Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Mothers can't plan for the little moments that make a big impression.
I used to be obsessed with making memories. I carefully planned out the tiniest of details so that my kids would have picture perfect memories that lasted a lifetime. When my son was around 2 years old we were living in Connecticut. I had planned a fall afternoon in a local park complete with a picnic lunch. There was a playground, a small animal area, giant hills we could roll down, and large areas we could fly kites in. We headed over to the playground where my son proceeded to go on the merry-go-round where an ambitious dad gave it a giant spin. My tiny toddler went flying, and once boo-boo’s were fixed and tears were wiped, we were unable to convince him to play at the playground for even one more second. Undefeated, we headed …
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Simple steps can make kids far more well-received.
I believe in manners. I think that they are such an important part of raising your children. There are few things that my kids will tell you I’m a stickler for, but manners are very high on the list. When I was a kid I had a Captain Kangaroo record that I listened to a million times. There was one song that has remained with me to this day. “In a manner of speaking, your manners are leaking if you are not kind to the people you meet. A please and a thank you and a how-do-you-do, can do magic that sweeps people right off their feet.” It’s really that simple. As much as I would love it if my kids were the poster children for The Emily Post Institute, I know that’s not realistic. At the dinner table at our Grafton home, I remind my son that…
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
What is the right age for independence?
Parents: What is the right age for children to be able to stay home without supervision? Share your input in our comments section.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Share your ideas.
The heat is on. What is your family's favorite way to chill out during the hot summer days? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
Amy McCarthy
1:18 pm on Thursday, October 13, 2011
My 2 year old has started the polite "no thank you" for bedtime or food he doesn't want to eat; it's so polite it ALMOST works! more ›