• Last updated 5/25/12 by Mothering Editorial

More on Routine Swaddling Rethinking Swaddling from author Nancy Morbacher, IBCLC, FILCA. Originally published in Nancy Morbacher: Breastfeeding Reporter, Sept 2010 More Debate on Swaddling, an exchange between Harvey Karp, MD and Nancy Morbacher in response to "Rethinking Swaddling," a feature article in the Journal of Childbirth Education, Sept 2010.    The Question of Routine Swaddling New research takes a closer look at the act of swaddling and the reasons why its routine use may not be best for baby.  Remember the bumper sticker, “What Would... read more

• Last updated 1/14/13 by Marcy Axness

So many questions in the wake of Newtown, and an excellent one is about how television violence affects children. As some of the wiser commentators have said, there is no one single reason (not just guns, not just mental illness, not just family dynamics) for a tragedy of such heinous proportions. The question of how television violence affects children is just one thread of the complex tapestry of causes in such tragedies as the Newtown massacre.   This tapestry surely finds its warp threads in the early days of a child's life as the social brain is wiring up... read more

• Last updated 11/28/12 by Melanie Mayo

Last month, we asked three members of the Mothering community to try out the STRIDER Bike, a balance bike made for children 18 months – 5 years. Balance bikes are a great alternative to traditional tricycles because they allow toddlers to build balance and coordination, which are the key skills for bicycling but are often overlooked as a child moves from walking to riding a tricycle or to a bike with training wheels. Balance bikes are smaller and more lightweight than tricycles or regular bikes, and they don’t have pedals, so toddlers can learn to balance... read more

• Last updated 11/14/10 by Mothering Editorial

Issue 131 By Marybeth Lambe Chengming bursts out of the schoolyard. Newly arrived from China, she still speaks Chinese and is babbling away in rapid-fire Mandarin at a confused classmate. Suddenly Chengming spots me and her face is suffused in joy. "Mommy!" she screams in happiness. "Mommy Mommy Mommy!" On the last call she has reached me, and her arms swing wide. I sweep her into the sky and we laugh together. How can the world contain our exultation? On a windy, stormy night, our five youngest are gathered around me, all squeezed onto Mark's and my big bed. The... read more

• Last updated 2/22/13 by SavvyHomeschool

By Savvy Homeschool Moms       In this week's episode, the moms talk about using their new "Seize the Year" wall calendars to get organized and using incentives and rewards to help homeschooling run more smoothly.           Some links in this episode: 2013 “Seize the Year” Wall Calendar Using Incentives in the classroom HighScore House       To see the full show notes, including a LOT MORE links to all the resources mentioned, please visit our website: The Savvy Homeschool Moms, episode 26. To subscribe to or... read more

• Last updated 11/2/12 by Melanie Mayo

Every well-meaning parent shares a desire to offer their children life experiences that will prove inspiring, informative or otherwise enriching. Given the millions of options at our disposal, however, how on earth are we to prioritize our time and money? Throughout the years, my husband and I have struggled to scrape extra cash from the bottom of the barrel for music lessons, gymnastics, acting, camps, team sports and tutoring. Never fully knowing whether our money was well spent and struggling to afford $1/minute lessons (no kidding), I often... read more

• Last updated 6/20/10 by Mothering Editorial

I have 4 children ages 10, 7 and 5 year old twin girls. One of my twins, the very self sufficient one who grew up really fast is now using baby tal at times when she is happy and we are doing family activites. I try to be patient with her and don't mention anything about it just treat her normally but it is really driving me cray. Do you now where this may be coming from and how I can help her move through it faster?  Dear Parent, Baby talk does no harm to your child. She speaks this way because she needs to, for a valid reason. Children always do their own... read more

• Last updated 1/2/13 by Melanie Mayo

      (Contributed by Mothering.com writer Sarah Clark)   Happy New Year mamas!  If you are like most people the new year   makes you think a little about trying a little harder and being a little better.  And if you are like most mother's then that always leads back to the home, and children, and motherhood.   Here are a few easy tips for you to help improve yourself- and your family- in this next New Year.     ~ Take a breath ~   It's amazing how much difference it can make to simply BREATHE when life gets  hard.... read more

• Last updated 11/5/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Illustration by Etsy seller: dertigdecember Read your post from this morning and have a question for you regarding how you handle the sibling rivalry that you were describing.  My kids, 4.5 years and 1.5 years, pretty much fight all day long.  It’s really frustrating.  Basically every single situation plays itself out like this: Ella grabs toy from baby, baby screams bloody murder, I yell at Ella and demand that she gives it back, she cries hysterically and insists that SHE was playing with that toy (or was about to).  I’ve... read more

• Last updated 1/29/13 by Marcy Axness

“But they’re so awful!” This is a response I often hear from parents when I recommend Grimms' fairy tales as reading fare for their children. While Grimms' is all the rage these days for adults, parents often recoil at the idea of regaling their young children with stories of orphans and witches, kidnappings and murders -- at bedtime no less. Understandable. But savvy parents understand that fairy tales are soul food for children. They nourish the developing psyche in complex ways. But the real ones, not the prettied-up, pasteurized ones.   The Brothers Grimm... read more