Motherlode

Finding a Christmas Spirit Amid Deployment Blues

After a few tough weeks, I found myself sinking deeper and deeper into the cold, dark waters of deployment—not where the kids need me to be during the holidays. Read More...

Published Tue, Dec 22 2015 3:22 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Christmas, Holidays, Highlights, United States Defense and Military Forces, Deployment Diary, Defense and Military Forces

Eight Gifts for Family Game Night

A game designer suggests favorite picks for the holidays. Read More...

Published Mon, Dec 21 2015 7:11 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Christmas, Holidays and Special Occasions, Highlights, Games

A Stepmother, Losing Her Marbles

What no one tells you when you become the new woman in an already intact family is that your needs and routines, sexual and otherwise, come last. Read More...

Published Sun, Dec 20 2015 3:25 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Divorce, Separations and Annulments, Marriages, Highlights

Parents of Teenagers, Stuck Taking Out the Emotional Trash

The teen years are characterized by intense and erratic emotions, and teens are pros at dumping them on parents. Read More...

Published Wed, Dec 16 2015 8:13 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, adolescence, Teenagers and Adolescence, Emotions, Highlights

Should Schools Err on the Side of Caution When It Comes to Bomb Threats?

Los Angeles schools shut down. New York schools stayed open. Who made the call you would want? Read More...

Published Tue, Dec 15 2015 1:15 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Education (K-12), Highlights, Los Angeles (Calif), Bombs and Explosives, Evacuations and Evacuees

Holidays, Uncertainty, and the Extended Foster Family

The uncertainty of fostering extends beyond our immediate family. Read More...

Published Tue, Dec 15 2015 7:53 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, foster care, Adoptions, Highlights, Foster Parent Diary

New Research Raises More Questions about Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy

Research finding an association between taking antidepressant drugs during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism in babies is likely to trouble women, but is far from definitive. Read More...

Published Mon, Dec 14 2015 9:09 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: Autism, parenting, Research, Pregnancy and Childbirth, Mental Health and Disorders, Depression (Mental), Antidepressants, Highlights

An Overdose of Christmas Leads to a Bigger Hanukkah, and More

When we moved from Israel to Luxembourg, I knew it would change the ease of our Jewish-ness. But I didn't know my daughter would bring home a school library book called "Jesus’ Christmas Party." Read More...

Published Sun, Dec 13 2015 5:23 PM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Christmas, Holidays, Jews and Judaism, Highlights

A Class in ‘Just Cooking’ Changes Family Meals

"I have yet to meet a parent who says, 'I really don't care what my children eat.' All we have to do is to look at what we're doing well and try and do more of that." Read More...

Published Fri, Dec 11 2015 10:54 AM by Motherlode

Filed under: parenting, Cooking and Cookbooks, Diet and Nutrition, Pollan, Michael, Highlights, Stanford University, E-Learning