Shortly after having my first baby, I decided I was going to be the perfect parent. I immediately began to keep an intelligent library of child-rearing books on my nightstand and would replenish the stock as each book was absorbed into my sub-consciousness and checked off the “read” list. My…
As much as we want to teach kids to be colorblind and oblivious to other people’s differences, kids are wired to notice when people don’t look, act or live the same way they do. Even babies can recognize physical differences in people when they’re shown pictures. But what they’re not…
Perhaps the most infuriating stage of parenthood is when your child reaches the time when tantrums seem to be his only means of expression. In the “terrible twos” – or threes, fours and beyond – these full-on freakouts might happen seemingly at the drop of a hat, but there are…
Ah, romance! Where would we be without it? Unfortunately, romance can easily be forgotten when careers, families, and the necessities of daily life become our primary focus. But romance is important for every couple, whether you’ve been together for 30 days or 30 years. Making a little time for romance…
Do you earn an ‘F’ when it comes to shopping for school supplies? This year, get more for your money and send them to school with everything they need. First, take an inventory of the items that you have lying around in playrooms, bedrooms or offices. You may have enough…
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…
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…
When you’re standing in the aisle of your local pharmacy or superstore shopping for sunscreens for your kids, you might be a little overwhelmed by the choices. There are numerous sun protection products for children on the market right now, in every consistency from thick cream to weightless “sport” sprays…
Demanding children – children who have entitlement issues – seem to be common these days. Like the obnoxious child, Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory, who was constantly demanding that her father get her whatever she wanted (“I want an Umpa Lumpa! Get it for me NOW!”),…
In order for us to get restful sleep, we need to be relaxed. In order to relax, a number of things have to happen. First of all, we need to feel safe and secure. Obviously, if there is tension in the house – abuse, parents rowing, problems with finances or…