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

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 animal shelter, discussing death with kids, dog rescue, euthanasia, Pets, veterinarian | 18 Comments

The Packing Wars

Posted on March 5, 2013

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 moving, packing, Vermont | 9 Comments

In Which Mr. 70 Percent Moves Me

Posted on December 3, 2012

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 Apple Store, college town, Green Mountains, moving, Target, Vermont, Whole Foods | 22 Comments

The Lousy Weekend

Posted on September 30, 2012

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 car accident, cars, lice, nits, teen driving | 6 Comments

Removing the Names to Protect the Guilty

Posted on September 19, 2012

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 blogging, digital generation, privacy, tattoos, teaching, teen privacy | 6 Comments

A Vacation from the Kids

Posted on July 25, 2012

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 bridge, camp, empty nest, golf, leaving the kids, Outward Bound | 8 Comments

Who’s the Winner Now?

Posted on June 12, 2012

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 ice cream truck, Round Robin, softball, tailgating, tournament | 9 Comments

Hoping for a Cavity

Posted on June 5, 2012

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 brushing teeth, cavities, homework, natural consequences, Picasso, poetry, teeth | 3 Comments

A Day Like Any Other

Posted on May 13, 2012

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 greeting cards, Hallmark, Mother's Day | 5 Comments

Good Enough for Grandma

Posted on April 25, 2012

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 Day of Silence, dressing, haircut, homosexuality, Mary Poppins | 5 Comments