Inevitably, children lose some of what they’ve learned during the school year over the course of a three-month vacation. Teachers typically spend several weeks in the fall making up for this “summer slide.” The best antidote to prevent learning loss? Reading. It is one of the most essential things that kids can do when school’s [...]

The ultimate threat used to be “Wait until your father gets home.” We would hope and pray our mother was bluffing when she resorted to “wait until” threats, as in wait until he finds out. If I used that line on my children, I’m sure I would see eager anticipation in their shiny little faces [...]

It was one of those moments as a mom that I found myself wondering if this is one of those battles I needed to pick. I had trusted the boys to take $5 in cash to reload their lunch accounts that morning, something I had never let them do on their own before. I was [...]

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868, and first observed on May 30 of that year, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. So this year, instead of looking back again at the names of Civil War generals and such, I thought it could [...]

Emergency-room professionals have their own name for the long, lovely, lazy days that kids look forward to in summer: trauma season. Because that’s when hospitals see a spike in drownings and heat-related accidents. Here are some of the biggest misconceptions about popular summertime activities, according to several local experts. MYTH: Pool parties are safe as [...]

I was trying to explain to Cheetah Boy the other day about fax machines, because he’s never seen one and can’t really grasp the concept. During my pathetic attempt to make clear such an arcane idea, I realized that I really don’t need to bother, because they’ll soon be obsolete. I might as well explain [...]

Parents of toddlers may often wonder, who is this little creature who snacks constantly? Toddlers burn big energy but most aren’t big eaters. Many pick at meals or take just a few bites, leaving snacks as an important source of meal replacement. Toddler snacks should be low in sugar and introduce little ones to a [...]

The countdown is on … school is winding down, and summer is almost here. As the lockers slam shut until fall, many teens and tweens are finalizing summer plans. With the economy still in a slump, job opportunities are less plentiful than in years past. However, with some creativity and resourcefulness, there are still opportunities. [...]