I love reading in the summer. I love nothing more than a hot, sunny day at the beach, sitting in a lounge chair and losing myself in a really good “beach read.” In fact, not to brag, but I am so good at “beach reading and relaxing” that for Mother’s Day, when my youngest son […]
Tag: Relationships
We all need human connection, although we don’t always do our best to cultivate and foster the relationships we value so much. Stable relationships form in infancy. A child’s earliest relationships with caregivers and family members shape her future connections. Read from the Mommybites Relationships archive. From advice for new moms, to marital relations, to relationships within an extended family, you’re sure to find something beneficial.
Sharing is Not Always Mandatory
It is playground time and I’m not sure how to handle sharing. If my child rides her balance bike to the playground, should I let other kids play on it if they want? How about other toys that she brings? If you brought a book to the playground and someone saw it, said it looked […]
When Praising Goes Too Far
As parents, it’s only natural to feel proud of your children. There is no greater feeling in the world than the pride you feel when your child does something noteworthy. And, if you’re like me, you like to shower your children in praise. You know how important your words of encouragement and approval mean to […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Readers’ Responses to Grandparents’ Political Rants
My column, “Grandparents’ Political Rants Are Upsetting,” elicited responses from many readers. Impacts on Relationships A common theme expressed by several readers is the impact this presidential campaign is having on personal relationships. For example, one reader wrote: “Good advice — I think you might need to do some reruns of this [column] in the […]
Tiger Mom or Pushover: How Far Should We Push Our Kids?
One of the hardest things as a parent is learning when to push your children and how much to push them. On the scale of Tiger Mother to pushover, we probably veer more toward Tiger Mother. Of course, our goal is to encourage them to face the things they initially fear or reject. But, at […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Do’s and Don’ts for Supporting Widows and Widowers
Dear readers, This is an unabridged column I wrote for GRAND Magazine. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 800,000 spouses are widowed each year. Well-intentioned family members and friends, often not sure how best to be helpful to and supportive of their grief-stricken loved ones, often say and do things that are insensitive, even hurtful. […]
Ask Dr. Gramma Karen: Young Mom Dealing With a Rude Grandmother
When I was 15, I got pregnant with my daughter Tess, who is now eight years old. Tess’s father, Shane, 17 at the time, was a handsome football player from one of our town’s wealthiest families. When I got pregnant, Shane’s mother, Merry, ranted and raved about what I had done to her son’s future […]
Setting Up a Stress-Less Summer
I love the summer, but with it comes fights about drinking water and putting on sunscreen. The kids are bored and travel is a nightmare. Help me make this summer less stressful! Summer fun is great but YES it does come with some stress. Here is how to chill out this summer. Get the sunscreen […]