Dear Gramma Karen, I am a single mom with one daughter, Blanche, who is 11. She is a great kid! She’s a strong student, a solid athlete, has nice manners, and is well liked by her teachers and peers. The situation: Last week when I went to pick her up at the school playground, I […]
Category: Big Kid
We know you probably hear this all the time, but don’t kids grow up so fast!? One minute you’re worrying that your baby will never sleep through the night and may very well go to school without being potty trained and the next minute, they’re all grown up (which brings it’s own set of challenges!). Don’t worry because here you’ll find parenting tips, through big kid articles, videos and activities on fostering positive friendships, healthy eating habits, language and developmental delays, protecting your children from predators, reinforcing learning at home and more!


Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Off to Camp We’ll Go!
The sun is shining. The birds are singing. School is almost over and kids are packing their things and getting ready to head off to sleep-away camp. This can be a very exciting time for both returning campers and for those going away for the first time. For returning campers, there have probably been lots […]

Banana Jam
Do you love bananas? Do you want to make a nice gift for your child’s teacher for the end of the year? Make banana jam! It is super easy to make and you need no equipment to make it (besides a saucepan). Bananas are healthy, easy to find and not expensive, which makes them an […]

S.O.S. Product Review: Ivy Kids Learning Kits
*This is sponsored product review Review by Anna Pryor If you’re looking for something educational and creative to do with your little one this summer, you may want to check out Ivy Kids Learning Kits. This is perfect for any child that will be starting PreK-3, PreK-4, or even Kindergarten in the Fall. Ivy Kids […]

Being Stuck: Your New Favorite Discipline Technique
Do you find yourself yelling at your kids, your blood pressure rising while truly considering putting them in a rocket and sending them to the moon? They love space, so it’s not all bad. You just want them to clean up their toys, go potty, put dishes in the sink, get dressed… Really, just put […]

Parenting the Third Child
For some reason, I find myself reflecting on how I parent my third child differently than how I parented my first. Not “different” as in a better or worse kind of way – just different based on the circumstance of having multiple children instead of just one. I often wish that I could’ve parented my […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Grandparents Want to Set Some Ground Rules
Good friends of ours, who are also grandparents, are dealing with an issue that is, I fear, all too common. Here is the situation: They are carrying on a long-established tradition of Sunday dinner at their home hosted by them as the grandparents, with lots of extended family members in attendance. Over time, this cherished […]

Keep ’em Talking Over the Summer
Q: I love that during the school year I can spark conversation by asking my child what she did during the school day. If she doesn’t disclose much, the monthly newsletter and glimpses into her homework folder would give us something educational to discuss. School is almost out, how can I keep the conversations going? […]
