March 2014 - Motherlode - The Network of Care

College Admissions Season: When the Answer Is No

Some people say that students should entirely drive the college application process. But what parent would let a 17-year-old make such a big decision without help, and what parent wouldn't share the disappointment when the dream college doesn't...

Published Wed, Mar 19 2014 8:29 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Colleges and Universities, Admissions Standards, Highlights

Time to Make Up for a Missed Measles Vaccine

The measles outbreak in New York City offers an opportunity to reach out to families whose children have missed, skipped or delayed the vaccine. Read More...

Published Tue, Mar 18 2014 1:59 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Measles, Children and Childhood, Vaccination and Immunization, Highlights, Hartocollis, Anemona

The White House Pastry Chef Is Moving to a New Kitchen

Bill Yosses took the White House from the bottomless cookie plate to a granola bar without nuts, chocolate or white sugar. How does your family balance healthy eating and foods that are fun? Read More...

Published Tue, Mar 18 2014 12:43 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: Highlights, Yosses, Bill

Religious Preschool’s Appeal to the Secular Parent

My husband and I are both Jewish, but we're different kinds of Jewish. I thought a Jewish preschool would help connect our daughter to her culture. He had doubts. Read More...

Published Tue, Mar 18 2014 7:20 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Jews and Judaism, Education (Pre-School), Preschool Admissions Diary, Synagogues

Reader Comments and Questions: Helping the Stay-at-Home Parent (and More) Get ‘Back in the Game’

Have you returned to work after taking time off to raise or care for a family, or are you working on relaunching your career? Ask your questions and share your stories here. Read More...

Published Mon, Mar 17 2014 5:12 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: Highlights

How Do I Make the Most of My Paternity Leave?

We’d like to ask dads (and the moms or partners who know them) to share their wisdom about how to have the best possible paternity leave. Read More...

Published Mon, Mar 17 2014 10:49 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Men and Boys, Paid Time Off, Family Leaves, Highlights

Shouldn’t the *** Pump Be as Elegant as an iPhone and as Quiet as a Prius by Now?

That noise? It's the motor, not the suction, and a half-ton hybrid vehicle is quieter. And what product designer actually thought women wanted to see their nipples getting sucked into small tubes over and over again? Read More...

Published Sun, Mar 16 2014 5:54 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Breastfeeding, Babies and Infants, Highlights

Open Thread

Welcome to the NYT Motherlode's first open thread. Got thoughts about news and family this week? A question to ask? A rant to share? This is your place. Go. Read More...

Published Fri, Mar 14 2014 1:07 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Highlights

Please Don’t Call Me Mom

Perhaps these situations sound familiar. A nurse says to me, “Mom, how many hours does she sleep at night?” An activity leader: “Mom, pick-up is at 6.” A sales clerk: “Mom, do we need another size?” I’m not their mom. Read More...

Published Fri, Mar 14 2014 12:47 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Customs, Etiquette and Manners, Highlights

Why Kids Love a (Minor) ‘Crisis’

When a friend's car slid off our driveway into three-foot drifts of snow, it was all hands on deck, and a reminder that everyone, children included, likes to be needed. Read More...

Published Fri, Mar 14 2014 10:10 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Families and Family Life, Highlights, Snow and Snowstorms

‘Dragon Mother’ Emily Rapp: A New Baby Doesn’t, and Shouldn’t, Replace What’s Lost

I can live with the joy of new motherhood without losing the memory of loving my son for his three short years or the daily painful reminder that I will never see or hold him again. Read More...

Published Thu, Mar 13 2014 11:00 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Grief (Emotion), Love (Emotion), Highlights, Tay-Sachs Disease

5 Things Teachers Wish Parents Knew: Your Children Can Do More Than You Think

Teachers have a different perspective on our children — one that can help us to see them differently. They're capable individuals, they don't need constant feedback, and they're learning from what we do (not what we say). Read More...

Published Thu, Mar 13 2014 8:06 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Children and Childhood, Education (K-12), Highlights, Parent-Teacher Conference

Homework’s Emotional Toll on Students and Families

Homework dominates the evening for many families, even those with young children. All that time hitting the books (and arguing about hitting the books) takes an emotional toll on parents and students. Read More...

Published Wed, Mar 12 2014 5:24 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: Homework, parenting, Research, Children and Childhood, Education (K-12), Families and Family Life, Highlights

Changes at Motherlode: Living the Family Dynamic

The Motherlode blog has a new look and a new virtual home at The Times, but maintains the same goal: to cover the ways our families affect us, and the ways the news affects our families. Read More...

Published Wed, Mar 12 2014 8:50 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, new york times, Blogs and Blogging (Internet), Lieber, Ron, Highlights, Paul, Annie Murphy, Smith, Sarah

A Sister’s Love, Not Tempered By Expectations

A mother and filmmaker captures her daughter's unreserved love for a brother born with cerebral palsy. Read More...

Published Tue, Mar 11 2014 7:54 PM by Motherlode