Michelle Parrinello-Cason
Michelle is a homeschooling mom of two who lives in South City with her husband, kids, two cats, and a dog. Her family loves reading, hiking, and art. She runs Dayla Learning, a place for online classes and curriculum in the humanities. She likes to write about education, work-life balance, and exploring all the wonderful experiences St. Louis has to offer.
Returning to the World (Opening the Pandemic Closet)
Returning to the world after a pandemic ... how does one do that?
In March 2020, as the world shut down, I took a lot of the things in my life and crammed them in...
Yes, I’m an English Professor. No, I’m not Judging Your Grammar.
“You’re an English professor? Uh-oh. Don’t judge my text messages!”
It’s usually just a joke, but I know that it’s a joke that has at least a little bit of truth to it. The fact...
Rethinking the Screen Time Debate: 4 Questions I Ask Myself Now
Screen time was a challenge before the pandemic. Now? With a little bit of consideration, it doesn't have to be so tough.
They’re going to ask. Sometimes it’s from the moment they wake up. My...
I Don’t Need Help Saying No: I Need to Say Yes … with...
Sometimes saying no is easier than learning how to say yes ... with limits.
It’s January, so I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that we’re all being inundated with a list of the...
Board Games Your Family Will Love to Play
My family has always liked board games, but the pandemic has brought out a whole other side of things. As our other avenues for entertainment and interaction dwindled, our love for board games grew,...
The (Dis)Comfort Zone: 4 Things to Watch When Everything Falls Apart
Looking for things to watch as we spend more time distanced in our homes? Read on...
I recently got HBO Max, and there’s a category called “Comfort Zone.” It has subcategories like “When You Need...
Controlling What We Can: How the Pandemic Expanded My Cooking Routine
There are people who love household tasks, and then there are people like me.
I can intellectually understand the peaceful — even joyful — potential of acts like cooking, turning a pile of dirty dishes...
Building an Emergency Self-Care Plan for the Bad Days
First of all, I want to let you know that I am not a mental health professional. I did, however, make a self-care plan with the help of my counselor. I’m also someone who...
Breaking Echo Chambers: How Diverse is Your Media Diet?
As I was working on my doctorate degree in rhetoric, it became clear to me how important it is to have a diverse and healthy “media diet.” I had my daughter right in the...
A Letter to the Doctor Who Told Me to “Just Lose Weight”
Doctors have the power to fix our bodies, but those who truly listen wield the most power of all .
I came to you with my heart in my hands. I was at the bottom...