Alison Ruckert
Alison was born and raised in New Orleans. After 7 years in north Louisiana for college and her first years of teaching, she returned home, and now lives in Metairie with her husband, two daughters, and dog. She has spent the past 16 years teaching high school English and Speech. When not at school, she enjoys weekend and summer break days with her family, including her two strong-will, high-spirited daughters who keep life interesting and moving at all times. She cannot survive a day without coffee and will drop everything if you ask her to join you at PJ's or go have chips and salsa. Watching her kids grow up with family and friends close by and in the city she loves so much is the greatest thing she could ask for.
Why the Three Gift Tradition Works for Us
Why the Three Gift Tradition Works for Us
While I don't hesitate to buy surprises for my kids any day of the year, when my husband and I were preparing for our first Christmas with...
Your Kid’s Next Birthday Party Should Be a Chips and Dip Party
Your Kid's Next Birthday Party Should Be a Chips and Dip Party
When my youngest was about to turn 2, I was struggling to think of a theme for her birthday party. She was a...
Take the Mom Break!
Take the Mom Break!
These days, more moms are open about the dual feeling of loving your children immensely and also feeling desperate for a break from someone asking for something 20 hours of the...
My 3 Favorite Salad Dressing Dinners
My 3 Favorite Salad Dressing Dinners
There is a comfort in the dinner dishes I was taught to cook at a young age and have spent decades perfecting, many of which are time-consuming and usually...
Dear Fellow Moms, I See You
Dear Fellow Moms, I See You
I see you early in the morning, waking up before everyone else so you can make sure you have time to get yourself ready before the chaos of getting...
5 Honest Reasons for Being Late I Write on the School Sign-In Form
5 Honest Reasons for Being Late I Write on the School Sign-In Form
No matter how hard I try or how early I get up, we struggle to be on time. Instead of feeling like...
Thank You TKN :: The Message We Should All Hear from a Local Beach...
Thank You TKN :: The Message We Should All Hear from a Local Beach Volleyball Team in the Paris 2024 Games
Only one of the six Louisiana athletes competing in Paris is competing in her...
Dear Parents: A Back to School Letter from Your Child’s Teacher
Dear Parents,
The first week of August is a mix of feelings for you: sadness that another summer with your kids is over, relief to not have to find creative ways to entertain them while...
The Benefits of Batch Cooking: Saving Your Dinner-Time Sanity
The Benefits of Batch Cooking: Saving Your Dinner-Time Sanity
I've learned a lot from the women who raised me. One of the lessons I've taken from them into my years of being a working mom...
Just Eat Me Sweets: A Delicious Metairie Bakery You Need to Try
Just Eat Me Sweets: A Delicious Metairie Bakery You Need to Try
Have you ever had a cookie so delicious that the taste lingers in your mouth long after the last bite? What about a...
Every Mom Needs a Cheerleader (And We Can All Be One)
Every Mom Needs a Cheerleader (And We Can All Be One)
I haven't figured out much in my short 5 and a half years of parenting, but I have figured out one thing: every mom...
Surviving the Summer Outnumbered
Surviving the Summer Outnumbered
As a teacher, I get to spend summer breaks with my kids. I work camp and summer school all of June, and because my kids spend those weeks with their grandparents,...
I Don’t Ask My Kids “How Was Your Day?”
I Don't Ask My Kids "How Was Your Day?"
My oldest wakes up talking and is only silent when she is sleeping, so conversation isn't short in our house. But, my Monday-Friday is spent with...
Phenomenal Woman, That’s You! (Hey, Moms. You’re Amazing)
Phenomenal Woman, That's You! (Hey, Moms. You're Amazing)
Phenomenal: very remarkable; extraordinary (syn: remarkable, unparalleled, astonishing, rare, brilliant)
I'm a high school English teacher. Recently, my students and I read Maya Angelou's "Phenomenal Woman" and discussed...