If you have a teenager, you understand that parenting a teen can sometimes feel like trying to hug a hedgehog. Gosh, they’re cute when they want to be, but watch out for those spines! With nine children, I’ve now successfully survived seven teens and a total of forty-nine years of parenting the wonderful, exasperating, amazing, […]
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You are the protagonist of your own story. You star in the movie and also write the script. Why wouldn’t you choose to make it a heartwarming satisfying story of triumph? For 2022, that’s just what we’re going to do. Here’s how: Choose a Theme Every great film has a theme, a message explored through
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Do you feel blue as winter approaches? Do you struggle with wintertime sluggishness and feelings of depression? Does the change of seasons have a noticeably depressive effect on you or a loved one? If so, seasonal effective disorder—often termed SAD—might be the culprit. As with any mental health issue, exploring and understanding the root causes
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Every family is unique in their own special way—this includes holiday traditions. Some of us celebrate with our extended family, or maybe just our immediate family; still others have a small group of chosen friends who have become family. We celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, and, yes, some of us even celebrate Festivus. However
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Author Mary Potter Kenyon is a grief counselor and survivor. Read along as she shares her tips for getting through the holidays while grieving. I thought I’d done so well that first Christmas in 2012, after my first husband died. I’d managed to decorate the house, bake cut-out cookies, fill stockings, and purchase and wrap
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It was a dark and stormy night . . . a perfect night for baking cookies! All of those words are not actually mine, but they unquestionably embody my sentiments: There are no miserable situations that cannot be made at least a little better by an adventurous stretch in the kitchen. Be it skinned knees, bruised feelings, or
A Tribute to My Therapy: The Humble Cookie (and, Of Course, Cookie Baking) Read More »
In a society where multi-billion-dollar companies profit from our insecurities, we must actively work towards creating body-positive spaces to combat negative body image. On a good day, it’s important to practice habits that promote positive body image amongst your family, but during the holidays, it is critical. It is a time when marketers strategically plan
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When I was asked to write an article on “caring for ourselves while caring for others,” I thought about you, the reader, and what your life might be like, and what you might be needing to hear. I imagined myself back when I was in the thick of the early years of mothering and wondered what I would say
Caring for Yourself While Caring for Others—Then and Now. Read More »
After a hot and hectic summer, it’s time for students to head back to school. If thoughts of the previous school year have you breaking out in a sweat, you’re not alone. Parents and students all over the country are dealing with the challenge of returning to school amid inconsistent masking requirements, blended learning, and
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Some parenting experts say that connecting with a teen is like trying to hug a porcupine. In other words, it’s just not easy. One-word answers, eye rolls, and shrugs might be some of the replies you are used to receiving from your teen on any given day. But if we encourage and receive active engagement
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