Syracuse Parent and CNY Family

Brittney Fiorini Jerred is an award-winning columnist and the editor of "Syracuse Parent." You can leave comments below. She may also be reached at editor@syracuseparent.net

Hug a grandparent
Posted on Fri, August 28th, 2009
Both of my grandfathers died when I was young, but I carry with me memories of the times we shared. My grandmothers, on the other hand, only passed away in the last few years. At their funeral... More

A Fair finish
Posted on Wed, August 12th, 2009
As the summer enters its last month, thoughts naturally turn to back to school shopping, taking family trips to enjoy the waning summer days and the New York State Fair. In my family, the Fair is a... More

What we're thinking
Posted on Tue, July 7th, 2009
Syracuse high schools will graduate 32 homeless teenagers this month, according to the city’s daily newspaper. That might be something of which the school district should be proud, but as a community... More

Wait until 2012...
Posted on Tue, July 7th, 2009
My son Jacob graduated from kindergarten on June 23 in a ceremony filled with music, comedy and touching moments. I was but one in a sea of parents proudly watching as their children crossed into... More

Only my new one can unravel my to-do list
Posted on Thu, March 5th, 2009
As I write this column, I am 15 months pregnant. Well, OK, it just feels like that. Seriously, this last bit has felt like I’m rivaling an elephant’s gestational cycle. It didn’t start to feel like... More

Creativity flows in newfound skill
Posted on Tue, February 3rd, 2009
I remember the first book I read. It was “Bambi.” Mom says I read before this but “Bambi” was the first book that I read all the way through. It was fall and I had just started school and the teacher... More

Phrases, sayings manifest in next generation
Posted on Tue, November 25th, 2008
I walked out of my front porch to greet the first snowfall of the year with a shovel in hand. Mary was ahead of me, trying to make a snowman with three melting inches on the ground. I spotted my... More

I'll have lasagna please
Posted on Thu, September 4th, 2008
Whenever I listen to my voicemail at home, the nice recorded lady voice on the service says, “You have three new messages.” Then she proceeds with my options which are, to listen to my messages, send... More

Hidden Pictures found beyond pages
Posted on Fri, July 11th, 2008
I love to play Hidden Pictures with my daughter. It’s one of the few “activities” that we both truly enjoy together aside from reading. And, admittedly, it’s challenging to both of us. We usually... More

Bathtime overflows into my own childhood
Posted on Mon, June 9th, 2008
Lately my 4-year-old daughter has taken to the likes of long, drawn-out baths. They don’t end until her hands and feet look like prunes. The other day I interrupted her bathtub play to urge her to... More

Hope permeates spring season
Posted on Sat, April 5th, 2008
It’s not easy in the mornings. No matter how early I get up, I’m still running late when it’s time to go. Granted, I’ve got to get everything and everyone together and ready to go out the door—my... More

Preschool is world of her own
Posted on Tue, February 5th, 2008
The other day, my daughter came home and showed me a cut-out circle glued to the top of a popsicle stick. On one side of the circle, there was a face drawn on with her scrawl and underneath was the... More

Dance class brings out the provider in me
Posted on Sat, November 3rd, 2007
I recently signed my daughter up for dance class. I knew she would love it. She’s always singing and dancing around the house with a certain seriousness and I thought it’d be nice for her to do just... More

Childhood story reminds me of being a kid
Posted on Sun, October 7th, 2007
I was blessed with a mother who read to my sister and me. I remember sitting next to her and listening to stories on the couch in the afternoons with the sun shining on our backs through the living... More

Camping worth the inconveniences
Posted on Tue, September 11th, 2007
My family and I went camping recently. It was the first time Ben and I had taken Mary on a real outdoor adventure. The weather was picturesque upon arrival at Lake Sacandaga in the Adirondacks. We... More

I have no problem with the occasional lie
Posted on Thu, July 19th, 2007
I was tired of rejection. Every lunch option I came up with was firmly refused. I tried cutting her food up in “cute” ways to get her to eat something that sustains her. I tried giving her the... More

Imaginary world lightens real one
Posted on Mon, June 4th, 2007
Earlier this spring, when the weather first broke, I found the Miracle Grow in the garage and my daughter and I mixed the soil with seeds in a few peat pods. It was a planned event, inspired by... More

'Move the shelf, I mean, the thingy'
Posted on Tue, May 8th, 2007
Lately I’ve noticed I can’t think of the words I need. I’ll be trying to tell Mary how to put her pants on and simple words evade me, like pants. Everything has become a thingy. I’m usually pointing,... More

Recording Milestones at the end of the day
Posted on Tue, March 27th, 2007
When Mary was about 16 months old, I started to keep a journal of all the little and big things. I picked up a cute, sturdy notebook at the dollar store and challenged myself to jot something down... More

Kindermusik saves the day
Posted on Tue, February 27th, 2007
OK. I admit it. I fell prey to television’s allure. I let the TV spend quality time with my daughter. It’s been so cold and she was sick and...It happened. I knew things had to change when she... More

Manipulators in the Make
Posted on Thu, February 1st, 2007
When I was younger, I used to take offence if someone dared call me manipulative. I thought this was a bad thing. (Granted, it usually wasn’t paired with a compliment.) I’ve changed. I now consider... More