parenting

Living on a 1,000-acre college campus in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, my children had the freedom to walk past a herd of cows to get to the bus stop, eat in the cafeteria, and wade with friends in the Swannanoa River. The only place they weren't allowed to go was into the…

Photo: Pexels My 6-year-old daughter has been complaining about a girl at school. She plays with her often, but lately, she has been frustrated with the way she cuts her off when she’s talking and dismisses her need for “space.” I’ve tried to give her tools to communicate her feelings, but the other night, as…

Heather Graesser lives in a cob house in rural North Carolina.She shares the space with her husband and kids, who are 11 and 13.The family is off the grid, relying on solar power and rainwater collection. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the…

Whether it is Oprah Winfrey's, Resse Witherspoon's, or Mindy Kaling's book club doesn't matter: The selections are always for adults. But maybe its the kids who would really benefit from a book club, both socially and academically—after all, according to the Department of Education, two-thirds of children in the United States are not proficient readers. Luckily, it…

From school drop-offs to after-school practices and weekend soccer games, parenting can sometimes feel like one big logistical rush to get from Point A to Point B on time. Even though we know that over-scheduling your kids doesn't help their grade point average or boost their mental health—and it certainly doesn't do you any favors—it's easy…

Photo: ShutterstockThat first year, you think it’s such a great idea. You’ll have so much fun hiding this little stuffed animal (little stuffed human? stuffed creature?) around the house. The kids will get so much glee out of discovering what new mischief their elf has gotten into overnight.But after two or three weeks of Elf…

Photo: Courtesy of Rockstar Games Red Dead Redemption 2 is not for kids. Rockstar Games’ sprawling Western video game is rated M for violence, torture, foul-mouthed cowpokes, and many more mature delights. Luckily for gaming parents, though, the most disturbing, antisocial and gory mayhem is either found in the game’s missions or is a result of…

Screenshot: YouTube Because we are not above lazy parent hacks (may we present to you how to entertain your kid while lying down?), we are sharing this one. Attach a baseball (or any similar-sized ball) to a fishing rod, hold it steady, have your kid take a swing, reel the ball in, and then repeat…

Despite how common miscarriage is, those who go through it often find it to be a painfully isolating experience. It frequently happens before the expectant mom or couple have told friends or family—or even their other children. “What compounds a grief and an anguish is the silencing and shadowy nature of it,” says Julia Bueno,…

Everyone warned me the early toddler years were going to be hard, but 4 has been the hardest.  Experts agree it's their struggle between needing connection and wanting to do things their way. Tantrums are expected, but if they last over 15 minutes, a psychotherapist suggests outside help. Loading Something is loading. Thanks for signing…