Stacey Loscalzo

May 04

What Form Does Your Comfort Take?

by Stacey

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When Caroline started middle school this year I crossed my fingers that all the stereotypes of middle school were untrue and that reality had drastically changed from when I traversed the same waters. It turns out that all the finger crossing in the world doesn’t change middle school so there has been a fair amount of drama on and off since school started. I was recently talking with a friend about how we feel a complete lack of control over the happiness of our children.

As we talked, I remembered a quote that I had read a few months back. It focused on what we can in fact do as parents of middle schoolers and then I spent the better part of this weekend trying to remember where I had read this quote.

It turns out the quote was on my friend Lindsey Mead’s lovely blog, A Design So Vast, and she had found it in a piece by the ever talented Jenny Rosenstrach of Dinner a Love Story.

The line reads like this;

“You just make sure that when those girls walk in that door every day, they never doubt that home is the most comforting place for them to be. That is what you can do.”

Jenny goes on to say that to her, comfort comes in the form of mashed potatoes. For me, comfort comes in lots of forms. Banana bread and chocolate chip cookies sometimes. A new stack of library books often. And always, open ears and open arms.

What about you? What does form does comfort take in your home?

9 Comments

  1. Lindsey says:

    Love this. Always open ears and open arms, often in my bed. Books. Cookies. xox

  2. Jen Robinson says:

    I like this idea, Stacey. My daughter is a long way from middle school, but I’m sure it will be here before I know it… No reason not to start this idea now. “Home is the most comforting place for her to be.” Love it! Thanks!

  3. Rebecca Kingston says:

    Stacey, this completely resonates for me! Thank you for sharing!!! 

  4. Pamela says:

    What a great question!! comfort is hugs and listening. Like you – banana bread and library books too! Fires and dinners together. 

  5. Kristen says:

    We are still a few years away from middle school, but I can already see that comfort for my daughter will include me allowing her to be wildly emotional without me reacting other than in hugs when she’s returned to center, plenty of hugs, and saying yes to ice cream. Love reading these kinds of posts from folks like you who are a few years ahead of where I am.

  6. Allie says:

    Oh I love this. But I’m not certain how I provide the comfort, because it seems that as soon as they walk in the door, we have to pack up and leave once again.

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