By: Heather O’Neill My 10-year-old son was in 5th grade, and still carried the magic of Christmas with him. I knew that his friends were questioning. There seemed to be lots of chatter during 4th grade—the last year of elementary school. He had so many questions and wanted factual responses from me. He was adamant … More How My 5th-Grader Became a Santa
By: Sandy Churchill Transitions are tough. I know they are as personal as our fingerprints, because we all react in our own ways, our feelings colored by experience, personality, emotion, people, and perspective. But I didn’t expect the nail salon to hit this point home. First, I’d like to say that I am not a … More The Sea of Emotions When Your Children Get Married
By: Heather O’Neill Graduation. It’s a time for reflection for students, parents, and teachers. How did these very long years fly by so quickly? Remember the first day of Kindergarten when the big yellow bus took them to a place they loved? Or the first field trip to the Science or Children’s Museum? How about … More Graduation Is a Time for Reflection
By: Heather O’Neill When you first become a parent, you get an animalistic intense desire to protect your child. You want to make sure that nothing ever hurts them – emotionally, physically, spiritually. You keep them safe – baby-proofing your home, securely fastening them into the car seat, zipping up their jackets to stay warm, … More Raising Adults
By: Deirdre Littlefield I’ve read so much and even written about how difficult middle school is for our children. Their world seems to have turned upside down as friends find new groups and they explore their own personal boundaries. Academics become less important as peer pressure revs up. It’s a confusing time but they will … More Middle School Mama Friendships
By: Barbara Schwartz The baby’s crying, you haven’t slept for more than two hours straight in a month and you have no idea when you showered last. Welcome to motherhood! For the next eighteen years, your child is your top priority. You will work around their schedule. You’ll sleep around their schedule. You’ll eat what … More The Changing Role of Parenthood
By: Heather O’Neill How will our kids ever become capable young adults if we don’t give them the opportunity to be? I work with high school students and see how important it is for them to be able to manage their lives independently. Ideally, parents are involved in their children’s education – helping them with … More Are We Helping or Hurting Our Kids?
By: Melanie Anderson This is a question that a lot of us parents struggle with: “When is the right age for my child to be home alone”? I decided to contact my local police department to ask some important questions on home safety and how exactly to know when your child is ready to … More When is Your Child Ready to be Home Alone?
By: Melanie Anderson Dear Daughter, Sometimes my words are not sympathetic and you think I have never walked in your shoes. Time and life experiences have given me something that I wish I had when I was 15, knowledge and power. I know we must make our own mistakes in order to get where … More Dear Daughter, Some Wisdom From the Future
By: Tanya Pimental My three kids are all so different. They look so very alike, my mini clones. But inside they learn different, they share different, they empathize different, they love different, and they friend different. Yet, I can’t seem to figure out how to make them all be different and accepted in a … More Friendships
