Parenting
Living with Children: Rude teens
Q: I went into my 17-year-old’s bedroom to wake him this morning. After some urging, he eventually got up and then told me he hated me. What is the appropriate consequence for this sort of disrespect? A: Actually, I don’t consider that a form of disrespect. Strictly speaking, your son simply informed you of how [...]
Is my kid ready for sleep-away camp?
How do you know when your child is ready for camp and it’s worth the expense? Clinical psychologist and author Julia Simens, of Incline Village, Nev., has worked with parents who face this exact decision. With more than 20 years as a school counselor, this mother of two has had endless conversations with parents about [...]
It’s never too soon to have ‘the talk’ with kids
In the Internet Age, the average kid encounters pornography by age 10 – when they mistype a link while doing their homework, or when it pops up on the side of the screen while they’re watching a cat ride a Roomba on YouTube. “They’re not seeking it out,” Amy Lang said the other day. “It’s [...]
Too many moms? Take it easy, keep it simple this Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day should be simple. Dad helps kids make homemade cards and serve mom breakfast in bed. Or everybody takes her to brunch and calls it a day. Hold on, you say, that doesn’t sound anything like your family’s celebration. Your family has multiple “moms.” Maybe stepmoms, grannies, stepgrannies, great-grannies plus an aunt or two. [...]
Father-daughter action plan
Hey, dad, want to get closer to your daughter? Find something to do together. A new study by Baylor University researchers puts participation in shared activities at the top of the list of pivotal moments in the father-daughter relationship. The study included 43 fathers and 43 daughters who were asked to identify a crucial moment [...]
The Parent ‘Hood: When other parents criticize your kid during sports
Other soccer parents loudly criticize your son’s game. Should you go to the coach? Parent advice (from our panel of staff contributors): The other parents need to be reminded that the purpose of these soccer matches is to teach the kids sportsmanship and how to improve their game and to foster friendship. These soccer matches [...]
Half of parents keep track of kids on Facebook. Should you?
Is Mom or Dad creeping on your Facebook? There’s half a chance. A new study by Education Database Online (www.OnlineEducation.net) says one out of two parents say part of the reason they set up a Facebook account was to keep tabs on their kids. “I think it is fine for parents to check on their [...]
Small, high-powered magnets hazardous to kids remain on market
Last summer Kelly Bruski went to the store with her sons to buy a birthday gift for her boyfriend. When the boys, now 6 and 9, chose a magnet desk-toy called Buckyballs, “I saw they were really picking out a gift for themselves,” said Bruski, a sales rep in Crystal Lake, Ill. Bruski allowed her [...]
The Parent ‘Hood: Using clean language in front of the kids
Your in-laws toss profanity around with abandon. Should you ask them to tone it down for the kids? Parent advice (from our panel of staff contributors): The only thing within your control is a discussion with your kids; just because others speak in a certain way does not make it OK for the kids to [...]
Flying with kids: Never a dull flight with children on board
The indignities and annoyances of air travel can be profound. We fly among those who kick seats. Those who do not pay any mind to bodily hygiene, hog the arm rest, invade personal space, recline too far, don’t let you recline, drink too much and persist in unwanted advances. It is often not mankind’s finest [...]
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