I honestly have a real problem with people who treat their kids like babies – with baby talk or compliments on how much detail they pay to picking jam from between their toes.
I’m not about encouraging individuality to the degree that I will baby talk my kids when they are 14 and 15-years-old.
In fact, I don’t think I baby talked my kids after they crossed over into toddlerhood. 
I always felt that I would be of better service to them if I spoke to them with respect.
Just moments ago, I was held as captive audience to such a …read more

I’m sure that this post is going to strike up some differing opinions and maybe a little heat, but it needs to be discussed. I lie to my kids. I have lied to people I love, when the situation absolutely called for it. Yet, I teach my children that lying is wrong. I am aware that it is hypocritical. However, I feel that certain instances necessitate a white lie.
I let my kids believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. They take such joy in the anticipation of their arrival. I almost feel like I’d be robbing them of some of the magic …read more

Just like the majority of Americans, we are not going on many road trips this summer. We went to Laughlin, NV, which is three hours away and cost a crap load of gas money to fuel our 15 passenger van. Other than that, we are doing the whole summer staycation. So what is a parent to do with a house full of kids and very little summer funds? We call Uncle Mike! Daniel’s brother, who lives in our town, has a new pool. Luckily, he welcomes us and the craziness that comes with our presence. We pack up the van, …read more

Germs are everywhere. Like death and taxes, they are unavoidable. Getting sick is inevitable and as a parent, I try to avoid it as much as possible. I also try to keep our sick germs within the confines of our home when we do get ill, as a common courtesy. So why do some parents think it acceptable to expose other parents and children to their own family’s sick germs? Am I just being paranoid, or is this one of the biggest faux pas that parents can commit?

Every family has one and every community has their fair share of them – you know the kind and perhaps you’re one yourself – The Annoying Bragger.
While growing up, I remember a couple of aunts, one on each side of my family, who literally spoiled family holidays with their endless bragging.  In fact, it made it near impossible to be around their children without that feeling of wanting to puke settling in.
Those cousins were in every sport, every activity and every lesson available within a 25 mile radius.
I never knew the feeling of jealousy for all they were …read more

Last night I watched a new reality style game show “The Moment of Truth.”  The show was like watching a car crash in progress.  The more valuable the winning pot became, the more painful and damaging the questions became to the contestant and their loved ones.
This show really disturbed me.  In fact, this is the second time I’ve written about it and probably won’t be the last.  It just seems so wrong on so many levels.
While I try to teach my children that the truth is always the best policy, I believe I’ve done a good job in teaching them …read more

One of the goals I set for myself for this new year was to learn the best way of showing the toxic people in my life the nearest exit out of my life.
I’ve never been a very bold person – unless of course it came to my kids, then I’m pretty sure I could take on the entire Dallas Cowboys defensive line in order to protect my youngin’s.
Over the holidays, I was given a couple of gift certificates to Amazon. Today I broke down and used them in hopes of ordering the Holy Grail to harmonious relationships in and …read more

Now here’s a topic that’s as clear as mud!
Like a large portion of families in the U.S., mine is blended. Between my husband and me, we have four kids. His two and my two.
To be perfectly honest, as much as I love and adore my husband, I have to admit that IF I could go back and do it over again, I’d probably just work on developing a relationship with him until the kids were out of school rather than trying to blend our families.
It seems there’s a constant tug-of-war going on between grandparents, parents, kids, extended families …read more

How many of you are going to be traveling to family gatherings over the Christmas holidays?
How many of you have that ONE or even TWO relatives who are the biggest and most annoying braggers on the planet?
You know, the one’s that have a three-year-old that wouldn’t touch a sweet if his life depended on it (yeah right!) – or the same child might be finishing some uncovered, incomplete work by Bach or Picasso?