Laurie Rogers, one of the members of the Parents' Council, asked me to post the following information for parents:Debbie Knutson, who runs a tutoring business in Spokane, and I have been discussing how parents can determine how much mathematics their children actually know. Currently, Washington…
In some circles, parenting has become a competitive sport. For some reason, we can’t help but compare our kids to others. If we hear of a kid who can sing the ABCs at the age of 18 months, we feel pressured to break out the…
When a friend asked me what I was up to these days, I gave her a sample of my usual “to do” list. “Mothers have always quilted,” she said matter-of-factly. “That’s what women have to do survive.” I don’t like to sew and would never…
Volunteering as a family provides quality time for busy families, strengthens communication and promotes cooperation, according to the Corporation for National & Community Service. For many families, the experience also increases problem-solving skills while enabling parents and older siblings to be role models to the…
Every year, the Association for Library Service to Children awards the prestigious Caldecott Medal to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. Some of those books are probably already on your bookshelves at home – they’re the ones with the gold…
I’m embarrassed to admit this, but my kids recognize a bad word when they hear one. Thankfully, they don’t use expletives in their conversations with friends and family but I know for a fact they’ve heard me utter the occasional cuss word during stressful moments.…
The Chicago Tribune published a “preschool primer” this weekend and while reading the article, this piece of advice caught my eye: Check out the walls.Besides inspecting the building for safety and assessing toys, activities, teachers and whether or not children are engrossed in activities, parents…
I had to share this contest with you -- not only because the prize includes a $100 spa gift certificate and one-night's stay at the Hotel Lusso, but also because the essay topic is a good one.Unfortunately, it's not open to everyone. First, you have…
Kids don't really listen to parents, according to Judith Rich Harris, author of the "The Nurture Assumption: Why Children Turn Out the Way They Do." Instead, it's all about their peers. In “Why Parents (Still) Don’t Matter,” TIME recently interviewed Harris, whose book caused a…
Laurie Rogers, one of the original members of the newspaper's Parents' Council, asked me to post the following on the blog:Spokane’s school board is hosting a “Coffee and Conversation” at Ferris High School library, 3020 E. 37th Avenue, on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 6-6:50 p.m., prior…
As each year goes by, I find myself losing touch with friends who don’t have children. This makes me sad, especially since some of these people have been part of my life for a long time. But I find that my world has become so…
In light of the current Spokane County Superior Court case involving a Post Falls mother charged with vehicular homicide for not properly installing her 2-month-old’s car seat (which led to her daughter's death in a car accident three years ago), here’s an opportunity for families…
My youngest son had a half-day today. When he climbed into the car he started crying quietly. "I had a bad day," he said."What happened? Did you get in trouble?""No," he sniffed, and cried harder."Did someone hurt your feelings?""Yes!" he sobbed. "I don't wanna talk…
I just don’t get it. Why has it taken so long for lawmakers in Idaho to vote for a bill that requires criminal background checks for day cares in their state?According to Betsy Z. Russell’s story earlier this week, legislators have been striking down the…
Parents who point and move their hands and bodies when they talk are doing more than simply communicating with their kids. According to research by two University of Chicago psychologists, they’re also building their children’s vocabulary. In a recent Chicago Tribune story, “U. of C.…
With meals to cook, a house to clean, kids to care for on top of a career and other obligations, it’s sometimes hard for moms and dads to get any alone time together. Gone are the days when you could leave for a romantic getaway…
I drive my nine-year-old son to school every day. Each morning as he prepares to get out of the car he leans forward and plants a big kiss on my cheek. "Bye, Mom," he says. "Have a good day. I'll see you after school," I…
I confess: I have a mild addiction to Facebook. It hasn’t taken over my life but it does take up my time. Instead of working, I find myself taking a quick peek and checking on my friends’ status updates. Before I realize it, I’ve been…
American parents tend to coddle their children, according to Hara Estroff Marano, an editor at Psychology Today and author of “A Nation of Wimps: The High Cost of Invasive Parenting.” They don’t want their kids to ever feel bad, she wrote. They become over-involved and…
"Do you want me to take you out to the car without your chicken?!?"
Police say mother installed baby’s seat improperlyJody Lawrence-TurnerStaff writer Spokane County prosecutors charged a Post Falls woman with vehicular homicide Tuesday in the death of her infant daughter, who was severely injured by a car’s airbag while riding in a rear-facing car seat in Spokane.If…
A growing number of families have hit a crisis point, according to this recent USA Today story, “As economic fears rise, families on verge of unraveling.”Parents are suffering from stress and sometimes can’t cope with economic uncertainty, experts say. The worst-case scenario happened in Los…
In fact, it might even be healthy. In “Babies Know: A Little Dirt is Good for You,” Jane E. Brody of The New York Times wrote about the “hygiene hypothesis.” Basically, the theory suggests that we are too clean for our own good. Since we…
Earlier this month, I asked you about your thoughts on family planning and how factors that include money, time, religious beliefs and environmental concerns all play into your decisions. So along those lines, I thought I’d bring up the California couple that gave birth to…
Still reading old journals. I came across a list of "Alexisms." Funny mispronunciations my then four-year-old son uttered.Instead of barefoot he said butterfeet. Who knows why?He assured me that his new sandals were waterpoop. I'm hoping he meant waterproof.Cigarettes were dubbed sniggerettes, and one blustery…
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.
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