Seven experts, including a former judge, two college professors and a former president of the National Association of Black Psychologists, have been appointed to a committee charged with helping Florida A&M University figure out how to banish hazing from its campus.

H i, Carolyn: My father-in-law died seven years ago yesterday. My mother-in-law called my husband first thing this morning, upset because she had not heard from him. I suspect no one called her.

One first date ended when he got so drunk he went in for a kiss and knocked her off her bar stool. After she regained consciousness, he skipped out on the bill - only to reappear in the parking lot, begging forgiveness: "Don't blame me! Blame the Prozac!"

Dear Mr. Dad: We're about to have a baby and my wife is trying to convince me to have a home birth with a tub of water. I just don't feel comfortable with this idea and would really rather just go to the hospital and deal with a regular doctor. I'm worried about what could happen if something goes wrong. My wife is getting irritated that I won't do things her way. What should I do?

Q: My 5-year-old daughter is in "rehab" for some listening issues at school. When she comes home with a note from her teacher indicating one or more of these incidents at school, she is confined to her room for the rest of the day. What should I do if she is constantly calling me, wanting to ask me something, wanting me to get something for her, and so on? She isn't coming out of the room, but she is constantly trying to engage me. It's driving me nuts.

The media recently reported "new" research findings to the effect that rewards often backfire and self-esteem is not the uplifting personal attribute once thought. As a result, schools are rethinking their teaching and classroom management philosophies.

Long lines and toddlers seem to go together like eggs and ice cream. But that doesn't always have to be the case. Here are a few tricks I've developed throughout the years that can help make waiting in a long line fun for both you and your kids.

Sure, you can do it all, but you shouldn't - you need to rest and heal during baby's first weeks. Here's how to get others to lend a hand.

Winter weather does not have to mean an end to fresh produce. While the variety is not quite as bountiful as in spring or summer, some foods do reach peak ripeness during winter months.

Mice Guys

JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND

Your teen son wants your help choosing a Valentine's gift for his girlfriend. Should you agree?

Q: My ex has just asked me out for Valentine's Day. No one else has asked so I'm thinking about going. I'm just not sure what to say to the kids - "Mommy is going out with Daddy?" What's good ex-etiquette?

If you have only heard about "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" and decided you hated it, the Tiger Mother has a request: Read it. All of it. And then decide.

Granted, it is on the early side to be thinking about gifts for Valentine's Day, but this very special gift requires a few days for the swelling to subside. According to a press release, the must-have for Valentine's Day this year is a trip to the doctor's office to get the perfect pout - "a smooth pout with natural, youthful-looking volume."

Thinking about a plane trip with kids in tow? As part of your flight plan, try storytelling to plot out what's ahead to reduce anxiety.

I want you to cast your mind back to every horror movie you've ever seen, specifically the moment when the terrified woman running through the graveyard falls down and lies there helplessly, waiting to be attacked.

"Big Hugs, Little Hugs"

"The Zone Diet" author Dr. Barry Sears says that the obesity crisis sweeping America is due to hormones being out of balance, not a lack of willpower. The true driving force behind our obesity crisis is the rapid increase in diet-induced inflammation that turns on the genes to make us fat and keep us fat. The doctor's theory is that this inflammation comes from the combination of the over-consumption of refined carbohydrates that raise the hormone insulin coupled with increased dietary intakes of cheap vegetable oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids.