Tag Archives: parent

Why Not Work in a Workout

When you are at home with small children all day, you may feel like you get plenty of exercise keeping up with their numerous requests for just about everything that you could think of and making sure that they get the active play time that they need. While caring for toddlers does require a lot of physical and emotional energy, you may eventually realize (like I have) that you really do need some other form of exercise to keep you fit. This is especially true if you live somewhere where the cold and snow of winter prevent you from enjoying … Continue reading →

Are You Feeling Exhausted?

Do you ever have days or nights when you feel absolutely and completely physically and mentally exhausted? If you do, do you wonder how a person so small could cause an adult to become so exhausted? You are not alone. At least one other person (me) experiences this, from time to time. As much as it may seem that the nature of toddlers themselves is the reason that parents can become physically and mentally exhausted, that is just part of the larger picture. It does take a lot of energy to play with toddlers, keep them fed and safe, and … Continue reading →

Building a Strong Connection to Your Toddler

Last week, I wrote about how excited I was about the release of Dr. Laura Markham’s book, “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting”. Now that I actually have the book in my possession, thanks to Kindle for Android, I am even more excited about it. I am about halfway through reading the book, and I know that it is going to be a valuable reference that I turn to again and again. One of the wonderful things about this book is that Dr. Laura Markham does not stop at explaining why kids benefit from the … Continue reading →

Three Simple Rules for Anyone Attending a Birth

 This post is dedicated to all of the fathers, partners, husbands, and others who will be attending births in the near future. While we, the pregnant women, appreciate your willingness and desire to be present at the births of our children, we do respectfully request that you follow a few ground rules during your participation in this important event. Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind when the time comes. Rule number one. Everything changes once those contractions start coming. It does not matter what I said last month, last week, yesterday, or even this morning. It does … Continue reading →

Just Released: Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids by Dr. Laura Markham

      November 28, 2012 was a great day for parents of toddlers. In fact, it was a great day for parents of all children. On November 28, 2012, Dr. Laura Markham’s first book, “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids : How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting” was released. If you are already familiar with Dr. Laura Markham through her web site, Aha Parenting, then you know just how wonderful this news is. I can not remember how I first came across the Aha Parenting web site, but I can say that I visit it regularly, especially when I am … Continue reading →

Growing Up With a Legally Blind Parent

I am the oldest of four children. My mother is legally blind, (and so was her mother). Growing up with a parent who is legally blind is not the same as growing up with a parent who can see. When most people learn that someone is blind they assume that it means that the person cannot see anything at all. Being legally blind is not exactly what one might expect. People who are legally blind have some sight, but it is extremely limited. This was the case with both my mother, and my grandmother. I became my mother’s eyes. She … Continue reading →

Making Changes as a Single Parent

Making life changes are hard for most people. Add to that being a single parent and it is no wonder that many parents stress over big decisions. Every decision we make as single parents affects the lives of our children. While that is true for all parents, those of us who are single don’t have anyone else to share the decision with. When there are two parents in a household and they choose together to make a change, they support each other. For single parents, we must be strong enough to make a decision and follow it through. While we … Continue reading →

Really, Tyra?

I was watching “The Tyra Banks Show” a couple days ago, and the conversation that went on really irked me. The guests of the show were parents who entered their children in beauty pageants, and Tyra was clearly not a supporter of such activity. She kept asking the parents questions like, “Does your child want to be in the pageant, or do YOU want your child to be in the pageant?” She was very much against the idea of a parent making her child do something the child didn’t want to do. I got the impression that to her, being … Continue reading →

Dad’s Good Intentions Crumble

How far would you go to help your child obtain a dream? Going to summer camp may not be your kid’s dream, but it is for Bryan Freeborn’s 8-year-old daughter. So, when the North Carolina Girl Scout’s father found out that his little girl’s dream could become reality if she sold a ton of Girl Scout cookies, Freeborn put on his thinking cap. His plan: Use the Internet to generate a record number of cookie sales. His downfall: Not adhering to the Girl Scout’s rule banning Internet cookie sales. Unfortunately, for Freeborn and his daughter, Wild (yes, that’s her real … Continue reading →

So Your Child Wants to Stay Home Alone—Part 2

I remember the first time my parents allowed me to stay home alone… it wasn’t exactly a momentous occasion considering my grandparents lived within walking distance of our house. Of course, a lot has changed since the early 80s, and now I can’t see allowing my daughter to remain home unsupervised until at least her 30th birthday. Jokes aside, if you successfully answered all of the questions I posed in my previous blog and feel confident that your child is ready to fend for himself, then consider the following tips offered by childcare experts to make his first solo venture … Continue reading →