Tuesday, November 20, 2012
How much is too much to spend on children and teens? We want to hear your thoughts, Evanston.
As the holiday shopping season goes into full swing, some people are maxing out their credit cards to pay for presents and others are setting budgets and sticking with them. Scour just about any Facebook stream or stop in a local coffee shop and chances are you’ll hear parents debating the merits of setting spending limits. Or, you'll hear them lamenting about just how much they've already spent. The ideas for a perfect limit do seem to vary rather greatly. Some parents say $100 per child is more than enough. Others tend to lean toward much more generous figures. After all, there’s nothing like seeing a child’s eyes light up as they unwrap gift after gift. And that’s what we want to hear from you about, Evanston! Do you set spending limits…
Saturday, November 10, 2012
A son's annual check-up gets his mother wondering what happens between raising the first child and the last.
The other day, my son kicked me out of his doctor’s appointment. Somewhere around the age of acne explosions, smelly feet and hair product, pediatric annual check-ups include an option for a parent-free zone to promote a personal discussion with a health care professional. This is a great idea, and I think adolescents should take full advantage of this opportunity. Correction: this is a great idea, and I think other people’s kids should take full advantage of it. My kids? They have nothing to hide. As a seasoned parent when it comes to these "special" visits, I was well prepared. This was my third child, after all. I like to think of myself as a fairly liberal, tolerant and accepting person, who prides herself in keeping communication …
Thursday, May 10, 2012
A Mother's Day reminder of the joys of motherhood
Mother's Day is this Sunday, just in case you were too busy being a Mother to notice. It got me thinking about how sometimes I'm so busy, tired, and stressed that I don't stop to appreciate why being a Mom is worth it. Some days it's easier to focus on the negatives and I ask myself why did I go through all of the pain, nausea, sleepless nights, insecurity, and the extra 10 pounds that won’t go away? So, I wrote a post on Why Being a Mom is Worth It that I wanted to share. But more importantly, I'd love to hear from you. Why Do You Love Being a Mom? Please comment below and let's create a great list of why Motherhood is amazing. The reminder is a nice gift to ourselves. I want to wish everyone a Happy Mother’s Day. I hope your day is …
Friday, February 11, 2011
A local expert says Amy Chua's much publicized book on the superiority of Chinese mothers misses the mark.
The concept of the “tiger mom,” the ruthless and unrelenting parenting style documented in Amy Chua’s book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” has generated buzz throughout the country. The book, which hit bookstores last month, documents Yale professor Chua’s unapologetic account of raising her children “the Chinese way” as opposed to the more Western style she says is ruining our children. In a day and age where many American children have sports practices several nights a week plus homework and other scheduled activities, the tiger mom attitude doesn’t seem so far off. At the same time, the U.S. education system is continually criticized for not being as rigorous as its international counterparts, and American parents are often accused …
Christine Wolf
1:15 pm on Friday, December 7, 2012
GREAT post, Betsy. I, too, have 3 children, and only the first has a baby book (the youngest child is now 9...). It's mayhem and humility all rolled up together, isn't it? I'm guessing you're like me -- wouldn't have it any other way. Cheers. more ›