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…
“But Mom, I don’t want to wear that!” It’s the dreaded wardrobe discussion. For some, it might happen once in a blue moon, but other not-so-lucky parents might find themselves in engaged in the clothing power struggle on a daily basis. Whether your child is 2 or 12, there is…
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare — you’re at a family gathering or birthday party when your young child drops the “S” bomb, or even worse, the “F” bomb. Your face is on fire, and you’re absolutely mortified. Surely everybody knows that they heard the expletive from you, which means you’re…
Several studies show that girls’ self-esteem and self-confidence tends to decline after about age nine as girls enter puberty. How do you encourage self confidence and increase self esteem during these early years? There are things that can be done. This article will review some of those things. Start with…
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…
Still thinking of resolutions to make in the new year? Many adults resolve to lose weight, get more organized or make other promises. But why not make resolutions that benefit you and your family? If a resolution will make you a better parent, then there are a few you might…
Next to rent or mortgage payments, childcare often ranks as the second-highest expenditure in a household budget. Working couples can pay a whopping 10-20% of their incomes on childcare while their children are small. Seeing the high cost needed to be expensed for their children’s care, some couples decided to…
If you have a picky eater, mealtime can make you feel like you want to pull your hair out. It is very frustrating for parents to watch their child only fiddle with their food at dinner or not even touch it, claiming they “don’t like it.” Then what happens? Thirty…
Young, wild, and free … isn’t that what it’s supposed to feel like to be a teenager? While it’s normal for teens to push and discover their limits, it’s also dangerous. Due in large part to the fact that parenting decisions are only as sound as the information on which…
With kids, anytime is the time for a party. You do not have to rent giant blow-ups for your front yard and feed every kid within a radius of 100 miles either. Letting your kids have a slumber party with a homemade cake, homemade pizza, a couple of bags of…