Hound for the Holidays
You’d think I’d know better than to fall for the same face twice. But here I am again, hooked on those big, brown eyes, that wagging tail, the shiny, tri-color coat. She’s the spitting image of our first beagle, who…
Breastfeeding Rights
According to the CDC, 77 percent of mothers in the United States breastfeed. We breastfeed in hospitals and doctors’ offices, in our homes, at the park, and on outings. While running errands, I often breastfed my daughter in my car…
What Do We Really Know About Thanksgiving?
Every year at this time, I set out to write about Thanksgiving. Truly America’s holiday – unless you’re from Canada, in which case, change that to North America and we’re good to go – the celebration was proclaimed a…
Sleep Help Guide
Q. I’ve always heard we should strive to keep our kids on a schedule no matter what, waking them up at the same time on weekends. My teens don’t go to bed early on weekends no matter what i say,…
Family Saturday
We used to dread Saturdays. Somehow this day of rest and relaxation had become the most stressful day of the week. When the weekend rolled around my husband and I – both college professors – tried in vain to squeeze…
College Bound?
Fall means back-to-school and for many high school juniors and seniors, the anxiety of taking the PSAT and the dreaded SAT. I watched my two sons navigate this minefield before heading off to Wake Forest University. My background as an…
Temper Tantrums and Rules for Teens
Q. My 3-year-old is having major temper tantrums when he is told “no.” He yells at us, throws things, and sometimes tells us to shut up. We have tried time-out and have threatened to spank him, but haven’t done this…
Problem-Solving 101
When I was fourteen years old, our neighbor’s cat started doing something that really got under my dad’s skin. Nightly, the crafty little fellow would sneak up on my dad’s beloved Saab convertible to sharpen his claws on one section…
Taking the Cake
I am writing this column from the intersection of Competitiveness and Fair Play. It’s kind of lonely here. It’s always been a tricky intersection to find. Sure, the parenting experts all talk about it, and some even claim to offer…
An Unexpected Treat
Halloween is the ultimate kids-will-be-kids holiday. It offers no social redemption, except perhaps the remote possibility of teaching your child how to say thank you – like she means it – before she bolts down the steps and across the…
