Be the Parent You Needed in Middle School
In many respects, we are better suited to guide our charges through these clumsy years than our parents were.
Thoughts on Empty Nesting One Year In
Last year, we moved our youngest daughter to college at the end of July. There are some things about this empty nest no one prepared me for.
Weight Obsession From a Father's Perspective
The most heartbreaking words from my son's mother had to be, “He feels like you judge him when he eats in front of you.”
5 Ways to Combat Back-to-School Marketing
Here are some tips for getting what your kid needs for school while keeping the marketing influences to a minimum.
You're Going to Be a Different Mother to Each of Them
Every firstborn I know has a story like this. Mine has me on a train at two weeks old, on my first official field trip. My parents interpreted my newborn foot twitching and eye blinking as signs th...
Losing My Religion While Trying to Find Answers to My Kids' Deep Questions
I’ve been struggling with religion. Particularly, how do you talk to your kids about religion, especially if you disagree?
How I Helped My Anxious Kid Transition to Middle School
The transition to middle school was extremely difficult for my daughter, who deals with generalized and social anxiety disorders. Here's what we learned.
On Explaining Time and Aging to a Three-Year-Old
There might not be a special trick to talking to your kid about time and aging, probably because both are unavoidable.
Candy Land Is a Metaphor for Life
The only thing we can control is our attitude. Do I want to focus on the pitfalls? I ask myself. No.
The undeniable shift from child to teen arrived unexpectedly, furiously, with no clear warning, despite the age and all of the obvious signs.
What's Really Behind the Ire of Moms Slinging Internet Jabs?
When I wrote a simple essay, I didn't anticipate that so many women would lash out with disbelief and resentment. Here's what I realized.
This Place Sucks! My Newborn Son’s First Diary Entries
Dear Diary, It finally happened. I got evicted. Don't get me wrong, I had a feeling my days in that sweet pad were numbered.
10 Things Only a Massachusetts Mom Would Say
Massachusetts moms are a hardy bunch of women. Oh, wait. A "Haaaahhhdy" bunch of women. There. That's better.
Unique Butterflies and Tasmanian She-Devils: Dissecting My Daughters' Personalities
I have four daughters and it amazes me how different each of their personalities are. Let's go on an adventure, shall we?
Do Parents Have a Favorite Child? (Yours Did.)
Are parents capable of loving objectively? The answer is complicated, steeped in generations of family dynamics, and varies wildly depending on perspective.
The Baby Registry Gifts You Won’t Be Selling at a Yard Sale
Baby registries are often full of things parents don't need. Why not steer the giving nature of friends and family in the direction of these useful gifts?
Using Minimalism to Teach Our Kids That Less Really Is More
Minimalism, to whatever degree you take it, can teach our kids important life lessons they can carry into their adult lives.
Nothing About This Girl of Mine Needs Fixing
I’ve watched friends mourn over lost hair, but ultimately accept the change. But this time, it's my daughter and quite frankly, I'm proud.
Having to Work Doesn't Mean Missing Out on Summer Memories
Summer’s not an ocean breeze for working moms. We try hard to make it as fun as we can, but inside we’re secretly freaking out about missing out.
How to Get Your Kids to Stop Losing Their Stuff Without Losing Your Mind
Some kids may be naturally organized, but, it is up to us to teach them how to keep track of their things and to realize the importance of responsibility.
Literature, bras, large vehicles, haircuts, jeans, music, movies.What do these things have in common? Having a "mom" contingent.
Admiring My Kids For the Role Models They Are
Here are five ways that my kids are my role models and exactly the kind of people I'd like to be when I grow up.
How I'm Going to Help My Kids Get Through the Armpit of Life That Is Adolescence
There are many scientific reasons why adolescence is the worst time in your life. But you survived it the first time. You'll make it through your kid's too.
Five Ways to Make the First Day of Kindergarten a Success
Here are some of our tried and true tips to make the first day of kindergarten as smooth and stress-free as possible.