So, I’m going to start off by saying that this post is going to be a little different than my other ones so far.  This one is especially near and dear to my heart, and has a little more about…

So, last week I talked (well, wrote, actually) about tweens working to make money.  This week, it’s all about the other kind of work: volunteering!  Kids, tweens and teens volunteer for different reasons.  Some have to get service hours for…

Have you ever thought about money? I think it’s interesting how money is only valuable because we make it valuable.  For instance, dollar bills are made of cotton paper and ink.  Those things aren’t super rare! But bills also represent…

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots gun violence prevention organization, has a program called Be SMART that teaches adults how to store firearms responsibly and prevent unintentional shootings. My last column discussed the “R” part of…

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots gun violence prevention organization, has a program called BeSMART that teaches adults how to store firearms responsibly and prevent unintentional shootings. My last column discussed the third part of the…

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots gun violence prevention organization, has a program called Be SMART, which was created to bring together all adults to reduce the number of unintentional shootings that occur when children get…

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots gun violence prevention organization, has a program called Be SMART that teaches adults how to store firearms responsibly and prevent unintentional shootings. My last column discussed the first part of…

Principles of safe gun storage

How to involve your children in establishing screen time rules and consequences

Vasectomy.  Vasectomy. Yeah, I said it. That’s a scary word in a male’s vocabulary. Vasectomy. That’s what’s on the table for me. It’s an easier procedure for me than for my wife to have her tubes tied. Be that as…

I recently had a conversation with a father when I was walking into King's Kids to pick up my oldest daughter, Journey. He had a look of total exhaustion of on his face. He had dropped his daughter off at…

Going to the doctor can be an adventure with little ones, especially on days when you know shots are part of the game plan. I like to use these appointments to teach my girls that they don’t have to be…

Traveling with kids can be a parent’s worst nightmare!  Every time I tell friends we are taking the girls on a trip, they cringe and share horror stories from their traveling experiences with young kids. I just laugh along with…

The Farmer’s Market has always been one of my favorite places. Maybe it’s because I come from a family of farmers, but there’s something special about the chance to admire the hard work and talk to growers in person. In…

Three Tips to Make This The Best School Year Ever

And Other Stories of Raising Self-Sufficient Children

Part of caring for the planet and setting a good example for the little ones in my life is noticing how much our daily choices impact the greater good. This does not mean living under a microscope analyzing your every…

Hiking with young children can be a wonderful experience. Children can show you a new perspective, give you an opportunity to see the world from their vantage point, and prompt you to stop and notice the little things. I was…

 “A Monarch Waystation is an intentionally-managed garden that provides food and habitat for the struggling Monarch butterfly population. As a rule, a waystation must include at least two types of Milkweed, which are the 'host' plants for Monarchs.” -American Meadows…