About

Meet Scarlett of Suburbia

When I tell people I’ve been happily married for 29 years to the same man, and we have a trio of kids who still live with us and I was a corporate VP for most of their lives, I often get asked some variation of the following:

What’s your best advice for staying married? I’ve been married 7 years now and I want my marriage to last, but lately, I’m just not sure we have what it takes.

How did you manage to keep your Gen Z kids at home (well, one is away at college, but I’ve inherited my eldest’s amazing fiance, so it’s a wash)? Mine won’t even return my texts and I haven’t seen any of them since last Thanksgiving!

This working mom’s guilt is awful! I’ve just had my third kid and I’m thinking of taking a career break to be a trad wife and take care of them until they are all in school. What do you think?

I’m not sure what to think about my new neighbors. I thought we lived in a nice, quiet, well-maintained neighborhood until 4 months ago when new people moved into the house behind us (we share a back fence that frankly, is not high enough). They have 2 German shepherds that they keep outside all day long, even when it’s 100+F outside. And they bark at anything that moves: birds, squirrels, kids playing in their backyards and my little dog when we come out back for potty time. What would you do?

What was peri-menopause like for you? I feel like I’ve lost myself and I can’t remember anything! I’m busy taking care of everyone’s needs: school runs, activities, appointments, groceries, cooking, etc. while I work full-time and to build a career. Also there’s the bedroom, or lack thereof. I just want someone to take care of me!

It’s back-to-school time again and my eldest has been invited to join a travel soccer team. I’ve heard it’s a lot of work for the parents plus I have another child to consider too. But maybe it leads to a college scholarship one day?