Step in during kid conflicts or let them handle it themselves?
As the mother of a long-haired boy who has already had feminine-flavored insults thrown at him by other kids, I’ve already had to make choices on when to step in to help him handle the situation. I wonder, though: how do you decide when to let your kid(s) fight their battles, and when to stop potentially damaging situations?
Cartoons that might teach your little kid a thing or two
Instead of feeling guilty about the amount of video entertainment Conan gets to watch, I’ve started focusing on the benefits. Besides giving me a few much needed minutes of guaranteed kid-unencumbered time, the programs Conan watches are so educational they’ll just about make your teeth hurt.
I talked about sex with my kids… and possibly scarred them for life
I always thought I’d rock having THE talk with my kids, but I think I might not have. Using the appropriate words was a cinch, but getting down to the mechanics of IT was a challenge.
How can we get a toddler ready for a not-quite-sibling?
Anie and her husband are a pregnant half of a polyamorous couple. How can they get their partner’s children ready for impending birth?
Should I make my kid take lessons even if he hates it?
Last summer, I signed my eight-year-old son up for art classes. At first he really seemed to love them, but now he says they’re “boring” and wants to quit. I don’t want to force him to do something he’s not enjoying … but I also really want to cultivate his creativity and appreciation of the arts! Should I let him bail, or keep encouraging him?
Would you let your teen get a tattoo?
A friend recently posted a status on Facebook saying her four-year-old asked to get a tattoo for her birthday — and “not one that washes off in the bathtub.” Of course, the idea of a four-year-old getting a REAL tattoo is ludicrous (and probably illegal), but it had me wondering — what if that four-year-old was sixteen? Would it be ok then?
How can my partner and I find common ground about adopting vs. having biological children?
Tara and her partner aren’t quite on the same page about what their future family will look like — how can they come to a mutual decision?
Parents are people, too: musings on the lessons that we teach
It’s super sweet when your kid copies something great that you do, but that’s not always the case — the lessons your kids learn from you at a young age can impact their young adulthood and teen years.