Money-savers for the new arrival

The ultimate joy of a new baby can be tempered by worry in an economic climate like this one. In this article, Erica Sandberg, a personal finance expert and author of Expecting Money: The Essential Financial Plan for New and Growing Families, presents strategies to help working new moms survive and thrive.

Handmade Halloween Costumes

Halloween is quickly approaching! Don't get caught last minute without a costume. For some whose budgets are tight, consider getting crafty! Steal stuff from the garage, your kitchen, and the recycling bin to make the way-creative (and totally simple) costumes outlined in this article.

Kanye, Miley, Serena and More: Talking to Your Kids About Celebrity Faux Pas

Last week was fraught with celebrity screw ups. How do we, as parents, make sure our children don’t emulate the poor choices their role models might make? Better yet, can we turn a negative episode into a positive lesson?

Here are some recent celebrity faux pas and the teachable lesson that can be gleaned from them…from one mother to another.

Playing Favorites

We're all guilty of going through phases of favoring one child over another. But what are the lasting implications of our behavior? In this article, a mother of twins, for whom favoritism is a constant, nagging issue, shares her wisdom.

Coping with empty nest when the kids clear out

What can parents do when children leave the nest? The house is suddenly quiet, the vibrancy of children gone. The days seem empty without soccer games, school plays and bake sales. The job you've been doing every day for 18 years is over.

This article presents tips on how to cope when the kids clear out.

The (Swine) Flu Stops Here

Your child, husband or roommate is down with the flu, be it seasonal or swine. You’re okay… for now. But you know how quickly the flu virus can spread through your household, with new victims getting infected just by touching a contaminated object, like a door knob or telephone, and then touching their face. Can you care for the sick while keeping yourself and other family members safe from infection?

Yes, you can. This article presents how.

Recycled Crafts

So art projects probably don't have a huge carbon footprint, but wouldn't it be nice to turn all that stuff you have lying around into cute little collectibles for your kids?

This article features three easy trash-to-treasure ideas they can help with.

Avoiding Colds - The Best Ways to Protect Your Baby

Cold viruses flourish in winter—and the more everyone is indoors, the less likely it is that virus-containing particles will blow away. Infants are especially susceptible to the common cold because they haven’t developed resistance to most of the viruses that cause them. That’s why the all-time No. 1 cold-prevention strategy—washing hands frequently— is especially important for all baby-handlers to keep in mind, and that’s true even if no one around your baby has the sniffles.

Read the full article.

6 Ways Sleep Keeps Kids Healthy

Losing half an hour of sleep may not seem like much, but regularly missing that amount over two years added up to increased feelings of depression and lower self-esteem among a group of eighth-graders, according to new research from the University of Massachusetts. Sleep loss is normal as kids enter adolescence, but it's a good idea to keep an eye on their shut-eye -- losing too much could take a toll on kids' mental health over time.

Read the full article!