For some families, spring break is a time to scramble to find childcare. For others, it’s a week they spend together -- on a trip, perhaps, or at home in search of creative things to do.What do your children do during spring break? Do you…
Juggling family responsibilities with a career along with everything else is sometimes akin to that circus trick of spinning plates.Lots of mothers and fathers are able to do it. But the really lucky ones also get some help.Every year, Working Mother Magazine publishes a list…
My 4-year-old has the case of the gimmies.I’m not sure how it started, but perhaps in my previous overscheduled, 40-plus-hours-at-work life, I got a little carried away with the presents. Maybe I felt too guilty or I was too tired to discipline. Instead of saying,…
Someone shared this 'internet meme' with me and I thought it was interesting... so what are 5 things you want your kids to know before they grow up...Here's mine (but it's hard to narrow them down!):1. Mommy and Daddy love them unconditionally and forever1a. Mommy…
This recent article about how a growing number of Americans have changed their religious affiliation since childhood got me thinking about the role of faith in how we raise our kids.Do you think children need a religious/spiritual foundation in order to learn about morality and…
Instead of sitting down and learning the alphabet, my 4-year-old son would rather be outside playing with sticks -- pretending to be a knight with a sword, a wizard with a wand or maybe Luke Skywalker with a light saber.For the longest time, I worried…
Not everyone in our household was thrilled when my eldest child was born.From the moment we brought our newborn into the house, our three cats felt threatened. In those first few weeks, we just didn’t have the time or energy to brush their fur and…
Where do you go for Easter egg hunts? Do you ever bring your children to the local parks or churches, where they have hunts for large groups of kids?I’m working on a story about “egg hunt etiquette,” especially when little children are out there picking…
This breaking-news story about the cost of administering the WASL made me wonder: Has it made a significant difference in the way we educate our children?I think I know where the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction stands on this issue. And I believe…
Is anyone getting enough? Not if you’re the parent of young children, it seems.I have a friend who has a teething 10-month-old. She’s not sleeping much these days. Neither is another friend, whose 4-year-old daughter wakes up at night wanting to crawl into bed with…
Can you imagine being away from home, sitting at a computer and watching your children being treated this way? It was appalling to see these infants being tossed around like they were stuffed animals. Then you can only wonder what happened during the six weeks…
This is obviously a case of bad parenting: “A Central Florida mother of four boys was arrested on Tuesday after telling authorities that she went ‘on strike’ more than a month ago, leaving the teens home alone for hours every day because they would constantly…
Instead of “B.C.” or “A.D.,” the dating system my husband and I use at our house is “B.K.”B.K. – “Before Kids” – obviously refers to that period not so long ago when we could stay out late, sleep in, have leisure time to read books…
My heart ached when I read the comments to Lisa P.’s Jan. 24 post, “Words Do Hurt.” It reminded me of a time in grade school when the girls in my class decided to ban together and stop talking to me. I still remember how…
Although school administrators deny being “Net Nannies,” the stuff on these pages occasionally make their way back to school, according to an article in today’s Spokesman-Review.I know a few parents who have MySpace and Facebook accounts just to help keep track of their kids’ activities.…
What: Certified volunteers for the Spokane County Child Passenger Safety Team will check child car seats to ensure they are properly installed.Where: Spokane Regional Health District, 1101 W. CollegeWhen: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 16th.
The Spokane Parks Department is making plans for new splash pads in neighborhood parks. Now, the folks in charge want to hear from our kids.The process certainly won’t be anything like the caucuses this weekend, but at least it’s a chance for our children to…
I hope this subject isn't too personal, but with Valentine's Day less than a week away I couldn't help but wonder about everyone else's love life.Since our second child was born less than two yeas ago, I get so busy with the kids that I…
Two stories in the news today highlighted how our children potentially can be exposed to toxins just by the foods we eat and the products we use around the home.“Harmful pesticides found in everyday food products" discusses a recent study that showed how kids eating…
(Let me preface this entry by writing that I am not attempting to diminish the acts of any person, but merely looking for the true meaning of a word.)Last night my kids and I had dinner with my parents in their home. My dad and…
For those of you who work outside of the home, how are you managing to balance job plus needing to be home with kids when school is closed for snow days? Both my husband and I have had recent grumblings at work due to us…
Arizona is now the 16th state to reject federal funds for abstinence-only sex education.According to Governor Janet Napolitano: "While we all support abstinence-only and don't believe, in particular, that teenagers should be engaged in sexual relationships of that sort, the fact of the matter is…
I had a conversation with a girlfriend today about her 4th grade daughter. She told me how some of her friends are being mean to her. The meanness are things like when there are three of them together, two of them will be ignore the…
Does anyone know the name of the organization that takes donated professional clothing for women? The clothing is given to women who need the clothing for job interviews and working.
With the dipping temps we have had ( below zero here last night) How do you try to make sure your kids stay warm? When you are around them of course you can make sure they are bundled up but what about when they are…
This blog is intended to provide a forum for parents to share knowledge and resources. It's a place for parents young and old to combine their experiences raising families into a collective whole to help others.
