• 5 Tips to Raising an Emotionally Healthy Only Child

    Years ago there were some negative stereotypes associated with raising an only child. Fortunately, those stereotypes have been challenged and more current research has proven them to be inaccurate. Raising children in general, presents both challenges and rewards, but there are some unique issues to consider when raising an only child.

  • Quit Your Nagging!

    It’s natural to nag your kids when you get frustrated. However, nagging can cause damage to a child’s self-esteem, as it seems to imply our child can’t do the right thing without constant badgering. We as parents become the “bad guys,” allowing our children to focus on our frustration and loss of control rather than their own choices. So what’s a parent to do to get their kids to clean their room? Cook Children’s gives us excellent alternatives to nagging.

  • 3 Secrets to Turn Bah Humbug
    into the Warm Fuzzies


    I do love the holiday music, decorations, musicals, TV specials, weather, parties, and all the warm fuzzies that go with it. But I also know it is also a hectic time of year filled with pressure, unreasonable expectations, family strife and tormented memories. If you find yourself in the midst of unpleasant circumstances this season, you can still have a pleasant, memorable holiday in 2011.

  • Ask For What You Want

    Why do we not ask outright for what we want? I think it is due to embarrassment of being different, daring, or odd. Ask for what you want. Even if it’s just popcorn at the movies. What’s the worse case scenario? No??? If you don’t ask, then “no” is your answer anyway…

  • The Heat Is On

      The long hot summer….that’s what 2011 will be remembered for, hopefully by that it will be for more than just these record breaking 100+ degree days. Wouldn’t it be nice if 2011 was remembered by you and your husband as your long hot passionate summer? Well, Moms, we’ve got one month left to make [...]

  • Five Easy Steps to Ease Back Into School


    What’s it like for children to go back to school each year?

    Well, imagine the mix of emotions adults experience when going through a job change.

    Beginning another school year is very similar to starting a new position or transferring to a new company. There’s a new boss or teacher, different expectations, and a more difficult workload…

  • Does Birth Order Really Matter When Parenting?

    The topic of birth order seems to generate more questions than just about any other issue in families with more than one child. Although there is great interest in the way birth order impacts our children. It continues to be a confusing area for many parents. It creates such questions as… “Why are my children [...]

  • Not Her Type

    With summer vacation in full swing, and a vacation in my family’s near future, I decided to set my 9 year old up with her own blog. Blogs have a lot to offer that private diaries can’t provide, and the interactive potential can be healthy for kids if properly supervised. Writing about their experiences online, [...]