Last week marked the first day of Spring (hooray!) and after the winter of all winters that we’ve had, I thought I would share a few famous quotes to celebrate: “It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want -oh, you don’t quite know what it […]
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Kids and Chores
It takes a lot of time and effort to keep my household, and probably yours, running smoothly. From making the beds, doing laundry, packing lunches, and putting clothes away, to setting the table, washing dishes, and taking out the garbage… feeling tired yet? They are necessary tasks, but at the same time, not fun for […]
Telling Your Teenager That You Are Getting A Divorce
This is a follow-up article to Telling Young Children About Divorce. Even (self absorbed) adolescents are usually aware of serious conflict between their parents. The following are some guidelines to make the “telling” easier for you and your children. Older children are exquisitely aware of the rupture between their parents and may even have been […]
Chia Chocolate Chip Bread
My kids love chocolate chips and I wanted to find a way to give a boost of nutrition to a chocolate chip muffin recipe that I often use. I decided to add white chia seeds to the batter since they are often unnoticed in a baked good. Black chia seeds stand out, which might cause […]
Evolution of the Play Date
I have a confession. When my boys were little, “play dates” totally stressed me out. Now I admit that back in the day, I was a wee bit high strung – so it’s no wonder these organized “dates” that were supposed to help my child “learn to socialize” caused me stress. The whole time I […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Daughter-in-Law Is Upset with Father-in-Law’s Behavior
My mother-in-law, Phoebe, has severe Alzheimer’s and has lived in a full-care residence for two years. She and my father-in-law, Sheldon, had a close and loving relationship, so it is particularly sad that she no longer recognizes him or any of us. We’re glad she is well cared for where she is. My problem regards […]
What To Do With Your Child’s Masterpieces
An agonizing choice moms face pretty much daily… What should we do with the piles and piles of artwork our kids bring home from school? Just like you, and other mothers in the throes of it (with little ones in preschool, kindergarten, and after-school art classes), I’m faced with this difficult dilemma virtually every day. I’d […]
Honest Toddler
I think it will come as no surprise to any of you who read my regular newsletter introductions that I like to laugh. And when I do, it’s a loud belly laugh that requires me to throw my head back and slap my own knee. Which is why I was beyond thrilled to learn that […]