Search Results for: parenting home and family see also home blog

“Hypo-Parenting” is Not a Parenting Style

Have you ever wished that you could hypnotize your children so they would behave the way you wanted them to? One parent has been doing exactly that, though there is no science to support the idea that hypnosis is an effective parenting tool. Lisa Macheberg is a hypnotherapist who has three children. She says she started hypnotizing her children the help them get through the night without wetting the bed. She didn’t stop there, though. She now uses hypnotizing as a tool to help her kids deal with range of problems from performance anxiety to difficulty focusing. In an ABC … Continue reading →

Gas Tank Getaway: Six Flags Great America

Don’t let high gas prices keep you home this summer.  There’s no need to sweat it out in your backyard when extreme family fun is less than a tank of gas away. If you live in Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan or Illinois, a mecca of mind-blowing adventure awaits at Six Flags Great America.  The popular theme park is located in Gurnee, Illinois; less than an hour’s drive from Chicago, Milwaukee, and a host of other major Midwestern cities. Great America’s convenient location is a major timesaver, but the savings don’t stop there.  In addition to banking gas money, you can continue … Continue reading →

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

It’s always interesting to reflect back on the past year, to review the most significant moments, to pay special attention to those things you might have changed and to marvel at how quickly it all went by.  Some of us might get stuck in the past, while others find it easier to move on. I would have to say that without a doubt, the year 2012 was the most difficult for me as a parent.  Our family went through a troubling situation with our teen daughter that lasted several months.  All it took was one boy to enter the picture … Continue reading →

What’s Sweeter than Giving?

The holidays are known to be a season of giving.  It’s a time when you extend a hand to help out others or you dig deep into your pocketbook to spare some change. We teach our children the importance of giving unto others and how the holidays aren’t just about receiving.  These lessons are sometimes taught through physical acts of service, such as helping out in a soup kitchen or delivering presents to a needy family. There is so much value in teaching our children these things.  But I think what’s even more important is that they don’t see this … Continue reading →

Let There Be Light

If it were a crime to be eating leftover Halloween candy in late November, I’d be in jail right now. There’s something not quite right about stuffing your face with Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins while stringing up Christmas lights. Which is why I did the former rather than the latter today. Apparently, I was the only one. It seems all my neighbors were on the same page this weekend: “Let’s add some holiday twinkle to our homes while Michele polishes off her kid’s Halloween treats.” Mission accomplished. On both fronts. Listen, I’m all about decking the halls, but my family … Continue reading →

Cloudy With a Chance of Tooth Showers

It’s raining teeth around here. Teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy pearly whites belonging to a child who was absolutely convinced that she would go to her grave with all of her baby teeth intact. My 8-year-old has turned into a human slot machine, except when you pull her arm she spits out teeth instead of quarters. Which is not to say that she hasn’t made out like a pachislo addict. Who needs to hit the jackpot on a real one-arm bandit when you’ve got the Tooth Fairy making sure you win big when you loose little choppers? My daughter’s teeth have been falling … Continue reading →

Celebrate Justin Bieber’s Breakup

Justin Beiber is a free man. And by free I mean you still have a chance to become Mrs. Justin Bieber. Christmas has come early for billions of the Beib’s ferociously loyal female fans. According to reports, the uber-popular singing sensation and his girlfriend of nearly two years, actress Selena Gomez, split late last week. Yes, ladies, hope is still alive. Now, get out there and celebrate by wrapping your arms around the 18-year-old’s latest love letter to you–his nearest and dearest supporters. Just Getting Started by Justin Bieber is your key to what makes this boy toy tick. The … Continue reading →

Talking To Toddlers About Major Storms

It seems as though it has been weeks since reports about Hurricane Sandy first started to appear all over the news and all other forms of media. In reality, it has only been about a week since coverage of the storm and its anticipated path started. If you are a parent of young children, you may certainly be concerned about keeping your family safe. However, you are probably equally concerned with keeping the kids calm. When everybody is preparing for a storm like Sandy, things look and feel different wherever you go. Little ones can see and feel the differences … Continue reading →

Jumping Ban

This just in: Trampolines are dangerous for kids. In other news, the sky is blue. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming. Earlier today, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced that parents should ban trampolines from their backyards, as they could be potential death traps for kids. Citing nearly 100,000 serious injuries in 2009, the AAP issued the warning and noted that safety nets parents erect around the personal jumping devices do little to protect kids from harm. In fact, members of the AAP state that trampoline nets are often more of a detriment than a benefit because they … Continue reading →

Accepting the Things You Cannot Change

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” We’ve all heard the serenity prayer countless times throughout our lives. I’ve loved these beautiful words from the first time that I heard them; putting them in to practice, however, is another matter entirely. After my divorce I felt completely helpless. I felt as if I had lost everything that night. I lost my home, my husband, my source of income, and my dream of having a family. No matter what I did … Continue reading →