Back-to-School Cool: Mom-Approved Style Trends for Kids

Since your child’s clothes usually don’t last two years — they are constantly growing, after all — it’s time to start shopping, updating their wardrobe for the coming school year. And just like the trends you see in magazines that make you want to whip out your credit card, your kids’ clothing comes

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When a Pet Dies: Helping Your Child Cope

Whether expected or not, the death of a beloved family pet often leaves families feeling sad and unprepared. For families with young kids, a pet’s passing may be the first time parents discuss death with their children. Few parents know how to approach this challenging topic, particularly with very

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New Sibling Boot Camp: 10 Tips to Prepare Your Child

Is baby number two, three or four on the way? While this is exciting news, many parents wonder how their existing child or children will adjust to the changes ahead. With some thought and planning, we can ease this transition for the whole family. Here are ten tips for helping your current kiddos ge

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The Park Less Traveled: 7 Seattle Parks to Discover

Seattle is blessed with an incredible bounty of city parks, ranging from near wilderness to little pocket parks. But even with such a fantastic selection, it’s easy to fall into a rut and go to the same old places. Does Parental Park Malaise set in while watching your kids slide down the salmon ove

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Family bike-riding basics

Updated June, 2012 Karen Axon can’t wait for the arrival of warmer weather and sunnier days so her family can resume their favorite summer pastime: bike riding.On summer days, Axon, her husband, Troy, and their two boys frequently escape from their Bothell home for a riding adventure to the beach o

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Why Your Child Needs More Time Outside

Does your child have "nature-deficit disorder"? In his 2006 book, Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv coined that phrase, and it's been inspiring discussion ever since. More than ever before, Louv says, children are out of touch with nature and outdoor play, instead staying inside, plugged in to

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Ask the Parent Coach: Tips for Positive Discipline in Hot-Button Moments

  Q: My 3-year-old child will not listen to me! I am tempted to spank her to get her to do what I say!!! (I do admit to previous spankings.) When it is time to leave the house, I just can’t get her to stop what she is doing. Sometimes it seems impossible for me to get her shoes on! I get so mad a

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When Words Hurt: 5 Common Phrases That Parents Should Avoid

We all remember them — the remarks that our parents repeated ad nauseam throughout our childhood: “Wait until your father gets home!” “Because I said so!” “Wipe that look off your face!” Let’s face it: These kinds of comments are still grating after all these years. Now we’re the parents — a new,

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