I Thought My Son Was a Slacker, But It Turned Out He Had a Disability
I used to blame my son for his behavior and get frustrated when he wouldn’t focus. After a psychologist diagnosed him with a disability, I realized I needed to change how I parent.…Read More
Could Your Child Be Twice-Exceptional?
Now and then throughout my son’s childhood, I wondered whether something was amiss. For example, the way he wrote certain letters seemed odd, like starting at the bottom of a “p,” where I would start at the top. He often couldn’t follow what I thought was a clear a series of instructions, such as “Go upstairs, get your homework, put on socks.” He’d start a freehand drawing, scribble a few lines, then seem to lose interest.…Read More
Tech Experiment: An All-You-Can-Screen Weekend
Will unrestrained access teach moderation?
When my children were younger, I wanted to somehow engrain “moderation” into my children’s growing psyches. I was the family rule-setter, to wit: no vegetable, no dessert. Homework before playtime. Minimal junk food. Forty-five minutes of screens on school days, 90 minutes on weekends..…Read More
Put an End to Complaining (Even Yours)
What one mom learned when her child asked her to stop complaining
“Wow, my feet are soaked,” I said.
“I wish I’d brought a bigger umbrella,” I mumbled.
“Icy droplets running down my neck. Great.” I muttered…Read More
To the Parents Who Freaked Over My Piece About Giving iPads to Kids in Restaurants
To the Parents Who Freaked at My Article Against iPads in Restaurants,
Wow. Seems I struck a nerve! Rather, a lot of nerves, going by your numerous comments. Thought I’d take a moment to address some of the reoccurring themes:
“To the Parents” Opening: Some of you seemed to think I was writing in response to one incident. Read More
To the Parents who Give their Kids iPads in Restaurants
To the couple seated beside me at that bistro last week:
I nearly stopped to talk to you as I left the restaurant but couldn’t figure out how to say what I wanted to say without sermonizing and didn’t want to address you in front of your beautiful young children. They were about 5 and 7, maybe? Anyway, I couldn’t help notice you from the moment you were seated at the table to my left.
Or rather, from the instant you handed each of your children an iPad…Read More
When Your Child Asks If You’ve Ever Lied to Him
A Parenting Moment, in Which an iPad and a Text Really Cheese Me Off
I understand that electronic devices are here to stay, and freely admit partaking of them myself. However, I’m kind of tired of battling against their omnipresence in my children’s lives, particularly that of my youngest. I mean, I try to be realistic about devices’ allure and … Read More
Gutter Guards Are the Sign of Our Failure As Parents
When Parents Are Naughty, Children Aren’t Nice (Or: Helping Those In Need Is an Honor, Not a Lesson)
You suspect that your child does not fully appreciate her slender frame, so you bring her to look around at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting. You want her to have a lasting “there but the grace of God go I” moment, and you think that absorbing the roomful of fatties will do that for her… Read More
Teaching Children Social Responsibility, Responsibly
Trump’s Approval Ratings Are High with the Potty-Mouth Crowd
[Please note that this piece contains multiple quotations of moronic bathroom humor, sadly, the height of wit among 9-year-old boys. If the word “poop” offends, I understand completely and feel your pain. Don’t bother to comment. Just stop reading.]… Read More