A penny for your thoughts… and a dollar for your efforts. It’s the old allowance conundrum. We’re talking chore charts, compensation rates and more. For an allowance novice, it can feel like a real handful. The dilemma goes beyond what to give and what not to give to your children….
As if you needed even more tension between you and the in-laws…When kids come along, so does the advice – many times, unwanted – from in-laws and other relatives. How do you keep the peace and adhere to your own child-rearing principles when your pushy relatives have their own ideas…
From potty training to breaking curfew, kids always find a way to challenge and sometimes completely frustrate their parents. As a mom, how can you cope with the curveballs kids will inevitably throw at you during their 18 years – or more – under your roof? First, gauge yours and…
Kids are normally ravenous when they come off the bus and running through the door in the afternoon. Satisfying their appetites without serving junk and spoiling dinner can be a challenge. But you don’t have to get fancy or expensive when it comes to unique, tasty and healthful noshes.Sometimes the…
There’s nothing more comforting than having dinner prepared by lunchtime. While it may sound extremely ambitious, it’s actually the work of the oh-so-convenient slow cooker. Anybody who owns a crockpot can attest to the convenience of having the slow cooker do all of the hard work for you. We’ve got…
Want to get a little something more out of your vacation than a sunburn or some souvenir mouse ears? Try taking the kids on an educational vacation this year, where they can supplement what they learn in school with some real family fun. Museums and zoos close to home are…
Going away with kids isn’t a vacation; it’s a trip. Okay, so maybe that’s a little extreme. But any parent will cop to the fact that taking kids to a destination usually requires more work than play. More often than not, there’s little time for rest and relaxation. When was…
Many potential parents feel they’re ready to take on the responsibility of raising a child, but the majority of new parents vastly underestimate the real costs associated with bringing up baby. A Redbook survey says up to 41 percent of new parents believed that in hindsight, they weren’t as financially…
Whether it’s thumb-sucking, nose-picking, picky eating, bad manners or other annoying habit, many kids drive their parents crazy. But there are ways to break your kids of bothersome rituals. First of all, harping on them to quit doesn’t work. Punishment probably won’t, either. When you want to break your child…
Nothing compares to the feeling of panic parents feel when jolted out of a deep sleep in the dead of night by their child’s screams. A bad dream can be provoked by a life-changing experience, such as the death of a family member, or something as minor as a dog…