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Parenthood

Mommy-and-Me, Destroying the Me in Mommy

I am their mom. I am the crucial part of our Mommy-and-Me, but I’m losing the Me.

Why Wasn’t Hannah Horvath’s Pregnancy on “Girls” Exactly Like My Own?

Why wasn’t Hannah Horvath talking about how much she didn’t like being pregnant? In other words, why wasn’t she me right now?

My 7th Grader Was Not "A Pleasure to Have in Class" and Turned Out Just Fine

If you have a child who isn’t always “a pleasure to have in class,” don’t be discouraged. Be consistent, but don’t give up or lose faith.

Kid Made Recipe: Beet Hummus

Chips and hummus get a snappy springtime update in this tasty, healthy, and fun-to-make snack kids and grown ups alike will love! 

Buying and Selling a House…With a Toddler, a Pregnant Wife, and a Tight Deadline

My wife's reaction to finding out she was pregnant eight months after giving birth to our first child encapsulated the major difference between us.

3 Places Families Should Make Phone-Free

Here's how to carve out three important tech-free areas -- and why.

My Son Asked Me Why I Had A Butt on My Stomach

I want other women, especially mothers, to know that it's okay that their body is what it is.

April Showers Bring Spring Scented Kids

There is a unique smell that is my young children at the end of a spring day.

Four Daily Exercises That Illuminate Gratitude and Joy

These small habits we can practice every day will help our kids see the good all around them.

Carl Jung on Parenting: There Are No Coincidences

Synchronicity is all about coincidence, about things happening at similar times or in a particular pattern so that the things take on meaning.

Are There Child Traffickers in Ikea? The Fine Balance of Parenting, Paranoia, and Preparedness

We are parenting in a time of paranoia. What are the statistics about abductions and sex trafficking in our current culture? It's not as dire as you'd think.

Charting a New Course for My Sensitive Girl

It is not my job to tell my daughter who to be. She already feels the world speaking to her, telling her that her sensitivity is undesirable.

Sharing Our Boobs: The Case for Communal Breastfeeding

The idea of another woman putting her nipple in your baby’s mouth might give you the creeps, but remember, only a few generations back breastfeeding itself was taboo.

All-Embracing Ways to Parent a Shy Kid

Researchers have found that shyness is part of a child’s temperament and can be quite persistent. So how do you support your shy child?

How to Help Your Kid Conquer Feelings of Disappointment

The line between setting a child up for success and protecting him from disappointment is hazy. Yet the alternative is not only impossible, it backfires.

Roughhousing With Your Kids May be Just the Sort of Play They Need

I was surprised when I ran across research that touts all of these other benefits of “roughhousing” outside of the pure joy factor.

These Are the Years of Looking Down

The early days of motherhood pull your gaze away from the stars and downward onto chores, and babies, and messes to manage.

My Best-Laid Plans to Raise the Revolution

Recent events have me thinking about my daughters, wondering about all those proclamations I've made over these past ten years that I've been raising girls.

Acknowledging The Unknowns Of Raising Kids With A Smartphone In Your Hand

With the average adult spending four hours a day on their phone, our own use of technology – and concessions about overuse – are also slowly coming to light.

The Savings Conscious Parent's Primer on 529 Plans

By starting college savings before your child is out of diapers, you can turn relatively small savings into a tuition check.

This House is Not a Democracy: Parenting With Love and Ultimatums

For our kids, it’s about trusting us, the parents, to make the decision that is in their best interest, even when they can’t see it.

Embracing the Positivity of Boy Power

It's common to think of boys as more physical and rambunctious than their female counterparts. But are we sending the wrong message when we reign it in?

I'd Rather Bathe a Feral Cat Than Plan This IEP Meeting

Do not get me wrong, I would walk through fire for my son. That would be easier, actually, because at least then I would know the outcome.

Summer Arrives on the Wings of the Cicada

Their sound, that rhythmic cicada crooning, danced in my head, proving far more intoxicating than the empty bottle of wine at my feet.