October 2014 - Motherlode - The Network of Care

Even the Tooth Fairy Has Regrets

Fall is rushing toward winter, and maybe there just isn't enough fall fun to be had to make up for it. Read More...

Published Tue, Oct 14 2014 1:42 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Seasons and Months, Highlights, Columbus Day

For Some Children With Autism, Even a Toothbrush Is a Challenge

Dental cleanings happen only twice a year. Twice-daily brushing matters as much for dental health. To establish that routine for a child on the spectrum, start small. Read More...

Published Mon, Oct 20 2014 6:24 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: Autism, parenting, American Academy of Pediatrics, Children and Childhood, Teeth and Dentistry, Highlights, Autism Speaks

Preparing a Child to Own a Mobile Phone — But Not Always Use It

Having a phone can create a compulsion to do something when doing nothing is so often the better choice. Read More...

Published Fri, Oct 24 2014 7:27 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Highlights, Text Messaging, Brooklyn (NYC), Cellular Telephones

Parent to Parent: When Play Dates Go Wrong

When I dropped my child's friend off after a visit, my fellow mother came out onto the driveway. "How'd it go?" The answer was "not well," but I didn't know how, or whether, to say it. Read More...

Published Wed, Oct 15 2014 2:09 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Highlights

Helping Kids Take Criticism Constructively (Even When It Isn’t Constructive)

In an attempt to make feedback palatable for children, we construct feedback sandwiches of critical meat between slices of fluffy and comforting praise. Read More...

Published Thu, Oct 02 2014 6:07 AM by Motherlode

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

In Defense of Sparkle Science

It's not necessary to create an arbitrary dividing line between "serious" science and everything else. For some children, learning about the science behind sparkly things is their way in to a whole world of technology. Read More...

Published Thu, Oct 02 2014 2:36 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Girl Scouts, Women and Girls, Science and Technology, Highlights, Robots and Robotics, Pittsburgh (Pa), Cosmetics and Toiletries

Would a Different Job Make You a Different Parent?

As parents we spend a great deal of time talking about the effects of work on our home life and how family life impacts our careers. There's a third variable worth considering: how our choice of career affects our family. Read More...

Published Wed, Oct 01 2014 10:31 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Children and Childhood, Labor and Jobs, Families and Family Life, Highlights, Esty, Elizabeth H

Picture Day Quandary: Can She Wear the Tiara?

A reader asks: my 7-year-old daughter announced last week that she would be wearing a tiara for picture day. This was not ok by me, but I decided to keep silent. What would you have done? Read More...

Published Mon, Oct 06 2014 8:59 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, advice, Highlights

Challenged by My Catholic School’s Choices, and Challenging It in Return

When I first heard what happened to Barb Webb, a teacher at my former Catholic high school, who was fired after nine years after she announced her pregnancy, I was shocked—and then I wasn’t. Read More...

Published Mon, Oct 06 2014 12:54 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Same-Sex Marriage, Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships, Highlights, Roman Catholic Church, Private and Sectarian Schools, Homosexuality and Bisexuality, Detroit (Mich)

Ta-dah! We Built You a Hut

Every year, while others are mapping out their jack-o'-lantern carvings or dusting off boxes of Christmas decorations in the attic, we are building a hut for Sukkot. Read More...

Published Fri, Oct 10 2014 7:50 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Jews and Judaism, Highlights

Quandary: Books for Readers Whose Skills Lag Behind Their Age

Looking for books and strategies to help a behind-the-curve reader find books that interest her, and encourage her to read and improve. Read More...

Published Mon, Oct 20 2014 9:57 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Education (K-12), Books and Literature, Comic Books and Strips, Highlights

Stepmother: Not Evil. Not Perfect. Not Mom.

I was certain I would be the perfect stepmother, part Mary Poppins, part Maria from "The Sound of Music," as I helped to intertwine our families. Read More...

Published Sun, Oct 05 2014 5:54 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Divorce, Separations and Annulments, Families and Family Life, Highlights

October 2014 - Motherlode

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