It’s the story we are all discussing. A 20-year-old man entered Sandy Hook Elementary School dressed in black and open fired on classrooms of innocent children. The tragedy is almost too much to fathom. School is supposed to be a safe place where parents entrust their children. A situation like this shatters that in so [...]
We all lie. Even the most truthful of us have told a fib at one time or another. Ever have a telemarketer call the house and you pretend you aren’t you? Or when your mother calls, you tell your spouse to tell her you’re busy? We tend to think of these as unimportant mistruths, that [...]
11 year-olds are getting bikini waxes. 9 year-olds are weight conscious (and some, by this age, have already dieted). According to a recent survey on Yahoo! Shine, 25% of tweens and teens consider plastic surgery based on what they see on television. The Girl Scout Research Institute, in talking with tween and teen girls about [...]
Grandparents are important in children’s lives, but the relationship between grandparents and the parents can sometimes be difficult. The best grandchild/grandparent relationships are those that are encouraged by the parent, who then steps back and lets them unfold. Of course, this is not always easy, especially if you don’t always agree with the things YOUR [...]
You may not find it in a medical textbook, but many young girls suffer from Princess Syndrome daily. What is Princess Syndrome, you ask? A girl who suffers from PS lives life as a fairy-tale: focusing only on the pretty things, putting herself as the center of the universe, and obsessing about her looks (even [...]
The holidays are filled with so many wonderful things: family, friends, parties, religious endeavors, and, of course, gifts. All of these things can bring us joy (along with the requisite stress), but it is the gifts that often create the greatest source of concern, especially if you have to worry about what people around you [...]
We can all agree that breaking up stinks. It’s hard at any age. But despite learning over the course of our lives how to build good relationships, how to be aware of the dangers of drugs and alcohol, why drinking and driving is a bad idea, and how to use social media appropriately, most teens [...]
A new study came out recently that highlighted a possibly new trend in the relationships of 18-29 year olds. It seems that they are choosing to be in committed relationships, spending multiple nights of the week together, while keeping their own apartments. Many report that this allows them to have their own space, while being [...]
It seems as though in the face of the recent spate of lying scandals: Weiner, Schwarzenegger, Anthony: that there is a deeper problem to consider. We are bombarded so often with stories that involve serious lies and cheating, that it may no longer register as being a problem. As a society, we are becoming numb [...]
For a long time, working mothers have been worried that they were lacking as parents, that they were not good enough parents, and that they were negatively impacting their children. Unfortunately, much of this belief was perpetuated in the media and in some research. New information has come to light, however, that can reassure women [...]
The music industry lost a great voice this past week when Amy Winehouse died. She has had a long, and very public, struggle with addiction. Ultimately, at time when she may have actually been turning her life around, it lead to her death. There was another great loss over the past month in the fight [...]
Surprisingly, in today’s society, divorce is on the downswing. Many of the news reports say that the divorce rate is about 50%. That number is actually incorrect. In fact, it relates to the rates of divorce in the 70s and 80s. Current numbers indicate that the divorce rate has actually decreased. It does lead [...]
It’s been a while since I’ve posted, and I’ve missed it. Time just seems to be flying by, and work responsibilities have definitely kept me from sitting down and writing out some thoughts. I’m excited to be posting several topics here today, and will, hopefully, keep up with it much more diligently in the future. [...]
Skechers created a shoe, the Shape Up, for adults that’s aim is to tighten up legs, derrieres and tighten one’s core muscles. They just added children’s sizes to the line, specifically marketing them to girls 7 to 12 years of age. Is this just another example of focusing on appearance, providing the message to girls [...]
In the past week, with the news that Osama bin Laden had been killed, there have been many strong reactions. Some people are excited that revenge has been had. Others feel as though his death does not provide the closure that is so desired. But, what about revenge? Is it healthy to feel? I spoke [...]
Arnold Schwarzenegger recently stated that he disliked looking at himelf in the mirror and that it depressed him to see how he looked now, at 63. His reaction is not unique. Growing older is not easy for most people. Although there are many positives to consider, the changes to our bodies, our appearance, our health, [...]
We’ve all heard about the downsides of too much television watching for children, but a recent study highlighted some of the potential medial issues that can make television watching even more concerning. I sat down with Jennifer Ashton, CBS’ Medical Correspondent and The Early Show’s Erica Hill to talk about the medical and psychological issues [...]
Making sacrifices for your kids is a core component of being a parent, but it can cross the line and actually be detrimental. Current research shows that in an effort to become the best parent that one can be, parents have tipped the scale and are now actually over-parenting. What we have come to know [...]
Recently, Catherine Zeta-Jones was hospitalized for psychiatric reasons, and revealed that she was struggling with symptoms of Bipolar II Disorder. Additionally, Demi Lovato reported being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder during her treatment stay over the winter. Most of us know what Bipolar Disorder is, but few have heard about Bipolar II. There is a difference [...]
I was on The Early Show speaking with Erica Hill and Kevin Ryan, the president of Covenant House, a child-care agency, about Kristin LaBrie. LaBrie is a Massachusetts mother who has been charged with attempted murder for withholding cancer medications from her autistic son, who was 9 years old when he died of leukemia in [...]