Sugar and spice may be nice, but these days, girls need to be made of hardier stuff to get through tween-hood and adolescence. But building a girl’s self-esteem into that of a confident young woman begins in the nursery. Congratulate your little girl on the things she does, not how…
You want to go out – just Mommy and Daddy. That’s perfectly normal, but you can’t find a family member that is available to care for your children. So you decide to hire a babysitter. Hiring a babysitter can be one of the most important choices you have to make…
Dessert takes on a new meaning when you try to work the word “healthy” into it. You can tell by the looks on your husband and kids’ faces that they have visions of dry, hard, granola bars and vegetables masquerading as dessert. But you can spin a lot of healthful…
A cookout is a great way to get friends and family together for a delicious meal and lots of fun. But there are a few precautions to take when it comes to keeping kids safe around the grill and in the yard. Before you light the grill, be sure it’s…
January 1 is just two days away. A new year means a new you, right? Not so fast. How many times have you made a laundry list of New Year’s resolutions only to fall off the wagon within days? Whether it’s losing weight, quitting smoking or becoming more organized, we…
New year, same old dilemma — how do you stave off those horrid hangovers after the biggest party night of the year? While the only tried-and-true way to ward off is abstinence of alcoholic beverages, there are some steps you can take that may lessen the blow. Of course, there’s…
Summer is right around the corner. And while that means vacation for the kids, it can mean a whole lot of work for parents. In the current economic climate, summer camp can be too costly for many families. That means it’s up to you to find an affordable alternative to…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 500 people a year – including about 30 kids – die of carbon monoxide poisoning, and even more are sickened. This odorless, colorless gas is given off when gas, oil, kerosene or wood are burned, and it’s the most common…
The old saying “everything changes once you have kids” is a truth for the ages. There’s no part of life that isn’t touched by the experience of becoming a mom. For the most part, the changes are positive, but sometimes they can be emotionally difficult. When children come into our…
It’s a hard habit to break, but it can be done. We’re talking about the dreaded thumbsucking. Parents – take heart. Eventually, the time is going to come, probably just not soon enough. Research shows that 30 percent of preschool children still suck their thumbs, although most outgrow it by…