There are 11 articles in this category; they appear on 2 pages.

Halloween Haywire
A car blaring bass-driven music slowed in front of us. A teenager in a Scream mask yelled out, "Happy Halloween!" then chucked an egg that smacked my pant leg. My children thought it was hysterical.

"Look, guys, this house has a hundred cool pumpkins!" I said like a cheerleader. "This one is mean, this one is silly, and this one looks like Mommy without her makeup."

I realized my youngest had slipped away. I ran up and down the block before spotting him hiding behind a bush, about to eat an unwrapped popcorn ball.

"Don’t — eat — that!" I shouted as I swatted away the sticky clump like it was some kind of grenade.

Today’s Family Man: Helping a Perfectionist Student
We're seeing younger and younger children begin anxieties over grades, body image, and old-fashioned popularity, so it's wise to start working on this issue now. Getting all or most of the answers right gives a child a sense that she's got a hold over some part of her life, when other things may be less manageable. Author Gregory Keer offers parents some suggestions geared to helping a perfectionist student.

Today's Family Man: A Stranger Anxiety
There are parents that wander malls with leashes on their kids. Some folks won't let their children on the Internet. Others hover next to their wee ones during music lessons, leery of the grandmotherly teacher. We can fear what we don't know and teach our children the same. Or we can take small chances and feel stronger. That's something worth giving our kids.

Where the Fun Starts
Valentine's Day helps remind us that before there were five, there were two of us. Two people who came together to love and be happy as often as possible. And we hope, when it comes time for our children's own romantic relationships, they too will realize that a lifelong vow should really say "to love, honor, and play."

Tapping Dad's Potential
Even though more men are choosing greater involvement with their families, miles of improvement are still needed to shrink the gap between the average mom and typical dad. Much is said about what the guys lack and should do to make things better. But what can the women involved do to help a father tap his potential?

Today’s Family Man: Values-Based Holiday Shopping
Gimmee, gimmee, gimmee is a refrain parents hear from (at least) November till the end of the holidays. It's hard to blame children for their insatiable requests for more and bigger gifts as marketers bombard them with "must have" options and their friends have parents who are dealing out the goods. One of the toughest tasks for a parent in this materialistic mayhem is to teach values. But the moms and dads who come out on top are the ones who stick to the program of educating their children about moderation, the needs of the less fortunate, and what's more important than the things we own. Here are some ideas for instilling principle in young consumers.

Night of the Shrinking Bed
Gregory Keer writes, "Before my wife and I had children, we swore we'd never let our kids sleep with us. We judged others who let their kids in the bed, thinking that kind of arrangement could only create intimacy problems for the couple and therapy sessions for the children. Sometime later, we found ourselves changing our tune." Another installment from Greg's Family Man™ column.

Grosser Than Gross
Before children, I would have hired a specialist to get rid of a dead rat and called a Hazardous Materials team to change a diaper. But I've changed for the better. By handling guts and germs without publicly cringing, I'm teaching my kids not to fear these little disgusting parts of life. I'd rather they fear strangers, oncoming cars, and hot stoves than microorganisms and natural body functions.

Holding Back the Years
Why don't we appreciate these moments, let them brew in our minds, enjoying the aroma of success rather than propelling our kids to hurry up the next ladder rung? Speaking of his own children, Gregory Keer says they are remarkable and, whether they prove to be Einstein and Gates or Beavis and Butthead, he'll celebrate their successes, one step at a time.

Today's Family Man: Breathing Lessons
Indeed, parenthood has plenty of twists and turns to make us all feel out of control. It's enough to force us to hold our breath for fear of what might happen next. Yet, we manage to settle down, however cautiously, breathing in the fullness our children bring to our lives.