Ah, Thanksgiving. Whether you love it or try to avoid it, it happens every year. Looking back at my life, I’ve realized I can compartmentalize my Thanksgivings into three categories. First was my childhood, when I was surrounded by my family. I remember Thanksgivings filled with laughter, food, and of course, playing who can grab […]
Category: Grandparents
Welcome grandparents and parents! We know how important grandparent relationships are, so here you’ll find articles, videos and events on activities grandparents can do with their grandchildren, ways to positively foster these relationships, better communication and appreciation between parents and grandparents (and vice versa!) and more!


Dairy Free Pumpkin Donut Holes
Nothing feels like Fall more to me than pumpkin. What better way to add pumpkin than in donuts?! These baked donut holes are a cinch to make and a real hit with the kids. They are easily modified to accommodate different dietary needs and have a healthy ingredient as the star ingredient. According to Allison […]

Pumpkin Time
Fall is definitely Pumpkin Time. But those so familiar symbols of autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving have also a number of not so familiar health benefits. Pumpkins vary greatly in shape, size and colours, but generally they all have golden-yellow to orange flesh. Pumpkins are one of the most low calorie vegetables – a 100 g […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Change Traditions and Lower Your Holiday Dinner Stress
Dear Readers, Psychology Today blogger Susan Newman, Ph.D., invited me to be a guest blogger. Below is the unabridged article that will soon be posted in Psychology Today. Perhaps there is a suggestion or two that can help lower your holiday pressure! Change Traditions and Lower Your Holiday Dinner Stress Traditions are customs and practices […]

Suggested Reading for Children and Parents About Going to the Doctor or Hospital
I have written blogs in the past about tips and suggestions along with coping techniques when you take your child to the doctor or the hospital. Books about healthcare experiences should present helpful information for children in a truthful and encouraging manner. The following is a list of good books for children and also for […]

Some Different Holidays For Kids
It is the beginning of November, and I already feel pressure to start holiday shopping. Instead of enjoying my time alone as I waited on line to return something, I was strategizing for whom I will buy which gift. Holidays are becoming more commercialized as the years pass. What used to be advertised as meaningful […]

Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: My Father-In-Law’s Gun Hobbies Are Distressing
My father-in-law is a serious hunter; he is even listed in the NRA (National Rifle Association) record books. Many of the animals he has shot are mounted around his home. In fact, I find it quite disturbing that one of the animals he hunted, a bear, is located right next to where he sets up […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Mother-in-Law Bad-Mouths Her Daughter-in-Law
When Garrison and I married 30 years ago, it was clear that my mother-in-law (MIL) thought her son was “marrying down.” Garrison said then, and has always said, I should ignore her because she’s a hopeless snob and she’ll never accept me. Even so, I have always been polite and respectful to my MIL, while […]
