• Last updated 11/1/12 by Cynthia Mosher

sponsored post Julie Smolyansky became the youngest female CEO of a publicly held firm when she took the helm at Lifeway Foods, Inc. in 2002. Beyond the responsibilities of running a multi-million dollar business, Julie also sits on the board of directors for several humanitarian organizations, volunteers her time mentoring young entrepreneurs, raises two young daughters – oh, and in her spare time, she’s been known to run a marathon or two. It’s hard enough to find time to take a shower or eat a proper meal with two small kids in the house – so how... read more

• Last updated 6/26/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Michelle Markel Issue 103, November/December 2000 We sat in the bleachers in the clammy stadium watching our little girls learning to swim in the huge pool below. The mother next to me said that after class she was taking her daughter to the ice rink to practice for a championship. Championship? The girl was all of five years old. Perhaps I'd misheard her--the voices of instructors shouting through bullhorns were echoing off the walls. But the woman went on to explain that after a few skating lessons her daughter's talent had become apparent. I pictured the... read more

• Last updated 6/25/12 by Marcy Axness

When my son and daughter were in school, every June when summer vacation came I used to let out an audible sigh of relief. For one thing, I’m not a natural early bird, but for all of the years of our kids’ infancy and toddlerhood I was of course required to act like one! Once both children were in school, we were all happy to retire the alarm clock when summer arrived — or at least reset it for a more leisurely time. But I remember the Waldorf teachers often urging us as we set off for summer, “Keep the form.” Meaning, keep some rhythm and structure to the days, even... read more

• Last updated 6/26/12 by Mothering Editorial

By C. A. SchmidtIssue 143 - July/August 2007 "Mom," said Gabriel, wielding a plastic sword, "can I have a crown?" My son is four years old and fancies himself a knight. It was a Monday in late spring, a rare weekday morning at home together. Squelching my first instinct, which had been to nip over to Party City for something cheap and plastic, I offered to make the crown myself. Gabriel looked at me dubiously. Even he knows that crafts are not my forte. But I'm a single mom who's developed a few tricks. I can manage stuck gates and stopped-up toilets—why not a... read more

• Last updated 6/26/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Carol Roh Spaulding Web Exclusive - June 13, 2008 Since my son turned school age, I have paid for art camp, theater camp, dance camp, culture camp, fiddle camp, science camp, even living history camp. Every year, as I fork over the money for their summertime enrichment, I think back to my own childhood. What happened to the days of Kool-Aid ice cubes on toothpicks, make-believe forts of cardboard and poster paints, leathery-skinned toads hopping across your palm? Sure, day camps are valuable experiences. But part of me suspects there's not much that happens there... read more

• Last updated 6/26/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Judy Story Web Exclusive It's about an hour before midnight and our 3 year old is loudly crying, "My Tummy Huuuurts!" The cry is unmistakably panicked and urgent--we both leap out of bed. My husband gets to her first, scoops her up and runs straight to the bathroom. We've heard this cry once before, so we know what's coming. While the vomiting racks her little body, her daddy is offering soothing words and warm hands to hold her steady. I am getting a glass of water, a warm wash cloth, Rescue Remedy for calming, and a clean pajama shirt. After we settle... read more

• Last updated 6/26/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Dawn Francis-Pester As a mother of two, I am well aware of the transformational nature of motherhood. After the birth of my sons I decided to stay close as they slept and breastfed, finding time to reconsider my life goals, my links with nature and society, earning less, living more. But what about fatherhood? Does modern society give fathers the chance to stop and rethink when a baby is born? The TraditionIn the 1800s, anthropologists started to document a strange phenomenon seen in other cultures across the world. They described fathers setting aside their... read more

• Last updated 5/21/12 by Laura Grace Weldon

  It’s summer. Time to lounge around doing nothing more than gazing at clouds. It’s relaxing, amusing, and completely free. The traditional spot to indulge in this pleasurable activity is sitting in the grass. Better yet, lying on the grass. Stay there as clouds drift into view over treetops and roofs, slowly changing form. Your kids may swear they can feel the planet moving. Looking at clouds is a perfect way to disengage from all the buzzing, ringing distractions that claw our attention to shreds. Those puffs of air vapor seem to invite contemplation. And that’s... read more

• Last updated 11/2/12 by Cynthia Mosher

My husband, Steve and I have wanted a Peace Pole for our garden for years. We were generously gifted money towards one for our wedding almost four years ago, and we thought it would be a great way to celebrate our nuptials. We kept meaning to order it, and it kept getting put off for one reason or another. Then we thought we’d commemorate Zinnia’s birth with one, but the busy life of new parenthood put it on the back burner. Then we planned to do it for her first birthday, but nope it didn’t happen then either. Last summer, we finally got around to... read more

• Last updated 11/2/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Last week, I found out that United Airlines is no longer allowing families with babies to pre board, which I think is ridiculous. It’s really not that fun to watch a parent with an exhausted, irritable baby advance at glacial speed down a crowded aisle while over-sized hand luggage almost hits their heads on the way up to the overhead bins that are too full to hold the extra bag you had to bring for the baby stuff. As you can tell, I am seriously annoyed at United- but it goes further than that. To make matters worse, airlines are now charging extra for window and aisle... read more