The Importance of Preserving Childhood Memories

Part of the reason (okay, one of the primary reasons) I blog is to chronicle some of the sweet or funny moments in my young daughter’s life. After all, she’s not a baby anymore. (Where did my baby go?) She will be seven soon. Seven. How did that happen? Sadly, some of the only solid memories I have of my daughter as a baby come from photos, a few scribbled journal entries, and these blog posts. I am hoping that she will remember all of the good times we shared together without the aid of printed posts, but alas that … Continue reading →

Moms: Of Gifting to Ourselves

Did you get exactly what you wanted for Mother’s Day? I didn’t get what I asked for; instead, I got something even better. My fellow blogger, Stephanie, got what she wanted, a coffee machine, but it didn’t come from any of her children, or even her spouse. Rather, the self assured mother of three took the initiative to purchase the appliance, and gifted it to herself. Some may consider Stephanie’s move audacious, while others may consider it empowering. Personally, I classify it as self preservation. A requirement for many mothers out there. If you aren’t going to look out for … Continue reading →

Miscarriage Myth

I once had a someone tell me that it didn’t matter how many biological kids I had because I have so many spiritual children to look after and care for. Needless to say, I doubt the words would be considered comforting to someone who just suffered a miscarriage… or even someone who hadn’t. Miscarriage is an extremely sensitive subject for many parents, moms and dads alike. Interestingly, a new report just published in Current Biology is trying to set the record straight on the cause of miscarriages. The research reveals that roughly 40 percent of all fertilized eggs are lost … Continue reading →

Judging Mothers: No One Gets a Break

Isn’t it ironic that the sisterhood of motherhood typically includes some of the harshest critics a female could ever have? Women are catty. Not all, but many. Even more disturbing is the perpetual trend of mothers judging other mothers. The verdict is never good. I know this for a fact. I am a mom and I have been severely judged by some of the most malicious and spiteful women on the face of the earth. Fortunately, I didn’t let their comments break me, much to their chagrin. But isn’t that the point? So what of the latest trend in maternal … Continue reading →

Saving the Smart

With about a month left of the school year, my daughter came home with a note from her teacher that reads: “WE MUST STAY FOCUSED.” The note was sent home with the entire class and alluded that kids are apt to get distracted this time of year with the weather being so nice, and the sheer fact that they are sick of being stuck in a classroom for seven hours each day. In addition to the four-word directive, the note also reminded parents to keep the learning alive during the summer break. I like to refer to the practice as … Continue reading →

Are You Married to a Bad Dad?

To answer the question we must first define “bad.” Are we talking Alec Baldwin bad, Jon Gosselin bad, Mel Gibson bad or “Slumdog Millionaire” dad bad? Or, do you lump your child’s co-parent into the “bad” category due to his lack of participation in the daily upbringing of the child he clearly participated in conceiving? If you selected the latter, then you might be interested in the results of a new study that examines the gap between genders when it comes to “unpaid economy” or what us lay folk refer to as the daily grind of housework and childcare. The … Continue reading →

How to Make Fat Tuesday Fun for Kids

Fat Tuesday is typically associated with half-naked women whipping out their hooters and half-naked men whipping beads at ladies to see said hooters. Not exactly kid-friendly stuff. These days you don’t have to travel to New Orleans or Rio de Janeiro to partake in R-rated Fat Tuesday celebrations complete with raucous booze-filled parties. Heck, the tiny rural town I reside in holds an annual Fat Tuesday beer chugging contest at the pub on Main Street. Hide your children… or steer clear of the mayhem by taking them to Mass. On Shrove Tuesday our church is celebrating a Votive Mass in … Continue reading →

End of an Era

My daughter is a visual learner. She thrives on using colorful visual aids to help retain information or to serve as a clear reminder of lessons or events. Hence our success using a reward chart. When my daughter was three years old I invested in a reward chart and promptly hung it in the hallway where no one, especially my young offspring, could miss it. Whereas, some parents use the chart to curb negative behavior, I wanted a visual tool to encourage my daughter to exercise good behavior while completing a list of daily activities. The chart included a list … Continue reading →

Pre-Tween Crushes

I used to think my dream guy was an amalgamation of Michael J. Fox, Jason Bateman and JFK Jr., but now I think he is more a mixture of Anderson Cooper, Richard Engel and Dean Cain… though I could be wrong. Still, a crush is a crush, and the feelings I had for Jason Bateman when I was in junior high school are as real as the ones swooning Justin Bieber fans have today. Yes, I kissed a life-size cut-out of “The Hogan Family” star and drooled over magazine photos of the former president’s hunk of a son; however, I … Continue reading →

Farewell to Fairy Tales

Having worked in TV news for more than a decade I am used to seeing “Breaking News” alerts pop-up on my computer screen. However, yesterday’s bulletin, which read: “Disney shelves fairytale movies” made me realize that the term “Breaking News” is painfully overused, and in this case, inappropriate. Or is it? If you are the parent of a princess-in-training, you know, the kid, who lives in her Cinderella costume, insists on wearing her tiara – even in the shower – and refuses to believe that frogs aren’t really handsome princes in disguise, then the news is probably life-altering. In our … Continue reading →