4 mins read

The Family Holiday Dinner Survival Guide

We just survived a holiday with my in-laws, and when I say in-laws I dont just mean Daddy-os parents – I mean ALL of the in-laws. At the top of the family pecking order is the grand matriarch, Oma. She has five grown kids, one of whom is Daddy-o. The total headcount for this communal holiday was: 1 Oma, 10 adults, and 17 grandchildren under the age of 13 years old.

4 mins read

When Should You Give a Pacifier to a Baby?

Giving your baby a pacifier is a personal decision. Most experts agree that pacifiers can be helpful during the first six months of life as it satisfies your baby’s natural instinct to suck. However, there are no definite guidelines about when to give a pacifier or take one away. Sometimes, it is best to just use your mothering instinct to decide if a pacifier is right for your baby, regardless of his age.

5 mins read

Help Your Child Develop Good Writing Skills

So, you want your child to become a better writer. Good plan! The ability to write clearly and with ease is one that will help your child from first grade through the rest of his or her life. Sure, school will teach your child the fundamentals of writing (grammar, syntax, and such), but that wont necessarily make it easy or fun. Take-home essays and homework assignments can only help so much; the only way to become a better writer is to practice it over and over. Even as a college English major, I fully admit that writing is hard!

6 mins read

The Rift Between Parents and Childfree Adults

Not too long ago a client picked up a copy of my book, Complete Without Kids: An Insiders Guide to Childfree Living by Choice or by Chance, at the local bookstore. I saw her a couple of weeks later, and she shared with dismay that her teenage son had confiscated the book and was enjoying reading it. She added that she hoped he wouldnt get any ideas from the book, because she is so much looking forward to being a grandmother. I didnt really know how to respond to her comments.