Laughing Through Labor
Having comfort options is important to any woman who hopes to approach her birth as a natural process. Nitrous oxide – more commonly known as laughing gas – is one such option. Many women in the U.S. have never heard…
So You’re Choosing Childcare?
For the first sixteen months of her life, my daughter Jayda, who at ten is already two inches taller than me, stayed with my mother or her father during the day while I worked. As she grew older, I knew…
Read to Them
The air is thick with excitement. All 680 students from pre-K through fifth grade know the adventure is beginning. This assembly at Richmond’s Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School starts everyone in the school and their families on a path filled with…
Whoa, where did the summer go?!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I refuse to buy into the retail notion that summer is over and I’m behind on my back-to-school shopping (and Halloween and Christmas shopping too, if I’m to believe the store…
Kindergarten Readiness Challenges
My twins will turn five at the end of this month. They are currently signed up for kindergarten in September, but I am concerned that my little boy is not ready. My daughter seems more prepared, but I still have…
Kids and Cleaning
Organization at a young age is critical. Just as a messy desk can cause you to feel overwhelmed, when your children are surrounded by disorganization, they often become mentally over-stimulated, and that feeling can then manifest in behavioral issues at…
Grab-and-Go Breakfast Ideas
Breakfast Bites Defrost ½ pound breakfast sausage, and cut into bite-size pieces. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage for 7 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a…
Speak Up for Minority Youth
The massacre at an Orlando nightclub in June raised many questions about our society’s acceptance of sexual and gender diversity, and the safety of individuals in the LGBTQ community. As a child advocate who works so that all children can…
Exploring Grandparents’ Rights
There is no relationship quite like that of a grandparent and grandchild. Grandparents universally speak of the joy it brings. In her book, Becoming Grandma, Leslie Stahl writes, “There is no weariness that competes with the elation and joy of…
The Yard is Yours
Just look at you now. Thirteen years old and well over five feet tall. At ninety pounds, you weigh far more than I did when I was your age, and you keep growing out of everything you have in your…
