Motherlode

The Cleft-Lip Smile I Never Knew I’d Miss

I love the face my son was born with, cleft lip and palate and all. I'm certain we did the right thing by correcting it, but I ache as I miss his triangular "before" smile. Read More...

Published Sun, Mar 09 2014 6:21 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Disabilities, Pregnancy and Childbirth, Babies and Infants, Highlights, Cleft Palate, Smile Train

Research on Children and Math: Underestimated and Unchallenged

New research suggests that kindergarteners are capable of learning more advanced math concepts than are offered in most classrooms. Read More...

Published Thu, Apr 03 2014 7:30 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Education (K-12), Education (Pre-School), Highlights, Mathematics, Brilliant

Seeking College Application Essays About Money From This Year’s Seniors

Ron Lieber, the Your Money columnist for The New York Times, is looking for college application essays about money, work and social class from this year's high school seniors. Read More...

Published Fri, Apr 04 2014 11:19 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, new york times, Education (K-12), Colleges and Universities, Admissions Standards, Lieber, Ron, The Opposite of Spoiled, New York University

Family Disaster Preparedness

Any family who has weathered a severe storm knows it's easier if you're prepared. But I admit it—we're not. No stockpile of water, no emergency plan. Are you? Read More...

Published Tue, Apr 08 2014 12:11 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Hurricane Sandy (2012), Highlights, Disasters and Emergencies

Why Students Are Tested, and Why Some Parents Opt Out

Schools haven't been penalizing families who opt out, whether as an objection to standardized testing or to avoid the anxiety high-stakes testing elicits in some children. Read More...

Published Thu, Apr 10 2014 7:15 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Education (K-12), Tests and Examinations, Parent-Teacher Conference, No Child Left Behind Act

Let Them Climb Trees (and Fall)

Why do I give my children permission to climb the neighbor's towering trees? Read More...

Published Thu, Jun 28 2012 11:24 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: Uncategorized, Helicopter parents, free-range kids, independence, Kay Wyma, entitlement

Donor Siblings, and a New Kind of Family

Last month I posted eight words to the Donor Sibling Registry: Girl born October 2008. Boy born May 2010. Read More...

Published Sun, Jul 01 2012 4:00 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: Uncategorized, infertility, egg donor, sperm donation

Wives and Money

It takes a divorce to force a financial journalist to take charge of her own finances. Read More...

Published Fri, Mar 11 2011 7:59 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: Uncategorized, divorce, family finances

Breastfeeding and Sex: Is Latching On a Turn-Off?

Extended ***-feeding impacts the whole family. And I would argue that the impact on the father - and his sex life - is not good. Read More...

Published Sun, Jul 15 2012 4:00 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: Uncategorized, Sex, divorce, marriage, nursing, breasts, Breastfeeding

A Boy Learns to Milk (and Becomes a Man?)

My culture provides few traditions for a boy's coming of age. So my husband and I came up with our own ritual: our man-child must learn to feed himself. Read More...

Published Wed, Jul 18 2012 6:55 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: Uncategorized, teenagers, Food, Jessica Lahey, coming of age

What Can I Do to #BringBackOurGirls?

Real action to help the kidnapped schoolgirls in Nigeria means continuing to financially support and push for change even after the issue has stopped trending on Twitter. Read More...

Published Tue, May 06 2014 3:38 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, terrorism, Women and Girls, Sex Crimes, Highlights, Boko Haram, Nigeria

One Word to Describe Your Mother

Katie Hafner, author of "Mother Daughter Me," asked people across the country to use "one word" to describe their mothers. Read More...

Published Fri, May 09 2014 6:55 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Mother's Day, Hafner, Katie, Highlights

Talking to Children About Their Disabilities, With Metaphors and Minecraft

Those of us who have kids with disabilities in our lives spend countless hours discussing them, yet, we rarely, if ever, talk directly to children themselves about their challenges. These conversations can be scarier for the grown-ups than they are for...

Published Tue, May 13 2014 11:54 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: Autism, parenting, Disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Dyslexia, Asperger's Syndrome, Children and Childhood, Highlights

When Your Teenager Wants a Car: The Money Conversations

Four questions to ask before agreeing to let a teenager have a car and four possible approaches to paying for it. Read More...

Published Thu, May 15 2014 8:39 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Automobiles, Automobile Safety Features and Defects, Highlights, The Opposite of Spoiled, Ramsey, Dave

Camp: Love It or Hate It? Readers Comment

If the world of campers divides into those people who hated camp and those who loved it, on which side of that divide do you fall? Read More...

Published Sat, Jun 07 2014 6:42 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: Highlights

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