If there’s one consolation at the end of a long, tiring afternoon, it’s seeing another mom when you pick your kid up, sharing a little chit chat, maybe stepping inside her front door to have a look around.  It’s not that you’re nosy exactly, it’s just nice to have adult, human contact.  That, and you’ve watched a lot of HGTV and want to see what her digs look like.  Which makes it very weird indeed when the other mother says, “Oh, I’ll get him,” and leaves you standing with your boots on in her mudroom or worse yet, at the front door.  We can figure out what the reason is — messy house, embarrassment over the furniture, or lack thereof — but still, it’s weird.  And by the way, if you’re the one standing on the threshold after you’ve been invited in, that’s weird too.  (Do you agree?   Let us know at www.weirdthingsmomsdo.com)

If you’re still saying Happy New Year, now might be a good time to give this one up. We don’t know when the official deadline is for ending this cheerful salutation, but trust us, it’s passed. Start thinking Winter Break (as in, what are your plans for?) and Groundhog Day instead. If you’re insistent on this Happy New Year thing, Chinese New Year begins February 14th.