Author Archives: Susan H. Greenberg

About Susan H. Greenberg

Susan H. Greenberg spent 22 years as a journalist for Newsweek Magazine. She now works as a writer, editor, teacher, and parent of three children, with whom she strives always to maintain a varnish-free relationship.

The Last Walk

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Susan H. Greenberg

I slipped the leash around his neck for the last time. He wagged his tail, hopeful even through his labored breaths that we might be going for a walk. Just 24 hours earlier, Max, our 12-year-old Lab, had been diagnosed … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Parenting, Pets | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments

The Packing Wars

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Susan H. Greenberg

If you really want to test your marriage, just pack up your house. You don’t even have to move; simply spend time together determining who has more useless crap. In our case, I think even Mr. 70 Percent would agree … Continue reading →

Posted in Division of Labor, Family life, Marriage, Parenting | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

In Which Mr. 70 Percent Moves Me

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Susan H. Greenberg

I’ve had a lot to process. Mr. 70 Percent has gone all out and gotten himself a new job. In Vermont. And so our gradual withdrawal from civilization continues. We left the New York area in 2005, beaten down by … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Kids, Marriage, Neighbors, Parenting, Pets, Reality check, Teenagers | Tagged , , , , , , | 22 Comments

The Lousy Weekend

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Susan H. Greenberg

It was nearing five o’clock on a Friday, and I was looking forward to the weekend: soccer, errands, dinner with friends, the season premiere of Homeland. Then the phone rang. “Mommy?” my daughter said. Her voice sounded shaky. “What happened?” … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Kids, Parenting, Reality check, Siblings, Teenagers | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Removing the Names to Protect the Guilty

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Susan H. Greenberg

Apparently I’ve been on a hiatus. In general, if I don’t post for awhile, it probably means one of two things: either someone in my family has done something–possibly involving body art, sexual exploration, illicit substances, and/or the police– that … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Parenting, Reality check, Teenagers, Working motherhood | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Vacation from the Kids

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Susan H. Greenberg

I am now three days into the highlight of my summer, the holiday I’ve been eagerly anticipating for months. No, I am not wine-tasting in Napa, beach-combing in the Caribbean, or sight-seeing in Paris. In fact, I’ve never worked harder. … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Kids, Marriage, Parenting, Pets, Reality check | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Who’s the Winner Now?

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Susan H. Greenberg

It was somewhere around the fourth hour of the softball tournament that I started silently rooting against my daughter’s team. “Swing!” I’d telepathically command the batter as the ball sailed two feet over her head. “Call it a strike,” I … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Kids, Parenting, Reality check, Sports | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Hoping for a Cavity

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Susan H. Greenberg

I  felt a little surge of joy when the dentist recently reported a cavity in one of my 9-year-old’s molars. That’s because I have long suspected she doesn’t always brush her teeth when I send her into the bathroom each … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Kids, Parenting, Reality check, School, Teenagers | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A Day Like Any Other

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Susan H. Greenberg

I didn’t have high expectations for Mother’s Day. That’s because on Friday, Mr. 70 Percent called and asked, “What do you want to do for Mother’s Day?” I was pleased that he had thought of it two full days ahead. … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Holidays, Kids, Marriage, Parenting, Reality check, Teenagers | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Good Enough for Grandma

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Susan H. Greenberg

Now I understand why my mother always brushed my bangs out of my eyes before we visited my grandmother. There’s something about seeing your parents that makes you turn a critical eye on your own child-rearing, and nothing says “bad … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Grandparents, Kids, Parenting, Teenagers, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments