Parenting

Is your smartphone moonlighting as your child’s favorite portable gaming device? Has your living room become a high-tech arcade? Advances in technology have made playing video games easier, more portable, and more fun than ever before. so it’s critical to ask – are your kids playing too much? Kids and Video Games There are many [...]

Your daughter’s school just emailed you a reminder that tomorrow night is the annual parent-teacher conference. Your toddler is tugging at your pant leg – she wants to watch “Finding Nemo” for the umpteenth time. Dinnertime is in ten minutes, and of course you forgot to run the dishwasher. Is it time to scream yet? [...]

Your daughter is obsessed with her best friend’s Jack Russell terrier, who gives new meaning to the word “adorable.” Your toddler squeals with delight every time they see another Animal Planet special on fluffy kitties. The signs are all there – they want a pet. And while you have fond memories of Misty, your childhood [...]

The chore chart: such a well-intentioned grid. Hanging on the fridge, it tries to keep your kids informed of what chores they must do, it really does. But sometimes your daughter misses Table Setting Tuesday to eat dinner at a friend’s house. Sometimes your son has WAY too much homework to fold laundry. And so [...]

You’ve been tapping your foot all morning. “We’re going to be late!” you announce, but your daughter keeps primping her hair, your son starts another round of foosball with his little brother, and none of them have brushed their teeth yet. If this sounds like your household in the morning, it’s time to talk to [...]

The bond between siblings is one of the most common yet least understood types of relationships. For some, a sister or brother can be a lifelong source of comfort, reassurance, and love. But for many others it can be a constant stream of resentment, anger, and rivalry. Differences in temperaments, personalities, interests, and ages can [...]

“So, how was school today?” If this dinnertime conversation starter is often greeted by a shrug, it’s probably time to try a different question. Getting kids to open up about their lives can be difficult when they reach grade-school, and nearly impossible as high school approaches. But don’t despair. Take some of these tips to [...]

First it’s a mosquito in your ear…then it’s that obnoxious squeal of air escaping a pinched balloon…and by the time the sound reaches its crescendo, it’s a few decibels away from shattering your glasses. The dreaded whine. Children whine to get your attention and, sadly, it works. But if your child is beginning to believe [...]

The sun will come out tomorrow…or will it? The short, grey days of winter can seriously dampen moods. As you and your family spend more time indoors, it can seem like boredom and irritability are more prevalent than fun and togetherness. Some people are more affected than others by winter weather, but studies show that [...]