Author Archives: Jen Thorpe

About Jen Thorpe

I have a B.S. in Education and am a former teacher and day care worker. I started working as a freelance writer in 2010 and have written for many topics here at Families.com.

What Is Your Parenting Style?

Parents.com wrote: From authorities to authoritative, permissive to neglectful, we’re breaking down different types of parenting styles. Which one do you practice? Your parenting style can affect everything from your child’s self-esteem to their academic success. It’s important to ensure your parenting style supports healthy growth and development because the way you interact with your child — and how you discipline them — will influence them for the rest of their life. Researchers have identified four main parenting styles that take a unique approach to raising children: Authoritarian, Authoritative, Permissive, and Uninvolved. People want to know which parenting style they’re … Continue reading →

Most Infuriating Challenges to Free-Range Parenting

Reason reported stories from 2024 that drove free-range parents crazy. Child Reported Walking: As Reason was the very first to report, authorities charged Georgia mom Brittany Patterson with “reckless conduct” after her son, age 10, walked to town — population 370 — without. telling her. The cops came to her home, handcuffed her in front of her kids, and threw her in jail. Child services then tried to require Patterson to track her child at all times. Child Reported Bicycling: “The police were called because my 8-year-old was riding her bike on our street,” Kentucky mom Kay Eskridge told Reason. … Continue reading →

Famous Quotes To Use As New Year Wishes

Happy New Year! Good Housekeeping provided some famous quotes to use as New Year’s wishes.  “A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one ear and other the other.” — Unknown “Let our New Year’s resolution be this: We will be there for one another as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word.” —Göran Persson “This is a new year. A new beginning. And things will change.” – Taylor Swift “One thing with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to ind the future has run out on us.” — … Continue reading →

Best Things To Do On New Year’s Eve To Celebrate 2025

Each and every year has its own story but by the 365th day (or 366th day, in 2024’s case), its almost always the same song and dance: a day of reflection followed by an evening of celebration, Woman’s Day reported. While glitzy and glamorous parties and late-night glamorous parties and late-night dinner reservations are popular choices for closing out one year and entering another, in reality, there are so many things to do on New Year’s Eve, many of which can be accomplished without even leaving your home. If you pride yourself on living mindfully and in the moment, you … Continue reading →

Christmas Facts

Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature, history.com reported. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis if their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends, and, of course, waiting for Santa Clause to arrive.  December 25 – Christmas Day … Continue reading →

How To Avoid Conflicts During Holiday Gatherings

Thanksgiving might be a time for gratitude and spending time with loved ones, but visiting family during holidays can often be stressful for many people. While some might look forward to making more cherished memories with their close circle, those same gatherings may be a source of dread for others, Yahoo! Life reported. In fact, more than half of Canadians find holiday seasons to have a negative impact on their mental health, according to a Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) survey. Moreover, 52 percent of those reported they have increased feelings of anxiety and depression.  There are many factors that … Continue reading →

Target Releases Its Cheapest-Ever Thanksgiving Meal Deal

Target is lowering the price of its Thanksgiving meal bundle, adding to the roughly 8,000 products that have been discounted as it attempts to attract inflation-weary shoppers during the holiday season. Priced at $20, a $5 decrease from 2023, the Thanksgiving meal feeds four people and includes all the usual holiday fixings: a frozen turkey (up to 10 pounds), potatoes, canned green beans, cream of mushroom soup, a boxed stuffing mix and jarred gravy. The deal is a mix of name brands and the Target-owned Good & Gather label. “One of the themes we consistently hear is the need for … Continue reading →

Why Teens Are Choosing To Stay Home On Halloween Night

There are countless indications that today’s kids are growing up faster than ever. Take a new toy for babies one mom nicknamed “babies first cubicle,” complete with a faux smartphone and Post-Its, which she sees as pushing office culture on the diaper-wearing set, parents.com reported. Flash forward a few years, and many of us parents find that our daughters, who just outgrew playing with dolls, are begging to go to Sephora for skin care products with price tags to rival a fancy dinner for four. Meanwhile, teen boys are singularly focused on building cologne collections that look like the display … Continue reading →

How To Be A Lighthouse Parent

Lighthouse parenting combines the most important aspects of raising children: nurturing, loving, protecting, and communicating with them. Much like a lighthouse, parents provide a stable source of guidance for their children while still maintaining a healthy balance of stepping in and allowing them the freedom to grow and learn on their own, parents.com reported. On the spectrum of parenting styles, lighthouse parenting hovers right around the middle — not as involved as a helicopter parent, but not as hands-off a a free-range parent. However, this approach may not be effective for every child. “Lighthouse parenting straddles the line where you’re … Continue reading →

Authoritarian Parenting Can Be Harmful To Children

Are you a more strict parent than your friends? Is your refrigerator decorated with chore charts and house rules rather than handprint art? Do you expect your children to obey you, even if you don’t explain your reasoning? If so, you likely have an authoritarian parenting style. You have high expectations of your kids and won’t put up with any of that “kids will be kids” nonsense, according to Parents.com. While authoritarian parenting may seem effective in the short term, parenting experts and pediatricians agree it’s not the best parenting style in the long run. That’s because kids parented in … Continue reading →