Kutnick's Korner

Here are some of things that I sometimes find myself saying to my kids: We didn't have Iphones when I was your age. We didn't have DVRs when I was your age. That's right...we couldn't just pause live TV. We didn't have On Demand. We watched what was on the 5 channels that we had and went to the bathroom when there was a commercial. Really, you like commercials? Well, you wouldn't like them if you HAD to watch them all the time like we did. We didn't have portable DVD players. When we drove in the car for 6-7 hours, we looked out the window. We had records, eight track tapes, cassette tapes and walk mans. I didn't have a computer until I was in 9th grade. And, typing was called typing. Not keyboarding. Generations do this. They talk about the way things were against the way things are. That's how it's always been, and I suspect that's how it always will be. But, one of the times when I don't find myself talking about how things were di...

On a day with perfect conditions and perfect harmony it is hard to be a parent. I don't care if you have babies, young kids, teenagers or even adult children. It's hard. And, I've only had babies and young kids so far....I mean...don't get me wrong-it's amazing and great, but it still comes with regular, ordinary, everyday challenges. But, one of the biggest challenges, in my opinion, is taking care of your kids when you are sick...and they aren't. Now, if they're sick and you're sick at the same time...everyone is on equal playing fields. But, if they are fine (which of course you hope that they are)... and you aren't..That’s where it gets ugly. Starting Wednesday I got sick with what I am now thinking was a 24-hour stomach flu virus thing. I was completely out of commission yesterday (Thursday). Thursday morning after literally being up sick all night, I packed their lunches, gave them breakfast and sent them off to school. I felt like I...

I woke up this morning and there were a ton of leaves on my front lawn. Between my parents visiting two weeks ago, the start of a new job under two weeks ago, a girl's weekend in Madison last weekend and the Jewish holiday kick off this week, I don't think I stopped to officially acknowledge that it's actually fall. Until, today. Usually, I am a total nerd with my calendar in front of me stating "It's the first day of fall. It's September 21st." But, this year I kind of missed the official change of season ritual. Let me restate. It's not that I missed it. My kids have been wearing sweatshirts and fleeces. I have worn my down vest and raincoat. But, for the first time I actually wasn't paying attention to the date. This is highly unusual for a weather centric person like myself. So, today I have been trying to figure out when it actually became fall. Four weeks ago I was at the pool in a bathing suit enjoying long, gorgeous summer nights. Two wee...

College was the best four years of my life. And, I am not exaggerating. I have visited my Alma Mater many times over the past 16 years. Weekend trips. Day trips. With my husband (who also went to UW Madison). With my kids. And, with one or two friends here and there. But, this past weekend I went away with 7 of my college friends to Madison. We had been talking about doing this for 5 years. We would start the dialog. And, we'd get excited. But, in the years of career switches, weddings and babies we found that we couldn't get our act together. It just wasn't the right time. So, after 5 years of dialog...5 years of not accomplishing this goal. We found a weekend that actually wasn't a conflict for all 8 of us. We booked the hotel. 6/8 of us booked flights. Football tickets were purchased. And, baby sitting arrangements (husbands and grandparents) were made for the 15 kids between the 8 of us. Busy work schedules were cleared. And, we finally made it happen. It se...

It's always an interesting conversation to talk to people and reflect back events with the question of "Where were you when..." My earliest memory of where was I when...was when Natalie Wood drowned. I didn't really know who she was, but I knew she was famous. I remember my mom being upset. The next one was when John Lennon was shot. My mom and I were running errands. It was raining. We were in her big brown, two door Oldsmobile, and it came on the radio. It was 1980. I was 7. The next big one for me was the Space Shuttle Challenger incident in 1986. I was in Junior High school. Health class. And, it came over the loud speaker. I remember when on this one really clearly. There was the big earthquake of Northridge, CA in 1994. I remember when I happened to be home from college on Christmas break in Sherman Oaks, CA (where I grew up) and at 4am (or so) my parents came rushing in to grab me from my bed from stuff falling everywhere. I was 20. I remember when OJ...

I never thought I would call myself old fashioned. But, I think I am on the topic of activities and homework. I believe that today's kids have too much on their plates. Last spring I saw the documentary-Race to Nowhere that addressed the overload of homework and pressure, and I feel like we are just at the beginning. I only have a 3rd grader and a Kindergartener. I have tried my hardest to not over schedule my kids. My daughter wanted to do dance, gymnastics AND soccer. I told her she had to pick two. So, she picked gymnastics and dance. She has nothing after school on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I think that's reasonable. I do need to add Sunday school to her plate of commitments. My son wanted to play soccer and hockey (house not travel). After doing the house sports of basketball and baseball paralleled with house hockey last year, I made him pick one. He picked hockey. Not soccer. Okay. Hockey is Saturday and Sunday. Sometimes Friday night. He also has an optional clini...

It's Sunday morning. Quiet. Not a lot of activities have started yet for my kids, thankfully. And, my son was picked to be the "Top Dog" next week for his class. Top Dog can also be referred to as Star of the Week, Star Student. You get my point. Projects like these, even with my 3rd grade son, need parent guidance. Now, back in the 70s/80s I don't remember having this Star of the Week honor, but if I did I'm pretty sure that I would work my hardest to create a "brag" sheet about me. I would want it to be perfect for my teacher. And, I would want to finish it as soon as I could. My son, who is like my emotional twin (he also looks like me)...is definitely not my homework twin. Aside from getting him to read every night, getting him to sit down and do homework (even the fun stuff like Top Dog journaling) is a major struggle. He's a procrastinator. I am the complete opposite. I am trying to instill the value of do it now, so you won't have to dea...