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    sarahlynne

    sarahlynne

  • Parenting Guru: The End of My Love Affair with American Girl

    This morning, while at the grocery store, I saw a preschooler carrying her American Girl doll around by the arm. The doll's hair was disheveled and her clothes were crumpled. Although she looked worn, I bet she was brand new; maybe a Christmas gift.

  • Parenting Guru: A Tribute to My Son's Gymboree Teacher

    This past week, I learned that my son's Gymboree instructor, who was a mother herself, passed away suddenly. I barely knew this woman, but I was devastated. I realized I had taken her presence for granted; she was someone I counted on seeing each week. But then, one day, with no notice, her life was taken from her.She was 29.It's just so so sad.Here is my tribute to this vibrant and wonderful teacher.

  • Parenting Guru: A Holiday Wish for Military Families

    For all the military families who are missing a piece this holiday season.

  • Parenting Guru: This Thanksgiving, Don't Clean up too Much. Your Photos will Thank You

    As I watched my computer's screensaver scroll through pictures from the last few years, I smiled as I saw formal pictures of our wedding give way to holiday celebrations, pictures of our son and family get-togethers. The photos are familiar. So usually, I scan the faces, without really looking at th

  • Parenting Guru: 10 Things You May Not Know About Military Wives

    1. When a deployment is imminent, we just want it to start. That doesn't mean we want our spouses to leave. We don't. But when the date has been set and our husband's bag is sitting half-packed in the corner of the bedroom, we start getting anxious, worried and a little bit angry. We think about the upcoming months and everything he's going to miss and everything we're going to have to do alone. It's overwhelming. Once they leave, we can start to tackle the challenges one at a time and that's so much easier than the waiting. ...

  • Parenting Guru: How Primetime Television Perpetuates the "Mommy Wars"

    Last week, I settled in to watch one of my favorite shows, "Private Practice." One of the main conflicts was that Violet, the psychiatrist, was adjusting to becoming a stay-at-home mom. Lonely and frustrated, she begs her pediatrician friend to get her invited to a "mommy group," even though he asks

  • Parenting Guru: Skipping the Costume this Halloween

    The costumes all look the same for boys. Dinosaur, teddy bear, or another type of cuddly animal like a monkey or kangaroo. My son would look cute in all of them, but each time we walk through a Target or Carter's, I just can't bring myself to buy one.

  • Parenting Guru: How 9/11 will Affect our Newest Generation

    My son looks at fire trucks with curiosity and awe. He likes to push his toy truck around the driveway, pressing the buttons over and over again, listening to the sirens and songs. "Look at the fire truck!" I say when we see one pass. He waves enthusiastically.

  • Parenting Guru: Five Things the Teacher Is Thinking at the Beginning of the School Year

    1. Will I make a good first impression on my students? As a teacher, I always had a go-to "first day skirt." It was pretty and flowy, not too long, and went well with a white top. I wore it with heels, and it gave me confidence. On that critical first day, you have to get student attention, come acr

  • Parenting Guru: Teaching our Kids to Play May Mean Taking Away the Toys

    The shakers are square and colorful. My son loves to hold one in his hands and bounce up and down, listening to its rhythms. Once a week, when we go to his toddler play class, he gets a shaker to play with as he explores the obstacle course for that day. Since we've started the class, the teachers h

  • Parenting Guru: Pushing a Child Past his Fear: How Far is Too Far?

    He was clearly terrified. His eyes were huge and his body was trembling. He clung to his mother's leg with his little fingers, his grip so tight I'd have to pry him finger by finger to get him into the water. I smiled to my assistant, who was taking care of the other children who were splashing and

  • Parenting Guru: Five Places I Want my Child to See

    Thinking through this post, I recalled the many places I've visited in my lifetime, mentally flipping through the historical monuments, beaches, restaurants and hotels I've seen. Which ones do I hope my son gets to visit? After thinking for a few days, trying to choose only five, the ones I decided

  • Parenting Guru: The Magic of Childhood

    One summer, I finally convinced my mom to let me take the "fun" classes at the town's camp, a weekday morning summer school organized by elementary school teachers and hobbyists. I was done spending my summers in "Introductory French" or "vocabulary building." No, this summer, I wanted to take a dra

  • Parenting Guru: To My Son's Future Teacher, I Apologize

    To my son's future teacher,

  • Parenting Guru: Skipping Spring Break; Are you Guilty?

    When we were younger, spring break represented five days of freedom. Five days of sleeping in, of not having to get up for class, of playing outside in the warm weather, hanging out with friends and staying up late doing decadent things.

  • Parenting Guru: When It Comes To Childbirth, Is Ignorance Really Bliss?

    Google: "What does childbirth feel like?" Google: "Epidural; pros and cons." Google: "How painful is delivery?" Google: "Episiotomy."

  • Parenting Guru: 6 Things No One Tells You About Breastfeeding

    Moms-to-be hear cryptic language when they ask veteran nursing moms about breastfeeding. "It's challenging," moms will say, or "It's a big commitment. It's hard." There are no specifics to this advice, just nods and generalized language about how difficult it will be in the beginning. However, these

  • Parenting Guru: Why Taking a Time-Out from Pregnancy is Good for You

    During my pregnancy, I exercised to relax. But my old faithful, the elliptical, wasn't enough. Running wasn't quite doing it either, and my pregnant breasts were not excited about the jostling of the treadmill. I needed something so exhilarating that I would keep coming back, even when my joints hur

  • Parenting Guru: My Biggest Parenting Obstacle - Trusting my Husband

    The other day, my son dropped his apple core off his tray and it bounced once before hitting the floor. My husband scooped it up, rinsed it under the sink and handed it back to him.

  • Parenting Guru: Technology and Toys: are we sabotaging our kids imaginations?

    Walk up and down the baby aisle at any store, and you'll notice that most baby toys look the same. They light up, make sounds, sing songs or have some exciting electronic reaction when the baby touches a button or pulls on a happy, friendly face. Even certain models of the bouncy chairs can be turne