independence

Tweens, Teens & College

Give your middle-schooler more freedom

Middle school is a big jump for kids. Whether they start in 6th grade or 7th, the scene in middle school is completely different...

Single moms

Parenting Guru: When you stop enabling

Kay Wills Wyma, author of Cleaning House , earned an MBA and worked at the White House, but her greatest challenge may have been...

Activities for Kids

Fourth of July quotes and poems

Fourth of July isn't all about barbecues and fireworks. It's also about the freedom, liberty and the birthday of the United States...

Child Development & Health

The kids’ table rocks

It’s crucial for your kids to have autonomy at home, and child-sized furniture and activities that your children can do...

Child Development & Health

Raising an independent baby

Is the absence of a lovey good or bad? Find out whether you should try to encourage your child to love a lovey, and what it says...

Teen Behavior

A course in household budgeting for your teen

If you have a teenager at home, he or she is closer to going out on his or her own than you might like to admit. You’ve worked hard...

Mom & Dad

Teaching kids about grocery shopping

You’ve gone to the grocery store with your child hundreds -- if not thousands -- of times by now. He watches you, he knows where...

Tweens, Teens & College

Introducing your kids to what it takes to run a household

What does the term “running a household” mean to you? Is it cleaning? Is it budgeting and bill-paying? Is it cooking? Is it...

Tweens, Teens & College

How much independence should a teenager have?

It’s a challenging time for everyone. As much as you know your job as a mom is teach your children to leave you, it feels too close,...

Monday Mom Challenge

Monday Mom challenge: Let go a little. Or a lot.

Parenting is full of contradictions. You keep them safe and healthy and close -- so they can leave and live without you one day. You...

Tweens, Teens & College

How much independence should a middle school child have?

Your middle school daughter -- not a baby, but not a teen or adult -- wants to go to the movies with a friend, but without a parent....

School Age Kids

How much independence should an elementary school child have?

The path to adulthood and independence starts the moment your child is born. Yes, it does. While you wouldn’t dream of give...

Single Girls' Guide

How to enjoy a Saturday night alone

Saturday night doesn’t have to mean date night. If the weekend is creeping ever closer and your phone isn’t exactly ringing off...

Dating

Don't let your relationship overtake your personality

Being one half of a great couple is, well, great. But it can be easy to get so lost in new love that you lose sight of the fact...

Baby & Toddler

The pros and cons of extended breastfeeding

No one will deny that breastfeeding is the best way to feed your infant for the first year of life. The AAP recommends “exclusive...