Ages + Stages

I was texting with a new friend recently, and asked if she could get together for lunch during the week. I prefaced my question by asking if she “works” because, as a mom who works outside of the home,...

Who doesn’t like a free gift? ME, that’s who. Okay, I admit that sometimes freebies can be pretty awesome, but my kids get way too much of some stuff. There are certain things that always seem to pile up,...

School boundaries are a big deal right now if you’re in the Portland Public School (PPS) or Beaverton School (BSD) districts.  I am not talking the “please stay out of my space” boundaries. I mean the school boundaries that devastate parents...

Despite the growing proportion of families opting for one child, and all the research dispelling old myths about social skills, loneliness, and over-parenting, the "only child" stigma is still strong in the family-size caste system. My daughter is an...

"Hey, hey, HEY! What is going on in here? In this house we don't fight with our sister, we fight for her." This seems to be a common refrain for me these days, as I seek to break through the...

The two to four-year-old age group is unique. Sandwiched somewhere between baby and kid, their impulse control and ability to express and regulate emotions are still developing. This can be a challenge for parents used to communicating with those...

It's the age old debate of mom vs dad parenting styles. Whose way is better? I can't say really, but I can share some of the funniest mom vs dad moments I've heard, and even experienced myself. 1. Moms nurture....

It happened last Mother’s Day. My daughter handed me the sweet gift she had made and was so anxious for me to open. I gently pulled out the artwork she painted at school especially for me. Of course I...

While Common Core math has helped my eight-year-old in school, it has exceeded my 40-year-old addition skills. I was in the car with the kids one day, attempting to add double-digit numbers. I vocalized the problem out loud, simultaneously picturing it...

How do we teach our daughters about true friendship when everywhere they turn, they are bombarded with messages of how important it is to have a BFF?  From TV shows for young girls to conversations at recess, there is a...