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  • Learning to say, "I'm sorry"

    A couple of weeks ago, this scenario played out in my house:

  • A handwritten note: a small gesture that speaks volumes

    Last night, as it became clear that bedtime was just around the corner, my daughter started to cry. At three and a half, it is her life’s mission to negotiate or manipulate her way out of naptime and bedtime. Every day. Every night. It is exhausting.

  • As extracurricular activities get underway, remember what’s important

    As the school year revs into high gear again, our schedules have already begun to fill up with activities: sports practices and games, after-school clubs, tutoring, Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts, youth groups. Sometimes it feels like a full-time job just getting kids to and from all of their extracurricular activities. It’s not too difficult to become a slave to our children’s schedules.

  • A heart for Sophia

    For Sophia’s mom, it’s the little things in life that matter. Taking Sophia to the grocery store and letting her pick out a free cookie, watching her jump into the swimming pool or reading her favorite books to her may seem like small things. But, they are actually miracles.

  • Leading by example

    The other day I had lunch with a friend at one of our favorite mom-and-pop sandwich shops. Well, sort of. We did have lunch, but I only remember this lunch date in flashes of chaos and confusion created by two lively toddlers.

  • Bringing hope and happiness: Tyler's story

    The fight of a lifetime

    On April 14, 2005 Tyler was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, an aggressive childhood cancer. He was two weeks away from his fifth birthday, and he had no idea that he was about to embark upon the fight of his life.

  • What you need to know about bicycle helmets for kids

    One of my favorite things about the neighborhood in which I live is that every weekday I see elementary and middle school kids riding their bicycles to school. The crossing guards take special care to help kids cross the street, and the children look thrilled to be embarking on a grand adventure. It reminds me that mine is a family neighborhood, and I’m so fortunate to live in a place where kids have the opportunity to ride their bikes to school safely.

  • How to raise emotionally healthy children

    As a parent of a two-year-old and an almost four-year-old and a stepparent to a 9-year-old and an 11-year-old, the difficulties and pressures of raising healthy kids are monumental. From societal pressures to familial expectations, the constant question of “Am I doing this right?” never quite goes away.

  • Is 36 seconds enough time to talk about sex?

    A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics shows that doctors are spending an average of 36 seconds talking to teenagers about sex, that is if they talk about it at all. One-third of teenagers receiving a yearly check-up didn’t have any mention of sexual health or development.

  • Surviving a preschooler’s separation anxiety

    I’ve come to believe that separation anxiety is the straw that breaks the backs of many moms. We can carry our heavy loads through many child-rearing deserts, but we Mom-camels collapse under the pressure of children suffering from separation anxiety. Our children cry as we leave them, and we cry our guilty little hearts out as soon as we are out of our children’s sight. We are left with those lingering questions: Should I leave them? Are they going to be okay? Am I a terrible mother for leaving my child?