Recent Articles
‘What’s in it for me?’ Bribery as an effective tool
If you’re like most parents, you’ve been known to slip some sharp negotiating into your parenting. In earnest attempts to encourage your children to rise to the occasions of your choice (behavior, report cards, playing cello), it’s entirely possible you’ve even cajoled, nagged, bargained or begged.
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Helping your child cope with divorce: Part 3
Read part 1 and part 2 of our series. The divorce — intense, demanding and emotionally draining — is finally over. Now you’re picking up the pieces, determined to keep your children on track and in line. Everyone is advising you to “move on.” The truth is, you’re ready to look ahead and face life
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Helping your child cope with divorce: Part 2
Read part 1 of this series. Read about "collaborative divorce." You’d never know that Ginger and Jerry once lived together as a happy, harmonious married couple, simpatico on most matters life tossed their way. Who knew that parenthood could change all that? When Ginger looks back, she realizes sh
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Helping your child cope with divorce: Part 1
Betsy’s 9-year-old son just wouldn’t talk about the divorce. He was angry, and that rage sometimes surfaced at school. But around his mother and big sister? Not a word. Even his therapist met with stony silence. Betsy, a Bellevue resident, figured it was time to take action. So she invented “sketch
Read More »Staying school sharp during summer
Who remembers summertime -- a time when the livin' was easy and the burgers were grilling. Most of us must search deep into our memory banks for those wistful images of bicycle rides, walks in the park and pick-up games of sandlot baseball. If you were born closer to the 21st century, you might hav
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What parents say - and what kids hear
There were more than a few verbal misfires that happened as I was raising my two children. I don’t recall them all, but I’m sure I told my kids it was cold when they said they were hot; that their class was exciting when they claimed they were bored; that their clothes were cool when they clearly t
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Bouncing back: nurturing resilience in children
Christa Brelsford, a 25-year-old American, was visiting Haiti when January’s earthquake struck. Pinned under a building and badly injured, she was rushed — by moped — to a military hospital. Christa survived, but her right foot was amputated. “I’m not worried about my foot; I’m so thankful to be
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'Getting College Ready' tips for teens
Getting School Ready, a column that typically focuses on a child's readiness for kindergarten and grade school, is taking a leap this month. We're going to zip right past the early years and land squarely at the university door. Let's call it Getting College Ready. The irony is, getting ready for
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