The other day, my daughter asked my husband, “What was the best age for you?”
From day one our children are measured. We know their heights, weights, and head circumferences, for that matter. At each check-up these measurements are again taken. With data in hand we can look ...
How to Shop for Kids with Insufferable Hippie Parents
If you have hippie-ish parents in your life, and you're panicking about how to shop for their kids, you aren't alone.
The Radical Act of Paring Down Holiday Consumption
Research suggests that financial stress is one of the worst carryovers into the new year, largely because financial stress is one that snowballs.
Does Being a Twin Impact Your Future Relationships?
Twins are born into the world with a cosmic connection to another person. What does that mean for everyone else that comes into their lives?
A Letter to All Parenting Experts Who Don’t Actually Have Any Kids
I used to be somewhat of a parenting expert. Then my first child arrived and forced me into an early retirement. Many will presume to know what it takes to be a parent before actually becoming one....
Attention Moms: the pressure to lean in, both at work and at home, isn’t just in our heads.
Whether They Meet Them Or Not, Our Relatives Shape Our Kids
Even if the stories aren’t happy, love-conquers-all stories, they're important. These were real people’s stories – people we have ties with.
The F Word: a Discussion on the Power of Language With My 9-Year-Old
The consequence for the use of this language will depend upon the context, the cultural norms, and, let’s face it, the potential for parental embarrassment.
You could say we’re each experiencing a kind of “middle-age.” First there’s my son, Ryan. He’s nine. He’s in the middle years of his childhood, halfway to adulthood. He’s loving this time in his li...
I'm a Stay-At-Home-Mom With an Older Child, What's Next for Me?
This is a submission in our monthly contest. December’s theme is Growth. Growing up I always knew I was "going to be somebody and make something of myself." An obsessive overachiever, I was confide...
Five Workplace Strategies That Totally Work on Your Kids
Having spent years dealing with angry customers and clients, I've seen how some of the same tactics that put out fires in the workplace can help me at home.
I'm Going to Need You to Stop Screaming Now Please
Hi Baby! It's your Papa. How you doing? Not good? Yeah, I can tell. As for me, I’m… well, I’m frustrated. I have a simple request for you: Stop screaming.
Yes, You Can Grieve the Living
Over the years my mother and I have fallen apart and come back together plenty, but this time was different. I could feel it.
Why the Grandparents Can Exercise Their Spoiling-Rights This Christmas
Grandparents love to spoil. It is as part of the job description – especially around the holidays.
Can an Introvert Change Her Stripes?
The question of whether introverts can really become extroverts is up for debate. Famous psychologists have argued that personality is immutable.
This is a submission in our monthly contest. December’s theme is Growth. Change can be hard, especially for parents. A former neighbor (and at the time, soon-to-be mother of five) once explained th...
This is a submission in our monthly contest. December’s theme is Growth. When daughter A was a little I used to read her a book titled "Leo the Late Bloomer" by Robert Kraus. In the book, there is ...
The Problem with Teens No Longer Working Part-Time Jobs
The reluctance of teens holding part-time or summer jobs is now a national trend that has caused a fair amount of concern from experts in the marketplace.
7 Books to Help Kids Understand Life with Autism
It's estimated that one in every 68 children in the United States has experience with some form of autism. These books can help them relate.
This Is What Happened When My Teenage Son Gave up Sugar
After doing some research a few months ago, my teenage son decided to give up sugar. We're both noticing a big difference.
Why I'm Teaching My Kids That "I'm Sorry" Is Not Enough
I now put it upon them to demonstrate, through actions rather than words, that they are regretful.
When Raising Kids Collides With the U-Curve
Knowing about the U-curve can help us let go of the shame and guilt we have for experiencing this dive in contentedness.
Take Back the Night: a Sleep Training Guide for Parents Who Failed the First Time Around
It’s moving day around here, and these kids are moving out of my bed come hell or high water. Here is how I plan to take back the night.