Shortly after having my first baby, I decided I was going to be the perfect parent. I immediately began to keep an intelligent library of child-rearing books on my nightstand and would replenish the stock as each book was absorbed into my sub-consciousness and checked off the “read” list. My…
Have you ever felt a deep pang of irritation at something involving your spouse? Has that irritation progressed to a gnawing anger that you harbor for days, months, even years? Welcome to the world of spousal resentment. Luckily, you don’t have to stay angry forever. Dictionary.com defines resentment as “the…
As a parent, you have a strong influence over how much fast food your child eats. Find out how to set some guidelines to follow when eating out that will teach them how to make healthy choices as adults. In the ‘olden days’ there were no video games or televisions….
Most people think of acid reflux as a condition that only affects adults. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Acid reflux, also known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), affects children of all ages, including newborns. Symptoms of GERD include burning in the throat, gagging or choking, sore throats,…
Kids are getting played when it comes to taking a break at school. Yes, they’re there to learn reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic – but what about that fourth “R,” recess? Many schools are doing away with kids’ sole opportunity to give their brains a break during the day in favor…
Everyone benefits from a good night’s sleep. Children also need to learn how to unwind at the end of the day with an uninterrupted period of restorative sleep. For some children, this comes easily. For others, it may mean a night of counting sheep and difficult morning rises. Break the…
Much of the excitement of Independence Day is the rockets’ red glare, especially for kids. But those bombs bursting in air can and do injure people, especially kids. In 2008 alone, there were 7,000 fireworks injuries reported. Nearly half of those casualties were children. No wonder they’re illegal in a…
The safety of the entire family usually seems to fall on Mom, but it’s important for even the smallest family members to know what to do if disaster strikes. Whether it’s an injury, crime or natural disaster, you can teach your children how to take control and get help when…
Next to rent or mortgage payments, childcare often ranks as the second-highest expenditure in a household budget. Working couples can pay a whopping 10-20% of their incomes on childcare while their children are small. Seeing the high cost needed to be expensed for their children’s care, some couples decided to…
When your teenager starts to get out of hand you have to ask yourself some hard questions. The first step is to honestly evaluate how you think you’re doing when communicating with your teen. Do you feel you are sharing valuable information and time? Or do you feel there is…