Preschool

Cabbage Patch Kid Giveaway!

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We have a brand new, limited edition 25th anniversary Cabbage Patch Kid to give away to one lucky reader. full story

Parenthood is Its Own Reward – Or is it?

Posted 2 weeks 3 days ago by Linsey Knerl

Chores, Discipline, Home Life, Learning Tools

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Finding what motivates isn’t always easy. But once you do, great things can be accomplished!

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Date Night In

Posted 3 weeks 1 day ago by Sherry Pardy

Sex & Relationships, No Children Zone, Work Balance

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Can't get out for a date? Why not bring Date Night In!

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The Five Best Things I Did For My Kids This Summer

Posted 4 weeks 2 days ago by Caitlin Giles

Home Life, Social Skills, Entertainment, Learning Tools, Etiquette, Nutrition, Extra Curricular

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August already? With just a few weeks of summer left, I have been reflecting on the season's happiest moments with my two little ones. I'll tell you mine and then you tell me yours.

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The Death of the Neighborhood

Posted 4 weeks 2 days ago by Corina Fiore

Safety, Home Life, Social Skills, Relocation, Entertainment, Learning Tools, Culture, Relationships

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I miss the olden days. You know, the olden days like 20 years ago. Life seemed different then. You belonged to a community, a neighborhood. The people in your neighborhood were part of your extended family. At some point in the last 20 years, the neighborhood has succumbed to death.

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Teach Your 5-year Old to Clean His Own Room

Posted 4 weeks 6 days ago by Linsey Knerl

Chores, Home Life, Relationships

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The mess that a preschooler makes is revolting at times. Determined to straighten without doing ALL the work, I implemented a plan to include them in my duties. It worked better than I could have ever hoped for.

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Different Kids, Different Schools?

Posted 5 weeks 1 day ago by Margaret Garcia-Couoh

Pre School, K-8

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We didn't think twice about sending our son to a small private preschool and kindergarten. The public one was really rough and tumble and he seemed lost in the shuffle when he started there. So with lesson learned, how come we are sending our daughter who starts preschool this fall to the public one?

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Read, Read, Read: Why Quantity and Quality Fail Our Kids

Posted 5 weeks 1 day ago by Fred Marmorstein

Education

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Children's ability to read with conviction is still being undermined by our educational institutions.

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Summer Roadtrip Travel Adventures, Part 1

Posted 5 weeks 6 days ago by Margaret Garcia-Couoh

Etiquette, Conflict Resolution, Culture

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This summer was my first venture into traveling alone with the children since the husband had to work. (Hats off to all the single moms out there who do this on a regular basis). I found that keeping a zen like calm goes a long way into making the unexpected and the disaster a little more adventure like and way more fun for the kiddies.

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Food Additives May Contribute to ADHD in Children

Posted 6 weeks 5 days ago by Fred Lee

Nutrition

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The time has come to give more credibility to the notion that we are what we eat.

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Kids Eat Free....Or Really Cheap

Posted 7 weeks 3 days ago by Lori Kerrigan

Finances, Shopping, Relocation, Entertainment, Time Management

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Tired of cooking? Does your budget not stretch enough to cover dining out with the entire family? Check out these restaurants where kids eat free....or really cheap!

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Hug Your TV, Part 2: A biased, opinionated and not even very scholarly review of PBS Sprout.

Posted 7 weeks 4 days ago by Katherine Turner

Entertainment, Learning Tools, Culture, Pre School

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I’ve spent the past month watching every show PBS Sprout dishes up and man am I pasty. Crib my notes for what to let the kiddies watch and keep your summer glow!

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Same Sex, Same Cake

Posted 8 weeks 1 day ago by Margaret Garcia-Couoh

Culture, Relationships

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The time had come to break it to the kids that the grandmas are getting married at the end of July. I was bracing for very literal preschooler observations of only boys and girls can marry---not unlike my preschoolers observations about who can tuck her in and who can play with Barbie...her response was not expected...

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Shared Parenting: Why it Works for Us

Posted 10 weeks 1 day ago by Sherry Pardy

Chores, Discipline, Home Life, Finances, Shopping, New Parents

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According to a recent New York Times article, the fact my husband does the laundry makes us trendy parents. Who knew?

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Old MacDonald had some Suckers

Posted 10 weeks 2 days ago by Margaret Garcia-Couoh

Culture

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As a mostly vegetarian, hippie genX-er--a non-TV watching, non-consumer driven parent-- I have purposely failed my children miserably by hiding from them vital cultural icons of American life. But all that is about to change with two Happy Meals...

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On Education Part 2 - Our Experience with Waldorf Schools

Posted 10 weeks 4 days ago by Fred Lee

Education, Learning Tools, Home School, Pre School, K-8

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The Waldorf experience is a lot different than what you’ll see at a Montessori School.

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Kid Friendly Trips with TripFlix

Posted 10 weeks 5 days ago by Margaret Garcia-Couoh

Entertainment

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Gas prices have you and the kids home for the summer? You might want to give the interactive DVD TripFlix a try and do some couch traveling in an air conditioned living room with teens Alex and Emily to 25 destinations across the USA.

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Gay Parenting, Part 2

Posted 11 weeks 11 hours ago by Margaret Garcia-Couoh

Culture, Sex Ed, Relationships

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Wow. It really is happening. All across California gays and lesbians are getting married. Their children, we children will all be legitimized in a way we haven't been before. I spent the weekend talking to a gay dad raising sons (being Father's Day weekend) here's what's been tripping around my conversations. I talked to a few women on the verge of marriage. Here's what I heard and remembered.

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Train your kids to swallow a choking hazard with Lego “Fun Snacks”

Posted 11 weeks 20 hours ago by Paul Michael

Safety, Health

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It all seems like some crazy practical joke or belated April Fool’s gag, but this one is real. Kellogg’s have teamed up with Lego to produce what can only be described as the most dangerous idea for a kid’s snack…ever.

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The Best Toys Aren’t Toys at All

Posted 11 weeks 1 day ago by Linsey Knerl

Home Life, Entertainment

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Go ahead and spend that $100 for the ultimate in baby activity centers. Go organic, if you want, but don’t blame me when your tot comes running up to you begging to play with his favorite new toys – a rubber shoe cover and a piece of Styrofoam.

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