children

Children: Our most valuable natural resource.

I Apologize
My darling Buggaboo, The last time we saw each other, hard words were spoken. You were angry about something involving your sister, taking it out on everyone, and that made me angry. The first thing I want to say is I'm sorry. I sometimes have trouble remembering that our situation is a hard one; and that being a teenager is hard. I said that you couldn't come back until you apologized to your sister and I. That was wrong and said out of anger. I want you to know that you are always welcome here. My home always has been, and always will be, your home. For a few brief, hard minutes, I turned into my mother, and that's not okay.
By Michelle Frank7 years ago in Families
Trying to Live with a Dying Heart
So I'll be straightforward with my situation. I am a 20 year old woman, with a 6 week old baby girl, and I'm just starting to really live my life. Of course, 20 years old with a baby isn't how I originally pictured my life when I was in middle school, telling my friends my goals and dreams. More like, how my life is, is what I was trying to avoid. But! It is amazing nevertheless.
By Francesca Joie7 years ago in Families
The Unknown Infection That Is Leading to Mental Health Issues In Kids
How many mothers out there were told that they tested positive for strep? How many of you knew what that meant during labor? What if the antibiotics didn't work and you passed this "strep" on to your children?
By Jacci Storey7 years ago in Families
11 Month Separation Anxiety: What Worked for Us
My first daughter, Faith, is almost one. She will turn one in a week, and we thought now is a great time for her to be in daycare full time. My wife went to work, I dropped her off on my way to work, my wife picked her up, they ate lunch, Faith went back, I picked her up and we all ate dinner together. She had never been at the daycare for more than two hours at a time. It worked for us because Faith has a different schedule than the daycare, and my wife was able to pick her up. We decided to make her full time for two reasons: 1) she's never interacted with the other kids because she never had the chance, 2) my wife’s hours got switched and she won’t be able to pick her up, so they can have lunch together.
By Owen T.7 years ago in Families
Motherhood
As I sit here staring at my computer screen, anxiously deciding what to write, I am off in a daze. I find myself scrolling through the same Facebook news feed on my phone that was there 10 minutes before. I can hear a faint snore and a heavy breathing as my daughter is swayed asleep in her swing. That is when I realize, I am a mom.
By Emily Grisham7 years ago in Families
ADHD in Kids
Being a parent of three healthy children, I couldn't be more grateful. They are so smart in their own way. My oldest child is four, my middle child is three, and my youngest is two. Living life to the fullest, and never a dull moment around me.
By Sara Bevins7 years ago in Families
Through a Child’s Eye: The Cinema Experience
I will start by saying that I’m a movie buff, owner of almost 700 DVDs and counting, I’m one of those people willing to go to the cinema alone, I love the whole experience and would see every new release if I could. I remember my first trip to the cinema. About four years old, I don’t actually remember the film, but I do remember the cinema. One of the oldest in the UK, keeping the classic cinema look. I have a clear memory of being in awe at the plush red seats, and seeing the huge screen whilst walking down the centre aisle.
By Allison Brown7 years ago in Families
Raising Kids Is Easy
We all have something that just bugs us. Sometimes it’s merely an observation that after a little reflection, you can ignore. Other times, it just burrows into your subconsciousness and infiltrates your thoughts as you mop the floor or try to watch an episode of Black-ish; its sole mission to enrage you.
By Wendell Mitchell7 years ago in Families
Mama’s Boy
When I found out I was pregnant, I thought I wanted a girl. I thought I could relate more to a girl; after all, I am a girl. We’re emotional, dramatic, sometimes needy, and always sassy. I thought of all the cute outfits I’d seen at Target and of all the cute matching photo shoots that could come to life. I imagined a little mini me who would wanna do everything I did...
By LWA7 years ago in Families
The Journey to Balance
Balance—it's that all elusive thing that we want. I feel like everyone strives towards it their whole lives and no matter what we do, we never feel like we achieve it. Part of the problem is that balance is incredibly individualized. Everyone can handle a different mix of activities in their life. It also depends on if you are introverted or extroverted. You may be single, married, single with kids or married with kids. A 25-year-old's idea of balance will probably be different from a 65-year-old's. You have to figure out what balance is to you and then work towards it.
By Jessica McCarty7 years ago in Families
The Glory of a Child
I am always captivated by the joy of children. Their charming delight in everyday amazements like sprinklers, puddles, mud pies, bugs, and all manner of “don’t play with that” things. You can give a small child a string, and he or she will go on playing with it for as long as it does things that they do not expect. A piece of twine is an endless line of discovery. (Much like the thneads in Dr. Suess’s The Lorax). I was watching a little boy one time while his parents were away, and we were running out of things to do. He had already watched a movie, and we had played outside for a while. I decided that lunch was the perfect way to occupy both mind and body for at least a brief time, so we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and sat at the table talking about the movie. The talking was more akin to a stream of sound effects and indiscernible jelly colored language mixed with the occasional roar for dramatic effect, but it was entertaining and kept him in one place effectively. After our brief stop for sustenance, we pondered over what the next conquest would be. The choices were limited to: the evil emperor (played involuntarily by the baby), the stairs (on hands and knees as a horse mind you), or the kingdom (a charming description of the backyard with the playset as the castle).
By Abbey Ness7 years ago in Families
Baby-Led Solids II
I hear you're interested in learning more about baby-led solids. That's great! In my last blog post, we talked about what baby-led solids are, and how to know when it's time to start. If you haven't read it yet, you can follow this link to catch up on the conversation. At the end of my last post, I promised to disclose the best foods to start off with. Read on to hear my two cents.
By Ashley Lichenstein7 years ago in Families