For kids, being safe often compromises their cool quotient. Think about it: wearing a helmet while biking = geeky; buckling up in a vehicle = loser; rocking elbow pads while skateboarding = not rocking; and using a rolling backpack = Nerdsville. Personally, I love backpacks with wheels, but then again, I’m not in middle school. According to my too-hip-for-his-own-good nephew, “No one takes a person over 9 years old with a rolling backpack seriously.” And if you dare to be seen with a wheeled backpack in high school, said nephew warns: “I am relatively sure people will make fun of … Continue reading →

How much would you pay to ensure that your child’s pearly whites are straight as an arrow when she flashes a winning smile? Depending on how crooked your kid’s teeth are to start, the cost of standard orthodontic care runs between $5,000 and $7,000 with most dental insurance plans covering only a fraction of the total. So, imagine how poor you’d be if your kid had to wear braces for 11 years. As in 11 years straight. Or, basically, your kid’s entire childhood. For the record, most kids wear braces for two to three years. I was forced to wear … Continue reading →

There’s a fine line between charity and prudence. It’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way since becoming a parent. I was reminded just how challenging it can be to reconcile the two after hearing the story of the family whose summer vacation included a record breaking delay at Salt Lake City International Airport. Earlier this month, the local ABC affiliate in Salt Lake City broadcast the plight of Curtis Saxton, his wife, and his two children, ages 13 and 4, who became stranded at the airport for nearly a week. The clan was trying to get home to Virginia … Continue reading →

How strange is it that I’ve already selected all the songs I want played at my funeral? More or less bizarre than the fact that my 7-year-old daughter is privy to that information, plus she knows what type of flowers I want draped on my coffin before it’s placed six feet under. What? I didn’t tell her what I wanted to be buried in. Calm down; it’s not as macabre and morose as you might think. My young daughter has attended a number of funerals in short life, including her paternal grandmother’s and my grandmother’s. Needless to say, she is … Continue reading →

I have major trust issues. And by major I mean I really don’t trust anyone. That goes triple when my child is involved. Make that quintuple. Let’s just say I am not the type of parent, who would drop off my 9-year-old kid at a municipal pool with five bucks for lunch and head to work for 8 hours, hoping that the lifeguards or other adults will make sure he’s alive and well by the time I return. For many parents, entrusting their flesh and blood to others is not a task they take lightly. And, no, I don’t buy … Continue reading →

Want to know what happens when parents can’t control their loose lips? Turn on the TV or surf the World Wide Web and see the backlash Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Ryan Lochte’s mom–a.k.a. the queen of loose lips–is enduring right now. Not that she cares. But, hey, I do… and so do millions of others of parents who are often tempted to spill TOO MUCH INFO about their offspring with family, friends, and (sometimes) perfect strangers. Shortly after Ryan made history at the London Olympics, Ike Lochte told NBC that her golden boy gets around… and not just in the … Continue reading →

Have you ever sat down and calculated how much money you’ve spent raising your child? Think about it; if you crunched the numbers from the moment you first discovered you were pregnant until today, the amount of cash you’ve likely dropped on your precious bundle of joy probably exceeds five figures. It’s no surprise that the cost associated with raising kids is a hot topic among parents. So much so that you can visit just about any baby-centric website these days and calculate how much a child will set you back financially. For example, Babycenter.com features a handy dandy calculator … Continue reading →

When you’re a kid, nothing ruins summer vacation faster than being sick. I speak from experience. When I was 10 years old I got chicken pox five days after school let out for summer break. Talk about a summer bummer. Then again, taking care of a sick kid during summer vacation is no picnic for a parent either. When you’re on summer break, staying up late, traveling to new and exciting places, and enjoying life minus a regular routine, it’s easy to forgo healthy eating habits, slack on regular hand washing and avoid other good habits. This, of course, can … Continue reading →

I’m a parent, but I’m not on Facebook. So, if you want to see random photos of my cute kid, you have to come to my house or check in with this blog on a regular basis because I’m not looking to hop on the Facebook bandwagon anytime soon… or ever. GASP! Right? I know. I am a member of a dying breed. Everybody’s doing it, so why am I holding out? I’m waiting for Anderson Cooper to feature me on a show dedicated to non-Facebook users under the age of 60. I’ll work it like a virgin. After all, … Continue reading →

Someone once told me that bald only looks good on babies and old men. Well, clearly the person has never seen a young cancer patient rock a bald head. Kids fighting for their lives against insidious diseases like cancer, which can rob them of their locks during treatment, should never have to worry about whether or not they will be ridiculed by their peers for looking different. Thankfully, I’m not the only one who feels this way. The manufacturer of those uber-popular American Girl Dolls is making bald look beautiful. The company’s new “Doll Without Hair” line is quickly becoming … Continue reading →