July 2012

Living so close to the cradle of American civilization, history is fun. Trips to Jamestown. Summer camps at Yorktown.And fireworks in Williamsburg. So you could imagine my surprise when a local friend recommended the Frontier Culture Museum as the best outdoor, living history museum she’d ever visited. I decided we…

It’s something no parent should have to face.The death of a young child brings unprecedented grief on the heels of unprecedented joy.But some parents find relief in philanthropy, using the lessons learned for a positive purpose.Meet three families who turned their sorrow into action, helping to heal or even prevent…

Life isn’t fair. Our parents told us that, and we, in turn, tell our children. Resources aren’t distributed evenly; somebody always winds up in need, while others have more than they need. If you’re lucky enough to be in the latter group, it’s not just good policy but good parenting…

    We were done. As in, we had decided on two kids, and I knew we were done. Yet, there I was, pregnant as all get-out, swollen with impending motherhood – smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer. In the dream (or the nightmare as the case may be),…

So, it is summer, and some of you are probably planning to send your children to camp for the first time. I have three words of advice: Don’t do it. Summer camp is hell. Separation anxiety. Your world turned upside down. Tears. Misery. Sleepless nights. Parents should not have to…

Afraid not, just the sound of kids jumping off the bed in the room above me, reveling in the freedom that is summer break. It is the eleventh hour, not even a day before the July issue goes to print, and there is a gaping hole where the Publisher’s Note…

People often say that kids are like sponges, effortlessly absorbing all the information they encounter. How true!Consider kids who are exposed to two languages in their home and are bilingual before kindergarten, or the children of sports enthusiasts who can spout off rosters and stats when they are only bat-high…

What you need: Pencil Watercolor paper or drawing paper Large watercolor paintbrush A set of watercolor paints and water bowl Salt (table, epsom, or kosher) Plastic wrap Cotton balls, colored paper, glue, markers, stamps (optional) What you do: 1. Lightly draw two lines with your pencil to divide your watercolor…

In our society, one way that we express love is by planning. We plan birthday parties, picnics, family reunions, holiday gatherings. You probably had this month’s Fourth of July itinerary worked out well in advance.Most likely, the plan included fireworks and some sort of a BBQ meal. You might have…

Q: We have a 3-year-old with a typically short attention span.Both my husband and i work outside the home. The hour before dinner is so hectic, we are trying to get the meal on the table, return phone calls, check mail, and check in with one another. All the while,…

  A life of addiction and drug abuse laid waste to their mother, and when the woman died, the two children moved in with their father. Physically and emotionally unfit to raise a family, the man treated one child with cruel disregard while showing a twisted brand of favoritism toward…

Women are notorious caregivers, a role that is inherently good. They are often the ones who manage the health of the whole family – significant others, children, parents, and family pets – all while juggling careers, volunteer opportunities, birthday parties, and household duties. While it’s no surprise, it is unfortunate…

Allowance is often defined as a share or portion allotted or granted.Interestingly, the next definition you see is an imposed handicap. Funny how these two meanings interact, because giving your child an allowance purely as a function of the first definition may impose the second – a handicap that affects…

“Are his pupils supposed to be clear and see-through?” Mary Bullock heard her husband’s question and felt sick to her stomach. It was 1992. Just a few weeks before, the happy couple had brought their newborn, Nathan Andrew, home from the hospital. An emergency visit to the pediatrician, followed by…

Jellyfish – those brainless, heartless and slimy creatures that compel some of us to make a beeline for the beach chair and others to find the perfect stick for poking, are crucial to medical scientists looking for ways to prevent hearing loss. Interestingly enough, the common jellyfish can’t hear, think…

More than a million cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year, according to a report out of Cleveland Clinic. About 80 percent of these will be basal cell skin cancer. The most common and the most benign, it’s also the one some people call…

Surgery is scary for anyone, but it can be particularly scary for a child – and sometimes even more unnerving for the parents of the little one. When a child is scheduled for a surgical procedure, the entire team of medical professionals should be committed to making the preoperative, surgical,…

Mosquitoes – ick! If only Noah had left these guys off the manifest. I know, they’re part of the food chain, blah, blah, blah. But really, what good are they? I’m sure you have heard various remedies for dealing with the itch that comes with a bug bite, as well…

Adults and kids know the pain of a summer earache can keep you awake all night. While middle ear infections (otitis media) are most common in the cold and fl u season, outer ear infections, or otitis externa, or swimmer’s ear, peak in the warm, humid months. Lazy days by…

Summertime is a child’s favorite time of year, marked by the things most kids look forward to, like camps, vacations, and sleepovers. However, if a fear of waking up in a wet bed is weighing on a child’s mind, participation is these activities will likely be limited. That’s why summer…