Too Many Funerals
It’s been a rough few months around our family when it comes to great-grandparents. At the beginning of the year, my wife and I had all four of our grandmothers between us still living. Then my dad’s mother passed away in
Five ways for Mom to make money
By Carol J. Alexander Few women look forward to returning to work after having a baby. Financially, some don’t have a choice. Yet others have enough wiggle room in their income to start earning money from home. Here are five proven
Anxious about school
I’ve never had to deal with real anxiety about school before. My kids displayed lots of other emotions about school – Boredom? Yes. Apathy? Sure. Loathing? Check. Uncertainty even? Sometimes. – but never what I would call real anxiety. My youngest,
Three Things I don’t Know About You
I’ve mentioned before that I try to do “devotions” with my kids before they leave for school each morning. Despite the name, this time isn’t necessarily or even frequently religious in nature (though the name does come from the idea
Healthy minds
I feel that one of my jobs as a parent is to expand my children’s cultural horizons beyond the commercialized pop culture bubble that mainstream media implies is the only culture worth knowing. They’re not always convinced that this is
Be afraid, be very afraid
I was never truly afraid until I had children. That’s not to say that I was never in some scary situations. I’ve been in more than one car crash. I’ve been lost and alone in Killarney National Park for almost 24
A real summer vacation
Just as a head’s up, I’m going to do some complaining. It’s possible that you’ll even be one of the parents I’m complaining about here, so I’m apologizing up front, but I’m going to complain anyway. There are no kids to
Family camping back to basics
My wife and I took the kids camping this past weekend. We went with a few friends and a few friends of theirs who we didn’t really know, so there was quite a gang of us. To be clear, we didn’t
Device addiction
If you’ve read this column at all over the past six years, you’ll know that I’m not an alarmist. I tend to approach parenting (and pretty much everything else for that matter) with a healthy dose of skepticism. When I
It’s worth the drive to Pumpkinville
Where the heck is Pumpkinville? It’s a question followed by an equally puzzling answer. Pumpkinville is near Ellicottville. Where is Ellicottville? It’s just about a half hour south of the Buffalo border crossing in up-state New York and it’s not just for skiing
The brain + body equation
By Christine Davis The benefits of exercise are many and new research from ParticipACTION now shows that students who exercise before a test show stronger brain function than those who don’t. “Evidence shows that kids who are active for 15-20 minutes
Math for Moms and Dads
By Christine Davis If you struggle helping your children with math homework, Humber College’s Continuing Education department has developed a workshop that can help. Math for Moms and Dads: How to Tutor Your Children was developed by Humber’s director of Professional and
Fall wardrobe
By Christine Davis The cooler days of fall call for a new wardrobe, but everything you’ll need to keep warm and look great over the coming months can cost a fortune. According to Dag Larsen, founder of consignment store chain Consign
Costume conundrums and wardrobe tricks
By Jane Muller We’ve just had a discussion amongst our team at City Parent as to what our Halloween costume theme will be this year. There’s an annual competition in the office that we share with staff of other Metroland publications.
Crafting Your Roadmap to Success
It’s challenging for anyone – especially young people – to know where you’re going if you don’t have a roadmap to get there. Goal mapping is a critical strategy to give your tween or teen focus and help them visualize
When a Bad Husband is Still a Good Father
By Tammy Letherer I had been divorced for a couple years when my former husband called with a surprise. Thankfully, it wasn’t the type of surprise he delivered the night he sat me at the table and told me he had
Helping Kids in Need See the Front of the Class
Good eyesight is at the foundation of a good education. When kids can see the front of the classroom, they are better equipped to learn the lessons being taught. Eyestrain can lead to headaches, blurred vision and fatigue, which can make
Back into routine
I can’t tell you how glad I am to be back into a routine. I’m not saying I’m glad that school has started and that I’m working full hours again. Not exactly. I’m not saying I’m glad that the holidays are
Beyond Las Vegas
By Diana Ballon As we head northeast from Las Vegas toward the Valley of Fire, we listen to an iPod playlist of Gram Parsons’ Ooh Las Vegas, Joni Mitchell’s The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines and Elvis Presley’s Viva Las Vegas.
Dip into school lunches
With so many dietary restrictions and rules regarding school-safe food, here’s a recipe that is completely free of the eight of the most common allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, wheat, soy, fish, crustaceans and eggs). The addition of roasted sweet potato
