Latest Stories
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When Your Child Doesn’t Want to Talk About School
“How was school?” “Fine.” “What did you do?” “Nothing.” For a parent who has spent the day wondering how their child is doing, that exchange can feel strangely lonely. We…
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A First Museum Visit With Kids: Follow Their Curiosity, Not the Map
There is a particular kind of family outing that looks wonderful on a museum website and feels different once you are inside. One child wants to stop at the first…
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When Your Child Asks “Why?” and You Don’t Know the Answer
“Why does the moon follow our car?” “Why do ants walk in a line?” “Why did that leaf turn red?” Some questions arrive while we are making dinner or trying…
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Teaching Kids Gratitude Without Asking Them to Hide Hard Feelings
A child is upset because a long-awaited plan has changed. An adult, trying to help, says, “But you have so much to be thankful for.” The words may be true.…
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Kids Hungry Before Dinner? A Calmer Way to Handle the Late-Afternoon Snack
It is late afternoon. One child is looking through the kitchen for something to eat. Another has just come home from school or finished playing outside. Dinner is on the…
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When the Kitchen Table Has to Do Everything: A Shared Family Space That Works
When my son was a toddler, I often opened my computer at the kitchen table while he played nearby. I would start a paragraph, get up for a snack or…
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Reading Aloud to Kids of Different Ages: Making Room for Both
At bedtime in our home, my six-year-old son Noah and my three-year-old daughter Liz each choose a book. I choose one too. On a good night, that means three stories.…
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Motherhood, Faith, and the Grace to Begin Again
Some days, I know the kind of mother I want to be, but I cannot seem to find the patience to be her. I want to listen before reacting. I…
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When Your Child Does Not Want to Go to School
“I don’t want to go” can mean many things. A child may be tired after a busy week, worried about a spelling test, missing a parent, avoiding a classmate, or…