Getting the kids to bed at around the same time each night not only minimizes tantrums, but also can make your child smarter, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. In a recent study, the AASM found that toddlers and preschoolers whose parents enforced a pre-bedtime routine and the…
As much as you want Christmas morning to be just right, it rarely goes off without a hitch. There’s always something you’ve forgotten or want to forget. More often than not, the kids are usually dragging you out of bed before daylight. With your eyes barely open, it’s hard to…
Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house these days tends to be a longer haul for families who have to fly to see relatives. So what’s a family to do when the inevitable happens on one of those trips? Being stranded in an airport during an extra-long…
You may have heard of the uproar caused when one New York mom and blogger allowed her 9-year-old son to ride the subway alone in 2008. Lenore Skenazy armed her son with maps and subway routes and sent him on a short trip to prove that so-called “helicopter parents” are…
All kids get bashful or uncharacteristically quiet in some settings, but what should you do if your child is chronically introverted? Experts say absolutely nothing, if this is the child’s true nature, and the shyness doesn’t exclude your child from opportunities that present themselves, either personally or academically. Never persecute…
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, yet some people can’t help but get down in the dumps around the holidays. It’s ironic that although the season is supposed to be chock-full of cheer, it’s often just the opposite. According to the National Mental Health Association, there are many…
Ready or not, here it comes – the time for kids to leave the nest and board a bus for school. But how do you know if your child is ready? Age is the first consideration to take into account. In most public schools and many private schools, children must…
Choosing a pediatrician is one of the first — and most important — rituals you’ll experience as a parent. When it comes to picking your child’s doctor, you want someone you can trust, which is why due diligence is integral. After all, you’re putting your child’s life in this person’s…
For every action there is a reaction. We’re talking about consequences, and it’s an important lesson kids should learn in life sooner rather than later. It goes without saying that you want children to learn the consequences for their actions, especially when those actions aren’t appropriate. Ann Douglas, author of…
When it heats up outside, the siren song of the ice-cream man’s truck may be the only thing that gets the kids out of the air-conditioned house on the double. But if you’re worried about the fat, calories and sugar of those tasty treats, then the ice-cream man might be…