As most of the country turns its proverbial eye to the political state of our country, I am focused on the politics of the playground – specifically, recess. Truly not just recess, but all unstructured outdoor playtime set aside for young children. As parents today struggle with carefully planning their children’s schedules, it’s important that they define the […]
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Is Breastfeeding Easier the Next Time Around?
You asked and you shall now receive. It’s only fair for us to share all of this stored up knowledge about a baby and what happens once the baby is born until they are no longer called a baby, but a toddler! We will now answer, in a very public forum, all of those burning […]
Biodiversity: What it is and Why it Matters!
Biodiversity is the variety of life: all the plants, animals and organisms and the ecosystems of which they are a part. A big definition, but it’s a big concept that is quite important to everyone that lives on the planet Earth. We all want our children to grow up and see all creatures great and […]
Appreciating the Stages We’re In
My baby started kindergarten this week (don’t tell him I called him that), which officiallymakes me a mom who is out of the pre-school/diaper/stroller period. Now I am decidedly in the homework/after-school/soccer mom phase. Before I know it, I’ll be in the sex/drugs/college applications stage. They say, “When your children are younger, every day feels […]
Easing Anxiety Before the Bell Rings
School is starting again. The excitement is paramount for many families, but with the approaching first day comes much anxiety. Did we choose the right school? How will the teacher and classmates be this year? And how will we fare with our many activities and therapies? To keep the transition calm and fun for everyone […]
Remembering 9/11
My column today is about remembering. We remember and grieve for family, friends, responders, those we knew, those we did not know – everyone who died on 9/11. We remember and join with heartfelt sympathy all those who lost a loved one. We remember and thank all of the surviving responders, many of whom have […]
Hershey’s Camp Bondfire: Evening of S’mores
This summer I participated in HERSHEY’S CAMP BONDFIRE. I was asked by Hershey’s if I like making memories with my family. And do I like chocolate. (I prefer the latter more, actually, but luckily, no one asked!) I will be very honest here. I had to replace my S’mores supplies twice. Someone (definitely NOT my […]
Diary of a New Green Mom: Progress, Not Perfection
When we last left New Green Mom, she was terrorizing her cleaning woman with non-toxic scrubbers and natural sponge-y cleaning products and lamenting her use and overuse of traditional, chemical-laden makeup and bath products. So did the cleaning lady ever abandon her trusted bleach in favor of the citrus-oil based bathroom cleaners? Will New Green […]