog, May 2021
If you’re a mother, chances are you’re familiar with burnout, especially after spending a year living through a pandemic that has forced many moms to add teacher, therapist, short-order cook, and tech expert to the roles they already play.
CARE ABOUT WHERE YOUR MEAT COMES FROM? TRY PORTER ROAD
Mommy Nearest, March 2021
Buying groceries online was a thing long before the pandemic began, but I had only tried it a few times before our lives went into lockdown last spring. Now, the ability to have quality products delivered to my doorstep has become a part of our routine, one that I plan on continuing even after I feel safe shopping in stores regularly again.
HOW TO SAVE FOR COLLEGE IN THE NEW NORMAL
TIAA.com, January 2021
Parents, their college-age students, and even universities themselves have all had to adjust to new ways of thinking about the value of higher education, value, and how to fund it. If you are one of the 11.1 million people in the United States currently unemployed*, saving with so many unknowns might be difficult and strange. If you were already paying tuition—and didn’t get much of a refund when universities across the country went remote—it’s hard not to wonder if higher education is worth the price tag.