There are days we could all use tips to get a good night's sleep. While I generally don't have a problem drifting off to sleep at night, I do tend to wake up frequently. This results in only about five or six hours of sleep a night. I know that isn't enough. Research shows that most people need at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Not getting enough sleep can not only make you grumpy, it can have an impact on your physical and mental health as well. A number of health ... Continue Reading
10 Tips to Get a Good Night’s Sleep
June 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Ten tips to getting your recommended 7 to 8 hours of sleep.
Flush Away: Potty Training Tips for Toddlers
May 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Potty training toddlers can be a frustrating experience. Here are some tips to get your child onto the potty and going with ease.
Potty training is one of those trials all parents face. Some parents start as early as 18 months to potty train their kids but I personally waited until my daughter was 2 years old to start. Here are some of the tips that worked for us. Be patient. Patience is a must when starting potty training. You will get frustrated. Your child may not want to sit on the toilet or the potty chair. He will have accidents. It happens, just try to be patient. And know when to back off and start again ... Continue Reading
Join the forum discussion on this post Cinco De Mayo Family Style
May 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Celebrate Cinco De Mayo with these great games, crafts, and family-style recipes.
Bring your family together for a great fiesta. Cinco De Mayo is a festive time to bring the family and neighbors together for some fun mexican food, games and crafts. Games Games can simply be put together. Create an obstacle course for the kids to run through, kicking a ball through the course. Another game is a relay race wearing a sombrero. Divide the kids out into even teams and give each team a sombrero. Each teammate must run the length of the race track and back wearing the ... Continue Reading
Join the forum discussion on this post Facebook as a Teaching Tool: Beyond the Obvious
May 1, 2012 By 2 Comments
With teens on Facebook and social media sites, it’s easy to find ways to use them as teaching tools.
If you have children old enough to be on Facebook, then you've probably had plenty of opportunity to use the platform to create “teaching moments” for your kids. There are the obvious lessons - “don’t post pics of yourself you don’t want your Grandma to see” and “don’t use foul language.” Other lessons include teaching your kids how to include or block certain groups when posting things that might be more appropriate for their friends. But last week, I had a moment of real ... Continue Reading
Join the forum discussion on this post No More Yawns: Getting Kids to Sleep at Night
April 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Tips on how to help kids get to sleep at night without fuss.
It's tough as a parent to get your child to fall asleep and stay in bed all night. They need a glass of water, want a tissue, have to go potty, want another kiss, or are afraid of something under the bed. The excuses can go on and on. As a parent who experienced this, here are some tips we tried during our quest to get our child to sleep through the night. Hopefully one or more will resonate with you. Determine Nighttime Needs When I learned that my daughter wanted more night lights in her ... Continue Reading
Join the forum discussion on this post iParenting: Best Apps for New Moms
April 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment
There’s an app for just about anything, including parenting. Among the multitude of apps for new mothers, these five lead the pack.
Becoming a new parent is a beautiful, life-changing experience - but constant attention, 2 a.m. feedings, and a lack of sleep can still be overwhelming. Fortunately, there’s an app for just about anything these days, including parenting. Among the multitude of apps for new mothers, the following five lead the neonatal pack. 1. Total Baby Changing diapers, midnight feedings, and doctor appointments are overwhelming. Selected by Apple as a “Staff Favorite,” Total Baby is a must-have ... Continue Reading
Is Social Media Fueling Girl Power, or Diminishing it?
April 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment
The relationship that social media has with young girls can not be ignored. Although there are some positive effects, there are also some problematic issues that must be addressed.
Social media has changed how we communicate, learn, and share our lives with each other. From one vantage point, the emergence of social media has been a positive tool in our society. Unfortunately, there is a darker side to this medium. Anything good in the wrong hands can bring negativity, and in the wrong hands social media can cause harm to others, particularly young girls who are often the subject of cyber bullying. Where Did All the Happy Girls Go? Stanford University analyzed a ... Continue Reading
It’s Ok to Say No
March 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Teach and give permission to our children to say “No” when the situation demands it.
Is it ok for your child to say “No” to an adult or parent? As moms concerned about raising polite children, the gut reaction is, “No, it’s not.” But that may not always be the case. In an interview with Oprah, Elizabeth Smart’s Dad made a statement about how we teach our children to respect adults so much, we don’t give them any permission to say no if they feel uncomfortable and scared. So how can we teach and give permission to our children to say no when the situation ... Continue Reading
Join the forum discussion on this post Balancing Act: Caring For Your Children and Your Parents
March 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Finding a balance between taking care of your children and your parents takes some time and a little cooperation from everyone involved.
Life can present some interesting challenges. One of these is taking care of your parents as they get older - while taking care of your own children at the same time. This combination, and feeling pulled in two different directions at once, can quickly leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. Finding a balance takes some time and a little cooperation from everyone involved. Develop a Support System The first step in easing the burden is to admit that sometimes you need a little help ... Continue Reading
Join the forum discussion on this post What Moms are Doing Right
February 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Look at what American moms are doing right, instead of turning to foreign methods.
Parenting Country by Country? How about Just Doing What’s Right for Children? With Pamela Druckerman’s new book Bringing Up Bébé extolling Gallic parenting, parents can now choose between parenting the French way or the so-called Chinese way presented last year by Amy Chua’s sensational Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Druckerman wants us to just say no, while Chua writes about doing whatever it takes, including berating our children, to demand excellence. The media storm over ... Continue Reading
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