What If You Just Stopped Trying to Find Your True Self?
What if we really could be whoever we wanted to be and that could be a gain, rather than loss, to the net self?
Five Tips to Make Being Thoughtful Easy
Luckily, just like most things in life, being thoughtful is skill that we can practice and develop.
Kid Made Recipe: Potato Latkes
The trick to super crispy latkes (fried potato pancakes) is getting as much water from your grated potatoes as you can. And don't forget the apple sauce!
How do you break the bad days down so they didn't have such dominance in your mind? Better yet, is there a way to avoid them altogether?
50,000 Preschoolers Suspended in 2016 for Being Preschoolers
In 2016 an estimated 50,000 preschoolers were suspended for bad behavior, according to an estimate published by The Center for American Progress earlier this month. Another 17,000 are estimated to ...
One in Three Still Gets You in the Parenting Hall of Fame
What if I looked at family dinners according to baseball standards? What if I stopped striving for perfection, and tried for one out of three instead?
Observations on Sisters From Their Mother, An Only Child
For me, based on my experience as an only child and married to an only child we made a decision that we did not want to have an only child.
Saying Goodbye to the Woman with the Porcelain Skin
This was a time of respite care, not a time of miracles. This was a time of comfort, not of formality.
A Brutally Honest Holiday Guide to STEM Toy Shopping
As a parent, I have gotten caught in the “it is labeled STEM, it must be good” trap. And all that's gotten me is a dusty basement full of expensive toys.
Writing Letters to Our Fathers
For years, I'd written letters to my dad that I'd never sent, especially during the times when, like Lilly, I felt like I wasn’t being seen or heard by him.
He walked three steps on that festive Christmas. Having just turned one, I was quite convinced that my son was talented beyond compare in his age bracket. Jay was a towhead, trim, and sported a con...
How I Became "The Shoprite Lady"
"I remember the first time I saw you. You were so sad. How can anyone with such beautiful children look so sad? And then I saw him."
The Kind Stranger: a Missed Opportunity to Show Compassion
This is a submission in our monthly contest. November’s theme is Gratitude. “He has beautiful eyes,” the stranger on the street said, about my son. He then reached out and touched my son’s hand, ge...
Finding My Place While Parenting as an Immigrant
I learned not only to come to terms with my role as a mom straddling two cultures, but to be proud of that identity.
Why Christmas Is No Longer a Time for Giving, but a Time for Pressure
I love Christmas as much as you do. But please don’t judge me when I say I find it all a bit too much. I feel the pressure of it.
Loving it All – the Way it is – Right Now
Maybe all this pressure to slow down and appreciate every moment is another form of the absurd expectations we put on ourselves, or each other, or both.
Shaping Our Kids' View of Alcohol: What Parents Need to Know
As parents, we can help our kids have a balanced view about alcohol from where they can make their own decisions when the time inevitably comes.
These Rideshare Companies Shuttle Your Most Precious Cargo – Your Kids
Sometimes your kid just needs a ride somewhere, not a sitter to watch them. In the age of the smartphone, there’s an app for that.
I still give her everything a father should, but now, more than ever, I give extra doses of confidence.
The Student Who Taught Me I Have Room for Thankfulness
This is a submission in our monthly contest. November’s theme is Gratitude. As I drove from my house in the country, fields and green lawns gave way to rows of colorful single-family homes and then...
Talking to Your Kids About Sexual Harassment...Before They Even Know About Sex
There's no reason to talk specifically about sexual harassment with very young kids unless they ask about it. If they bring it up, be prepared.
Let’s Quit Doing the Work for Our Kids
How are children supposed to learn to do their own best work when parents intervene and micromanage?
What If We Treated Sex Like Driving?
Just as a thought experiment, how would it be if we talked with our children about sex the same way we talk with them about driving?
Can Your Child Stay Home Alone? A One-Question Quiz.
Several factors can help determine if your kid is ready to stay home alone. But this one question can bring even more clarity.