Parenting

• A Father’s Gratitude

  Fatherhood has a way of pulling you in and engulfing you in a sea of activities and emotions that you didn’t expect. It doesn’t often lend itself to quiet reflection about what it means to be a father. But as I look back on the fathering I’ve done so far, I’m struck by the changes that my children have helped to create in me.

• The City Parent Rules: Navigating Traffic with Young Children

  Rule #1: Stand well back from the street when waiting to cross. It’s not safe to stand right on the curb. If you talk to your local police, they’ll back us up on the frequency with which cars or buses find themselves forced up onto a sidewalk. You need to give yourself some margin of safety against that occurrence. Most safety experts recommend that pedestrians (and strollers) stand 2 feet back from the curb when waiting at an intersection. And we’ve heard of some cops who, based on what they’ve seen, think you need to stand at the building line to really be safe.

• Bringing The Lessons Home

  The bottom line is to talk to your children and invite them to talk to you. The more you try to understand how they feel and help them understand how an event happened, the more coping skills your child will develop. And, as we have documented, social skills are essential for doing well, both in school and in life.

• When Your Children Come From Different Planets

  Sometimesas in the case of my own two children, and in the case of my sister and my brotherthe differences are so profound one might think they grew up not just in different families, but on different planets.

• The Top Diaper Bags For Stylish And Savvy Moms

  Forget bears and bunnies. Today’s diaper bags are all about mom and her needs: The need to be organized. The need to feel stylish. The need to have daddy lug the thing around once in awhile.

• An Allowance And Your Child’s Growth

  You really can’t successfully start an allowance until a child understands how to count. It’s even better if they can do basic addition and subtraction. One of the first things they’ll learn with an allowance is to recognize the different coins and how to make change. Usually your child will be ready in the 6 to 8-year old range.

• Young Adult Fantasy: Promoting Witchcraft And Magic Or Just Good Fun?

  Emily, the 10-year-old daughter of my friend, Sadie, was watching the pomp and pageantry of the new Pope waving to the masses from his balcony in Vatican City. She commented gleefully: “And did you know that the Pope likes Harry Potter too, Mum?”

• Dad, Go Ahead And Cry

  She slipped her small, smooth eight-year-old hand into mine. Her face was lit up with joy. And as my daughter took my hand and moved closer to me, I lost control of my emotions.