Ask Mr. Dad: Allowance and household chores
Dear Mr. Dad: Our 12-year-old daughter says all her friends get paid for helping around the house, and she wants an allowance for doing chores too. This sounds crazy to my wife and me. Is it really a good idea?
Living with children
This is Part 2 and the conclusion of Parenting 101, an overview of the fundamentals of effective parenting. Last week's class dealt with such basics as having a more active relationship with your spouse than you have with your children, saying "No" more than "Yes," and the much overlooked fact that the discipline of a child is accomplished through the conveyance of proper leadership, not reward-ship or punishment-ship. Having built a strong foundation, we will now move into a set of specifics that are equally essential to raising a child who will be well-equipped to deal successfully with the realities of independence. After all, the purpose of raising a child is to get him or her out of your life and into a life of his/her own.
If memory serves, memoirs are hot
Why don't we do this the easy way? If you haven't written a memoir, please step forward. Anybody? Somebody?
California's controversial Proposition 8 generates questions about nature of marriage
What is traditional marriage?
Be on the same page for kids' sake
Q: My husband and I have two children each from a previous marriage. We each have 50/50 custody of our children. During the past few months his 8-year-old daughter, for no clear reason, has started to kick and insult her daddy. My husband can't understand her behavior. He always shows affection and one-to-one time. For the past month she has refused to come to our home, and his ex-wife says she doesn't want to force her. What do we do?
In praise of teachers
Let me start with a disclaimer, I was a public school teacher for twenty years. I taught in the Midwest, but contrary to the belief that Midwesterners are mainly rural folk, I taught mainly working class, inner city kids. One of the schools I taught in was populated with nothing but children who thought milk came from the Anderson Erickson building about a quarter of a mile down the street.
Take perfect pictures of a newborn
If you've got a newborn in your house this holiday season, chances are you're planning to take a few photos. Or a few thousand.
Southern manners
Growing up, my parents taught me to call adults by their last name. As a little girl, I just assumed everyone referred to adults this way, but over time I realized it might have something to do with my being raised a Yankee. When my family moved from New York to Virginia Beach, I realized that I was the only kid on the block that used such formality. All of my friends called adults by their first names (with a Mister or Miss in front of it). At first, it sounded like blasphemy when I heard my own parents being called Miss Cheryl and Mr. Bill. I never was able to bring myself to change.
Make sure you're giving safe toys this season
It's primetime for toy-buying. But how to do you know that what you're putting under the tree isn't putting the kids you love in danger?
Blogging moms
A weekly glimpse of what moms are saying on the Web.
Raising awareness of sexualized messages to kids
Violent video games. Pornography on the Internet. Scantily clad Bratz dolls. Britney Spears and degrading rap videos. Never before have children faced such an onslaught of violent and sexualized messages from so many sources.
When do moms come first?
Have you asked yourself that question? I have, many times since leaving my career in television. I thought it would be a pleasure to leave the rat race and become a SAHM. I fantasized about baking cookies, walking my kids to the park, cooking family meals and reading (something other than scripts). After four years at home, I have done all of these things yet I'm still haunted by a sense of dissatisfaction.
Moms Forum: Sibling spacing to prevent rivalry?
Moms Forum spotlights useful discussion taking place on the parenting forums of newspapers around the country.
Honesty may not always be the best policy
It has officially happened. I've started lying to my son, and to boot, manipulating him as well. In the past, I have sat on my moral mountain judging others for telling little white lies to their children. But that was before I became a mom, and now, well now it is different, I have joined the ranks and become a teller of lies.
It's the last umbrella you'll ever need
It was not a Mother of the Year moment. My husband and I were stuck in a driving rainstorm with our preschooler and our infant. No umbrella. No raincoats. Our 4-year-old was delighted, of course, and cheerfully pointed out that, "Hey Mommy, we're the only family without an umbrella!" Our 9-month-old, strapped in the stroller and drenched from the waist down, looked at us like she was about ready to ask for replacement parents, if only she could speak.
Watch it: ‘Global Wonders' DVD series
WHAT THEY ARE: DVDs highlighting different cultures, including India, Mexico, African-American and Around the World.
9 to 5 to 9: Deciding Little Guy's fate at the age of 3
It started just after Big Guy snagged the impressive scholarly honor of Math Master, recognizing his ability to count and write numbers up to 30.
Creating family along with the kosher turkey on Thanksgiving
One of the great tragedies of modern life is the loss of the extended family presence in everyday life. An important system in human society, the extended family is no longer a certainty in a global economy that moves people all over the world.
Take note: Put best foot forward
Q: I have recently met my ex-husband's new fiancee. They plan to marry in a few months. My ex has primary custody of our daughter, age 7. I remarried a year ago.
Ask Mr. Dad: Violent video games
Dear Mr. Dad: My son loves video games and spends a ton of time playing on them. Some are sports games, but others are fairly violent war-related games. I've heard the warnings about violent games breeding violent behavior, and I'm worried. Should I be?
When is the best time to be thankful?
People can be sticklers about what time they have Thanksgiving dinner. There are the high-noon purists and the mid- to late-afternoon debonair.
Living with children
Welcome to Parenting 101, a two-part introduction to the fundamentals of effective child rearing. Upon passing this course, which will conclude with next week's column, you will have acquired what it takes to raise children who are mannerly, self-disciplined, and do their best in school. As you will see, the fundamentals in question do not include various clever means of manipulating reward and punishment. If to this point, parenting has not been a relatively simple, easy-going affair, your problem is your attitude, your point of view, in which case, you signed up for the right course!
Kids should climb trees
So lately I've been pretending to be some cool, hip urban mom while secretly scouting out wrap around porches and manicured lawns.
When does a mom have time to bathe?
I don't shower ... first thing in the morning. There, I said it.
Keep your family healthy during a resort vacation
Going on vacation? Maggie Derblay, fitness director for One & Only Resorts, has some tips to keep your family healthy while you're visiting a resort.
Tips to put your kids in a giving spirit
When the holidays roll around, so do the opportunities for community service. If you decided to get involved in a service project with your kids, here are some recommendations from the experts at KinderCare Learning Centers:
Blogging moms
A weekly glimpse of what moms are saying on the Web.
Multiple joys: Three ob-gyns — and moms — are personal experts on twins and triplets
Julia is the independent one, the sister who takes charge of her fellow triplets - like a little mommy, says Dr. Amy Riley, the real mother of this well-behaved group of 4-year-olds. Vivian, or Vivi, is the smallest, a dainty girl who likes to wear skirts.
Nonfiction tales should charm young readers
Tales about wizards, talking bunnies and fairies are fun, but real people make good stories, too.
