How do you respond when your kids push your buttons? Offspring, who constantly fight, bicker, whine and complain can drive a parent to his or her breaking point, which can then lead to a time out for the offending child, a revoking of privileges or a stern lecture. I typically opt for the latter when my daughter pushes the limits because it has proven to be quite effective. At some point it may no longer yield the same results. Still, I can say with almost 100 percent certainty, if lecturing doesn’t do the job, I won’t be calling the cops … Continue reading →

Have you ever wondered what really goes on at your child’s school during recess? At my daughter’s private school, parent volunteers aid teachers in monitoring the 200 plus kids who run around on the outdoor playground like wild animals twice a day. As a parent volunteer, I get to witness firsthand some of the shenanigans that take place during the students’ break from class. What’s more, I am also privy to the attention given to each child by adult supervisors when or if a problem rears its head on the playground. This gives me priceless peace of mind on the … Continue reading →

As I mentioned in a previous post, thanks to her quick thinking, superior balance and keen gun skills, 18-year-old Sarah McKinley and her 3-month-old son are alive today. The Oklahoma widow has been basking in the national media spotlight ever since she shot and killed a man who tried to break into her home on New Year’s Eve. In the past week, McKinley has made the rounds on cable and network news shows, but now her name is gaining even more notoriety because Sarah Palin is trying to make her the poster child for gun rights. The conservative politician is … Continue reading →

“There’s nothing more dangerous than a woman with a child.” I love that. If you are a mom in any capacity–biological, step, adoptive, or otherwise–that quote is likely to resonate with you in ways that are hard to articulate. Incredibly, the words were uttered by a mom of just three months, who just happens to be… 18 years old. Who says all teen moms are like the ones portrayed on MTV? Sarah McKinley is turning the teen mom stereotype on its head, thanks in large part to the courage she showed on New Year’s Eve. Courage and quick thinking which … Continue reading →

If you thought having twins would reduce the number of individual birthday parties you had to host each year, you might want to chat with some parents who learned the hard way that giving birth to multiples doesn’t always mean having children that share the same date of birth. Case in point: Beckett and Freya Humenny. The brother and sister are twins, but they weren’t born on the same day. In fact, they weren’t even born in the same year. According to news reports, the twins’ mom went into labor on December 31, 2011, five weeks before her due date. … Continue reading →

If you thought hosting your immediate family of 30 for Christmas dinner was challenging, consider what it would be like if you had to find a table to fit 100 grandkids. One-hundred grandchildren; as in 100 children born from the 16 children you pushed out of your own loins. It’s a situation Viktor and Aneta Urich know very well. The Canadian couple is mom and dad to 16 biological children, who have gone on to marry and produce a grand total of 100 grandchildren for them to enjoy. The 100th grandchild made his debut earlier this month. The baby boy … Continue reading →

It’s an age-old argument, whether it’s better to be a working mom or a stay-at-home mom. While we may never come to a final agreement, there is another type of mother in the mix that often gets left out of the conflict…it’s the part-time working mother. I read an article from “Medline Plus” that mentioned new research finding that mothers who work part-time do a better job at balancing their careers and nurturing their children. Specifically this study found that mothers who work part-time were more involved in their children’s school, more sensitive with their preschool children and provide more … Continue reading →

As if it isn’t enough that a child would be the victim of former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky, to then become the victim of bullying. Yes, twice victimized. A 17-year-old from Pennsylvania had to leave his high school because other students were blaming him for Penn State coach Joe Paterno getting fired after he failed to report an incident of child sexual abuse to police. This 17-year-old was apparently the first victim to come forward and now he is being persecuted. He has not only had to deal with the sexual abuse he endured when he was around … Continue reading →

While MTV and Dr. Drew would love to take credit for the dip in teen pregnancies, experts believe the poor economy is the reason fewer babies are being born in the United States. According to a government report released yesterday, there’s been a major dip in the number of teens and females in their early 20s giving birth. In fact, the federal study found that pregnancy among young women has fallen to the lowest rates since record-keeping began in the 1940s. The startling statistics published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has financial experts crediting the slumping economy … Continue reading →

Remember the pregnant Honolulu mom, who was accused of stealing a couple of sandwiches from a local Safeway last week? Nicole Leszczynski and her husband were thrown into jail and their toddler taken into custody by Child Welfare Services all because they allegedly forgot to pay for a couple of chicken salad snacks they ate before leaving the store. Well, hopefully the rest of Nicole’s pregnancy will be stress-free from here on out. The 28-year-old mom, who made national headlines with her sandwich story, has been vindicated. According to news reports, Safeway decided to calm the PR firestorm they got … Continue reading →