Parenting feels like a mix of Groundhog Day (the movie where Bill Murray lives the same day over and over until he gets it “right”) and the lyrics to the Talking Heads song Once in a Lifetime, when he sings “And you may ask yourself, well How did I get here?” Knee deep in the daily highs and lows of it all — 504 meetings and band concerts, finding appropriate consequences and adding a new dog to the family — we woke up to a protest against a consequence given to our 12-year-old.

My husband came back into our bedroom after waking our son up, saying “You have to come look at this.” I originally objected as I had just woken up and the aforementioned dog was in my lap, but after my husband’s inability to fully retell the story through laughter and pride, I headed over to check it out. What I found was my oldest’s stuffed animals in a row holding four different protest signs. One sign explained why the loss of his video games on the bus that day would result in “Less socialization with peers.” The next had a frowny face with the assertion he rarely does this particular act and features the word “impeaching” — note to self: Continue this morning’s conversation on impeachment. The third was a phone diagram of some sort and the final one involved further explanation of the result of the video game loss, in this case “dread.”  Turns out, he was pretty sure this was going to do the trick and was further disappointed to find out it did indeed not garner a pardon. I was mostly proud of the protest, given a little annoyance considering I’m not incredibly strict.

This episode feels like another example of the dichotomy of having kids (in the first world with privilege of course.) For every time you go to wake your toddler up from a nap and he’s asleep in an open dresser drawer like a cartoon character in a matchbox, one of them gets an infectious virus on their face on the one day that year you scheduled a haircut that is less luxury and more mandatory.

A Facebook friend this week clicked “Interested” on “Star Wars: A New Hope In Concert” which will be presented by the Seattle Symphony in mid-July with tickets now on sale. This concert “features the complete film Star Wars: A New Hope on a giant screen while the Seattle Symphony performs John Williams’ iconic score live in the pitch-perfect acoustics of Benaroya Hall.” Any Star Wars score is amazing even on a regular ol’ TV so this sounds truly amazing, but with tickets starting at $50 a person, plus parking or a bus ride, it is definitely cost-prohibitive for many. If you are interested in this event, you can find their Facebook events page HERE or you can reach the box office at 206-215-4747.

Summer camps are something we end up spending a lot on at our house. They’re usually day camps, though sometimes we throw a week of a specialty camp in, Discovery Camps or YMCA Skate camps are fun. PCC is offering camps this summer with the theme of “Around the World,” with four- or five-day options. “Future chefs” will learn about regional meals from Peru, Turkey, Thailand, France, and Italy. There are options for vegetarians and one class is gluten free. The age ranges are 8 to 11 and 9 to 15, with the gluten free classes combined. This camp runs from 9:30 a.m. to noon and is $215 for non-members for the five-day option, which is a bit more than some full day camp options. PCC cooking events for children are incredibly popular, and I’ve yet to come across one that is available. These camps are offered at different PCC locations and you can find the dates HERE or by calling the Edmonds PCC, which has great pizza by the slice and kids get a free piece of fruit, at 425-275-9036

After Santa bought a Harry Potter apron on sale from Williams Sonoma this past Christmas, my inbox has been filled with promotional emails. My FOMO (fear of missing out) keeps me from unsubscribing — something I’m sure they count on. In an email I got at 4:30 in the morning one day this week, I saw a fun event that is a little more than what it costs to go to a morning matinee for the four of us. On Saturday, March 24 at 10 a.m., the Williams Sonoma at the Alderwood Mall (among other locations) is offering an Easter Egg Decorating event for kids age 5 through 13. Those in attendance will create “Easter Egg Masterpieces” using their new Easter Egg Decorating Kit, which kids will take home with them. The class is $30 per person and you can register by calling them at 425-778-8053.

— By Jennifer Marx

Jen Marx, a mom of two young boys, is always looking for a fun place to take the kids that makes them tired enough to go to bed on time. You can find her on Twitter trying to make sense of begging kids to ”just eat the mac n cheese”