Teens and the Sleep Issue
Q: When my daughter was younger, she had difficulty falling asleep at night. She would read and fight sleep for hours. Now, she is sixteen. She is in her room by eleven most nights, but cannot – or will not…
Managing SAD
A perpetually pessimistic friend once told me that my birthday (later this month for you gift givers out there) was the most depressing day of the year because it’s cold, dark, and the holiday bills arrive. While there may be…
“Mom, what’s wrong with him?”
The moment your child sees mine, he knows something is a little bit different – or a lot. It might be in the way my child moves, in his facial features, in the braces on his legs, or in the…
Scrooge-Proof the Holidays!
It starts as soon as the Halloween decorations are cleared out. Sometimes, it’s even earlier. The clock starts ticking and the pressure is on to create the perfect holiday season for your family. As a mom of two children, of…
How Christmas Works
Christmas is a lot of work. This is news to absolutely no one. Especially moms out there reading. And single parents. And dads who split holiday-making and child-rearing duties fifty-fifty with their partners. (Which means it’s only half as much…
What to Give the Grandkids?
Traditional gifts of the season tend to get broken, forgotten, or discarded far too quickly. Why not give a gift with long-term impact and long-term value? Here are three ideas that will transcend the season: Roth IRAs, Uniform Gift to…
The Family Business
Society is changing, in some cases with head-spinning rapidity. Marijuana is legal in some states and making strides towards legalization in others. Same-sex marriage is now legal in a majority of states. Everywhere we look, it seems that groups who…
How Believing Can Dismantle Seasonal Stress
Studies show that positive emotion and well-being can increase during the holidays, especially with regard to holiday rituals. Regardless of how stressed or frustrated you might feel during this time of year, you can improve your positive emotion by changing your…
…and to All a Good Sweet!
Peppermint Bark Prep time: 15 minutes, plus time to chill Put 10 oz of semi-sweet chocolate morsels (not quite one bag) in a bowl, and place in the microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Stir with a rubber spatula.…
Picture-Perfect Gift Idea
Kids love making ornaments and grownups enjoy receiving pictures during the holidays! Factor in the use of recycled materials, and you get a can’t-miss Kids Can-Do idea for all ages. (It’s a perfect gift topper, too – especially for out-of-town…
