Lots of anxieties arrive before the delivery of a new baby. Will she be healthy? How much and how often should she eat? How much sleep will he need? What should we do about immunizations? And what if I have a question or problem in the middle of the night? The best way to head […]
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.

Readers’ Comments about Father-in-Law’s Questionable Behavior
Many readers responded to my column, “Daughter-in-Law Is Upset with Father-in-Law’s Behavior”, which raised the issue of developing romantic relationships when one’s spouse has severe Alzheimer’s disease. One reader points out the relevance of this issue with these facts: More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease; it is currently the sixth leading […]
Finding the Extraordinary
I saw the quote below by William Martin, posted on Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls Facebook page, and loved it so much I thought I would share it: The Parent’s Tao Te Ching Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of foolishness. Help […]

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 […]
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 […]

Getting Out of the House on Time
Almost everyone that I know HATES mornings. Who wants to get up? We want and need sleep. That being said, we also HATE fighting with our kids. When kids are rushed, they get frustrated, angry, defiant. The more you rush and push, the slower they seem to go. Wake Up Earlier. Waking up earlier will […]

Learning to Praise Your Children for Who They Are, Not What They Do
For the first year of my son’s life Philip seemed to reach milestones at an early age. He rolled over at 5 weeks. He began crawling at 6 months, and he began walking at 9 months. Philip reaching these milestones quickly only confirmed what I already knew: I had the smartest and brightest child! I […]
