Three kids later, I still see beauty when I look in the mirror. I don't see just a body. Sure, I see crow's feet snaking out from my eyes when I smile; I see a mass of curly hair. But mostly, I see a person: my husband's wife, my children's mother, my students' teacher...
In all my years as a parent educator, I have never met parents who earnestly wanted to hurt their children. Most parents sincerely want to encourage and empower their children to lead strong, successful lives. However, it is their lack of mindfulness that defaults into old patterns and belief systems that teach their children harmful messages rather accidently.
As a woman, body image issues have drifted in and out of my life for as long as I can remember. They're that little albatross I can't quite shake: Every time I squeeze into a pair of jeans or put on my swimsuit for my daughters' Saturday morning lessons, every time I turn sideways to see my reflection in a mirror or compare myself to someone beautiful. They're the questions that tumble around in my head: Am I old? Am I fat? Am I pretty? When my daughter started asking the same questions, I knew it was time to break the cycle.
There are a few things we know for sure. Don't abuse your children. Do feed, clothe and shelter them. Beyond that, you can probably find some sketchy opinion or study to back up any position you take on parenting.
Most elementary school students see Valentines Day either as a popularity contest, something related to that embarrassing business between girlfriends and boyfriends, or an excuse to eat candy. Either way, school-age kids can get kind of squirmy about it.
In my 15-year career, I've worked in a wide variety of offices. Across the board, there is an unwritten rule—as there should be—that a working mother must always be there for her children first and foremost. The problem is: dads don't get the same treatment.
If you know your child is being bullied, start by taking a deep breath. Your first instinct may be to charge in and do something to protect your child. However, your goal should be to help your child protect herself as much as possible, which will take some planning and understanding.
At this time last year, I made a very ambitious decision for 2012: I vowed not to change a thing. Seven months into motherhood, and inspired by an article that suggested readers resist the mad dash to "New Year, New You" themselves, I decided to be content with who I was. How did it work out? Keep reading.
Apart from being many families' new favorite Christmas tradition, the Elf on the Shelf is also a multi-million dollar industry. But not everyone loves the Elf, myself included. In fact, it seems there's been a bit of an elphin backlash this year. Here's why...
From attachment parenting to mommy porn to the latest in gender reveals, here's a look at some of the parenting trends that caught our interest and got us talking over the past year.
