Ferris (and all our kiddos) are Going Back to School

Hello friends!

Happy summer/almost fall! I know so many people who dread the end of summer (my dad being one of them, as a former schoolteacher). But fall has always been my favorite season. I love all the corny activities like apple picking, pumpkin painting, and of course—the return of football.

The end of summer also means the beginning of the school year. This year brings a big change in our household, as both my children will be off to school for the very first time. People always say how fast time flies when you have small kids—and it really is so true. I can hardly believe I now have one three-year-old and one almost five-year-old! With both my kiddos heading off to school, I couldn’t help but think back to when my very first baby—my fur baby—started school.

In 2017, I was working at Saint Barnabas Medical Center on a surgical step-down unit. It was my first job in an acute care setting, and I loved our crew. My then-boyfriend (now husband), Dennis, was working as a firefighter in Jersey City. We were living together, and I had just convinced him to adopt a puppy. Dennis had never owned a dog before. He hadn’t even had a goldfish growing up. His main defense for not wanting a dog whenever I brought up the idea of adopting one was that we both worked such long hours, and it wouldn’t be right to leave a dog alone for that amount of time. Fair point. Enter the idea of doggie daycare.

At the time, doggie daycares were popping up all over the city. I researched ones in our area and found one I liked. Then the process of adopting Ferris began. (I’ll share more about his adoption in another post!). Ferris arrived just two days before Christmas, and he was the most adorable puppy you could ever imagine. I’ll never forget the day I picked him up. Dennis said his one rule was that the dog could not sleep in our bed. I wholeheartedly agreed. But when Dennis came home from the firehouse that first morning, he found Ferris nuzzled into my shoulder, both of us sleeping peacefully in bed. Ferris then really did me dirty by walking downstairs and taking a massive poop right in the middle of the living room floor. Welcome home, Dad! I thought Dennis was going to lose it.

After a few weeks of adjusting to our home and his new surroundings, Ferris was ready for school. Ferris Goes to School is based on his real experiences. As Dennis and Ferris were getting to know each other, I stumbled upon a dog playgroup in a park near our house. Within a few weeks, it was Dennis who was insisting on taking Ferris to the playgroup. Most of those dogs also went to Ferris’s school, and it was funny to see how they all interacted with each other. There was one dog who was the clear leader of the pack (portrayed as Ranger in my book), and another dog who constantly challenged Ranger (portrayed as Luna). Luna was a bit of a bully, if I’m being honest. She played very rough and often picked on Ferris, who was the youngest in the group (ironically, that’s exactly how Ferris behaves now at the dog park- kill me). But it was clear the pack wouldn’t have been complete without Luna.

At first, Ferris was terrified to even go inside his school building. But eventually, he ended up loving school. He made a lot of friends and would pull us toward the entrance—even on days when he wasn’t going, if we happened to walk by.

I thought this concept would make a great storyline for a children’s book: Ferris, initially afraid to go to school ( like so many kids are), eventually overcoming his fears, making friends, and navigating everyday challenges like missing Mom and Dad or encountering a kid acting like a bully.

I changed the names of the dogs Ferris met at school and used my family’s dogs instead. This book is dedicated to the Keating family! I’m also thrilled to announce that a portion of all proceeds from the first 90 days of book sales will be donated directly to the Monmouth County SPCA to help animals in need. Writing these books and reading them to audiences has been such a fun experience for me, and this is my way of giving back.

I’ll be reading Ferris Goes to School live on Thursday, 9/4, at 5 p.m. at The Book House in Long Branch! There will be prizes, giveaways, and a few surprises too.

Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter! Please allow me to wish you all a happy, healthy, and successful school year. Best of luck to all the kids and parents. Happy Fall!