IsthmusParents Logo

Stuff to do with your kids
Recommended by Isthmus Parents

Mama Madison: A time for family

The inevitable chaos is worth it

by Sari Judge on Thursday 05/16/2013

I apologize in advance if this post is a little less than well thought through. I'm exhausted from this past weekend, when, for the first time in almost three years, my entire extended family descended on the near west side of Madison -- in order to celebrate my younger son's Bar Mitzvah.

>More

Mama Madison: Age-appropriate rituals
Kids yearn; parents learn -- to be flexible
by Sari Judge on Thursday 05/09/2013
All kids covet that "special something" which (according to them, at least) every other child in the class has had for ages, but you are just too mean, strict, or out-of-touch to let them get the same. >More
Mama Madison: A moment to shine
Talent shows are about more than showcasing talent
by Sari Judge on Thursday 05/02/2013
My thirteen-year-old son got to feel a similar high this past week when he took to the stage for the Hamilton Follies, his middle school's annual vaudeville style review. And no, he didn't do anything quite as highbrow as read verse. Instead, he and six of his buddies took the "Follies" part of the event quite literally and donned lipstick, eyeliner and pink hair dye in order to dance a surprisingly well choreographed number to the 1997 Spice Girls classic, "Wannabe." >More
Kids write for the stage: Young Playwrights prepare for Overture festival
by Catherine Capellaro on Thursday 05/02/2013
It's last period at Waunakee Community High School, and the juniors and seniors in Jen Doucette's creative writing class are getting squirmy. Bruce Bradley, a teaching artist who has spent the last few weeks guiding them through the process of writing plays, is holding a stack of evaluations from theater pros -- and the students are eager to see how their scripts fared. >More
Mama Madison: Benefits of a wet basement
Forced cleanup prompts an encounter with great memories
by Sari Judge on Thursday 04/25/2013
There is always a bright (even if there is no dry) side to even the most mildewed basement. And this year it was the chance for self-discovery while wading through all the crap that has accumulated down there over the years. >More

Emails from Isthmus Parents feature event highlights, story links, site updates, and occasional special offers from trusted sources. Name and email address are required. Thanks!