12 Ways to Make Family Dinner Fun

Most parents agree that family dinner is important and should be a priority—even as we struggle to find time and too often end up eating dinner on the road or in front of a TV or tablet some nights. Research finds that families are less stressed, function better, that kids tend to eat better, and… Read More

The Essential Skill for the Challenges of Motherhood

You can master the challenges of motherhood. The influences on mothers today are mostly ingrained from their own childhood memories and abetted by comments on social media, from friends, and other women in your child’s playgroups. The result for many women is a constant striving to be the perfect mother. This likely means bending to… Read More

How Children Affect Your Happiness

PHOTO Credit: Marcin Jozwiak/Unsplash Even though more and more families stop after having one child, many debate having second, third or more children. The decision tends to be based on practical factors–finances, career goals, living space—with a modicum of focus on how children affect your happiness. Laurie Santos, professor of psychology at Yale University, explained… Read More

To Have or Not to Have Another Child

One woman’s revealing story of her emotional rollercoaster ride and struggle deciding whether to have or not to have another child. It provides insights or perhaps affirmation for the decision you may already have made.… Read More

Best Practices When a Grandparent is Caregiver

Whether your parents or in-laws care for your children on a regular basis or occasionally, best practices when a grandparent is caregiver help build a win-win collaboration. Tantamount to making the arrangement work for you are taking steps to avoid misunderstandings and recognizing often overlooked benefits and advantages that you may not have considered or… Read More

Lighten Up Parents! Humor is a Powerful Parenting Tool

Humor is an effective parenting tool for disciplining and bond-building. You don’t need to be naturally funny to add humor to your parenting toolbox. It is a surprisingly effective — and underused — parenting technique to relieve tension and strengthen the bond with your children. For parents, humor can be a gateway to a deeper… Read More

How Parents Can Stop Mean Girl Behavior

It’s no secret that “mean girls” are younger than ever before. But how young? Their attacks and patterns are similar to what many of us with young daughters experienced in high school. It often starts small: Choosing to exclude another girl at recess or from a birthday party. A mean post online. Then, it escalates:… Read More

5 Ways to Assert Rules with Your Teen

When your child was younger, he or she routinely looked to you for answers or assistance, from learning to tie his shoes to help with homework. That made you feel needed and loved — popular with your own child. Then everything changed: You parent a teen now who is not keen on all your rules.… Read More

How Technology Causes ‘Brain Drain’ & Weakens Family Connections

It’s no secret that the advent of smartphones and other technology puts strains on family life. Technology also causes a brain drain. According to recent data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, children now spend more than seven and a half hours a day in front of a screen. (“Screen” includes cellphones,… Read More

Quiz: Who Makes Your Life the Most Difficult or Stressful?

Often, it’s easy to get swept up into regularly responding to requests with a yes rather than a default no. You may not even recognize your willingness or selflessness as a hindrance. Some people are more difficult to refuse than others. Who gets you to say “yes” most often? Who makes your life the most… Read More

5 Unexpected Benefits of Saying No That Every Parent Should Know

If you’re like many parents, the prospect of saying no to your children sometimes feels uncomfortable or difficult. The benefits of saying no are unknown. You may believe that it’s simply easier to cave in. After all, how bad is your daughter’s request for another scoop of ice cream? Or, how harmful is it to… Read More

How to Help Children Stand Up to Peer Cruelty & Stop Bullying

In this guest post, Dr. Michele Borba, an educational psychologist and parenting and bullying expert, offers specific, evidence-based tips on bullying prevention. Her latest book, End Peer Cruelty, Build Empathy, helps teachers and parents instruct children on how to step in safely to halt bullying. Dr. Borba emphasizes how creating a caring culture based on… Read More

Quiz: Are Your Friendships Working for You?

In all their different roles, our friends are supportive, can be counted on, and enjoyable—at the least, that’s what we hope they will be. Take the quiz to evaluate your friendships and learn how to strengthen them.… Read More

Quiz: Do You Have a People-Pleasing Problem?

When someone asks you for a favor, a “yes, sure” is out of your mouth before the reality of the commitment registers. You may have a people-pleasing problem. It’s not uncommon for many of us to wonder how we got roped into being the family’s go-to task person, an extra office assignment, or making arrangements… Read More

What’s Your Parenting Stress Level? 4 Tools for Coping

How do you know your own parenting stress level? Jessica Valenti, author of Why Have Kids?, believes that if you’ve ever felt like you face an onslaught of constant worries, demands, and sudden curveballs, you’re not alone. Valenti writes, “Nearly every study done in the last ten years on parental happiness shows a marked decline in… Read More

3 Ways to Prevent Teen DXM Abuse

Your family medicine cabinet seems less threatening than hard drugs or alcohol abuse. However, consider this: Some teens turn to easily accessible over-the-counter cough medicine for a buzz. We’ll look at three ways to prevent teen DXM abuse. In this guest post, Anita Brikman, from the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, presents things parents can do… Read More

6 Smart Ways to Interact with Your In-Laws After the Baby Arrives

Plenty of people struggle with maintaining happy and healthy relations with their in-laws. Bring a newborn into the equation and unexpected sticky in-law situations can quickly arise. You likely spent a lot of time with your in-laws before getting married. And you may have felt that they were involved in your pregnancy — baby showers,… Read More

The Firstborn-Only Child Edge

There is no right or wrong family size, but there is strong evidence demonstrating a firstborn and only child edge. In families, the finite resources parents have means that any given sibling will be given less time and attention than if they were an only child. In essence, siblings compete for whatever their parents can provide. … Read More

Why We Brag About Our Kids: Parental Pride Has No Age Limit

Modesty is in short supply when it comes to our offspring be they 5 or 45 years old. Here’s why. … Read More

Five Parent-Proven Strategies for Managing Stress

Here are five parent-proven strategies for putting the brakes on stress so that you can be the calm and caring parent you want to be.… Read More

Dethroned: Sharing Mom and Dad With a New Sibling

Parents of only children will likely agree: their singleton rules the roost. So, what happens when a baby is on the way? … Read More

Older Moms: 40 is the New 30

The”older moms” trend is clear: More women in their late thirties and well into their forties are starting families.… Read More

Mothers With One Child Are Happiest

Having an only child is desirable from a wide range of viewpoints and practicalities, but that doesn’t make decisions about family size any easier.… Read More

Sweethearts-in-Training: 15 Valentine Tips

How you treat your partner on Valentine’s Day speaks volumes to your children.
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Do Children Need Siblings to Become Good Sports?

If your toddler refuses to share a toy or take turns, even if the person doesn’t say the words, you know she is thinking: If that child had a sibling she wouldn’t behave this way. But is it true? Do children need siblings to learn social skills?… Read More

Ready for Baby? Choosing Single Motherhood

Should women bother waiting for their dream guy to become mothers? Arguably not. … Read More

Only Child Benefits, According to Those Who Lived It

Onlies in their 20s, 40s, 60s and 70s shared their feelings and revealed five distinct advantages to being an only child.… Read More

10 Tips for Reducing Holiday Stress

For some people the holidays are a time for friends, family, and relaxation, but for many, even most, the pressure to get everything done and be merry is just too much.… Read More

How to Bring Extra Love to the Holidays

The holidays are a fine time to reconnect with your family. … Read More

7 Tricks (and Treats) for a Memorable Halloween

Making your children part of happy Halloween celebrations fuels feelings of closeness for all family members. … Read More

9 Ways to Make Thanksgiving Extra-Memorable for Your Kids

When Thanksgiving rolls around, invite your children to partake in rituals or simply help out. It gives them a sense of purpose and fuels feelings of closeness for all family members.… Read More

“I Have to Have It!” 12 Tips for Deprogramming the Spoiled Child

Whether you’re training your very young child or facing off with a teen, you can deprogram spoiled children. … Read More

5 Ways to Teach Men (and Boys) Not to Rape

In the wake of the Steubenville, Ohio rape trial, Zerlina Maxwell, a rape survivor and advocate for changing rape culture, offers a five-point plan to teach boys to respect girls and women and not to rape.… Read More

Should Moms and Daughters be BFFs?

Today the lines between parent and child are increasingly blurred, with a noticeable number of mothers and daughters behaving like peers–swapping texts, clothes, music and, often, the intimate details of their sex lives. Such a strong bond brings with it an enviable sense of camaraderie and openness, but is there such as thing as being too close to your child?… Read More

When You Can’t Be There: 20 Ways to Stay Connected to Your Children

It is a dilemma most working parents face: How do you fulfill your job commitments without cheating your children? Instead of worrying, use the time you have to reconnect in these simple, yet meaningful ways. … Read More

Are You Too Much of a Yes-Parent?

Take the test. Maybe it’s time to change. … Read More

Trust Your Teen, But Not with the Medicine Cabinet: 9 Tips

Parents often think they can trust their children with over-the-counter medicine and prescription pills in the home, but here’s why they shouldn’t.… Read More

Imaginary Friends: Should Parents Worry?

Lisa’s four-year-old daughter Hannah mentioned her new friend Betsy. Lisa assumed Betsy was one of Hannah’s pre-school classmates until Hannah asked if Betsy could have dinner with them. “But she’s not here,” her mother said. “Yes, she is,” Hannah insisted. “She lives here.” … Read More

Teaming Up to Tackle Your Child’s Attention or Learning Issues

Learning and attention issues affect one in five children, but often go undiagnosed for years. This can be heartbreaking for parents and confusing for their children. … Read More

Does an Empty Nest Have to Be Lonely? Not If You Prepare.

Sending a child off to college should be a relief, but the reality is often anything but blissful. Whereas parents anticipate having peace and quiet when their children leave, sadness and anxiety can easily creep in.… Read More

Have You Had the Pot Talk with Your Teen? If Not, Why Not?

Most high schools offer sex-ed or health classes for teens that aren’t supposed to be having sex. Why don’t we educate them about marijuana use even though they aren’t supposed to be smoking it? … Read More

She Wants a Baby…He Doesn’t

What happens when a couple is divided on family size? … Read More

Parent-Child Bonding Rituals in Under 5 Minutes

You may think you are too busy to squeeze in meaningful, day-to-day exchanges with your children. … Read More

“I Should But I Won’t”: Young Children’s Understanding of Sharing

Young children know way more about sharing than you may think. As parents, we teach them that “sharing is caring,” but new studies indicate that it might not be their playmates that they’re “caring” about. … Read More

Note to Parents of Singletons: Your Child Won’t Be Lonely

Parents of singletons often worry that without siblings, their child might have problems sharing and making friends — and hence, will be lonely. But, this stereotype of the only child as lonely child has long been without merit. … Read More

In Defense of Older First-Time Moms

“When is the ideal time to have a baby?” Everyone has an opinion and most people have no qualms sharing it. Whatever people believe, women are having their first babies later than ever before. … Read More

The Digital Detox Every Family Should Do

Face-to-face interaction is crucial for the development of a young child’s language skills and emotional intelligence. Although it might be too much to do away with technology all together, here is the digital detox every family should do.… Read More

Do You Have the Energy for Another Child?

Deciding whether or not to have another child is a difficult decision. To parents of singletons who aren’t sure how an addition will impact your family, consider this oft-repeated phrase: “One is One, Two is Four…”… Read More

6 Effective Ways to Compliment—and Motivate—Your Child

What parent doesn’t love to praise his or her children? Yet, parents should be wary of over-the-top, glowing praise. … Read More

Staying Calm When Your Children Aren’t: How to Avoid Overreacting

Breaking point moments happen in every home. But, tales of parents and caretakers losing their patience and taking it out on the children in their charge are too many.… Read More