Is Running Out of Time Any Reason to Have a Baby?

So a lot has happened to make me feel, *ahem* older lately. I had a birthday. My son turned 12. I celebrated my 20-year high school reunion. And while any one of these things is enough to make you wonder whether you’ve done Oprah proud, one big question continues to nag at my consciousness: should […]

6 Spooktacular Ways to Celebrate Halloween as a Family

Think Halloween is just for kids? Think again! Now, I know when we think of traditional family holidays, the usual suspects come to mind, but for many families Halloween holds a special (and spooky) place in our hearts. As the unofficial kickoff of the holiday season, Halloween offers all the spirited magic, yummy treats, and […]

In Defense of Older Trick-or-Treaters

“If you don’t tell me what you want to be for Halloween, you won’t get to go trick-or-treating.” I told Boy Wonder for the hundredth time. “I’m too old for that.” he said. “People don’t like giving candy to older kids. Last year they kinda made me feel bad about it.” “What? Who? How? Was […]

Apparently California Doesn’t Want Dads Changing Diapers

Last week a woman gained national attention for changing her 16-month-old’s diaper on a dining table at a Chipotle restaurant. She would have used a changing table, you guys, but they didn’t have any and her burrito was getting cold. While most of us would have made the dreaded trek back to the car to […]

5 Ways to Recapture the Magic of Childhood with Your Tween

“Mom, you can get rid of all that stuff.” Boy Wonder said as he pointed to a giant box of toys he’d spent years collecting. “Are you sure?” I asked. “Yeah, that stuff’s for kids.” And just like that, my tween closed the door on his childhood without so much as a nostalgic look back. […]

My 6-Year-Old’s Guide to Proper Parenting

For all the things your parents were throughout your childhood — kind, supportive, loving — they were also wildly unfair when it came to things like discipline. There were rules. So. Many. Rules. And they were unnecessary! I mean, what did you need all those rules for? You were a good kid. All you wanted to […]

Fellow L.A. Parents, Why the Heck Aren’t You Vaccinating Your Kids?

Parenting is full of tough choices, but some choices are pretty easy: we always use seat belts, we insist on a helmet, and we vaccinate our kids. Unless, of course, we live on the westside of Los Angeles County, where vaccinating doesn’t make “instinctive” sense. Wait, what? Apparently, parents within L.A.’s wealthiest communities have a big […]

10 Myths About Moms Raising Sons – Busted

As the mom of two boys, I’d like to think I know at least a little something about raising sons. Experience has taught me that boys are wild and wonderful, loud and daring — and guess what — also tender, and thoughtful. There was a time when the very notion of raising a son (let […]

The Real Reason Moms Need Family Vacations

Vacations are a relatively new thing for my family. We went nearly a decade without ever taking a single one. Working in a high-pressure corporate environment, I reserved vacation time for sick kids, school holidays, and necessary Monday-through-Friday personal appointments. If you’re not careful, “vacation” time can go pretty quickly without even a single relaxing […]

7 Ways I’m Helping My Kid Resist Peer Pressure

Like every parent of an incoming junior-higher, I’m filled with excitement and anxiety for what the future holds for my son. I think about the friendships he’ll form, the rush of his first crush, and the scary and difficult decisions he’ll someday have to make. It’s no secret that the stakes are higher now. He […]