Dear Amanda is an elementary school teacher and parent of two school age children who provides honest and straightforward advice geared toward all things education. Here’s the twist: she will answer your question as a parent as well as a teacher. These two opinions, while different, can provide a refreshing take on topics we care […]
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Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Impacts of the Election on Family Relationships
This is an unabridged version of my column that will be published in the March/April issue of GRAND Magazine. Prior to the presidential election I wrote two columns on how the presidential campaign was impacting family relationships: (1) “Grandparents’ Political Rants Are Upsetting;” (2) “Readers’ Responses to Grandparents’ Political Rants.” Post-election, many readers who did […]
Support Your Child’s Development Through Play: Online Class Re-cap
For centuries, humans have used games and play as a means of helping others understanding a variety of topics. In the Middle Ages, the game of chess was used to teach noblemen the strategies of war. However, it was not until the mid-twentieth century that the public began to make the connection between play and […]
The House vs. The Town: Which Matters MOST?
Since you first started imagining life in suburbia, you no doubt started picturing your “dream house.” Maybe it’s a vision you’ve been kicking around for years, or maybe it’s just now starting to take shape. Either way, it’s getting clearer and clearer by the day – the perfect backyard, a big master suite, an amazing […]
My Toddler’s ‘Tude is Out of Control
My toddler is really flexing her muscles. Her attitude is out of control. I want to support her fire but I also really don’t like the ‘tude. Yup, toddlers start to push back and make their voices louder and louder as they wade deeper into their twos. They go past just the “no” stage into real […]
Four Parenting Styles
Parenting is no easy feat. Taking care of a a little life takes up all of your attention and Moms and Dads develop different parenting styles to deal with this responsibility. Often, parenting style arises from the way parents were raised when they were children, which means parents can have a different style than their […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Ongoing Issues With the In-Laws
I wrote to you last year about favoritism occurring in my husband’s family – his parents showing a preference for their other grandchildren over our two boys. We took your advice and spoke to his parents about a few of the issues we noticed. They were very appreciative for the information and accepted it, but […]
New Year, New Manners: Teaching The Modern Day Child About Etiquette
With the new year come New Year’s resolutions, and many parents out there will be looking to teach their kids lessons on the art of good manners. Politeness and etiquette are essentially timeless, but some of our younger generation (and many adults!) are lacking basic manners. Here are a few ways parents can instill more […]