I probably don’t have to tell you that the “friendly skies” don’t feel all that friendly these days. But parents, am I right when I say that when you are flying with small children, it can feel downright torturous? Of course, that’s also what other passengers seem to feel when your kids show up for their flight. If you really want to receive the “stink-eye” from your fellow travelers, arrive at the gate with two children under 5.  It took me a long time to tackle this particular parental milestone, in part because having read many an article and blog about traveling with children, the …

Probably the biggest understatement in the history of understatements is, “Life changes when you have children.” When my first child was born, my mom advised me to “strap him on and go.” As in, carry on with my life as I would normally live it, and bring my new son along for the ride to learn about the world.  It sounded really good at the time. I blame the massive amounts of hormones. Plus, I wanted to believe it. I didn’t want to give up my pre-kids penchant for taking unscripted adventures, and enjoying all the things that make me, me. I loved spontaneously hopping on a BART train to go …

That’s it. It’s not bad enough that the French have better pastries, better sex lives, and apparently women never get fat. Now, just to really rub it in, evidently we should also know that they are “superior” parents. While it’s really not a big surprise that France is not a fan of how we do things in the U.S., in this case, we’ve been sold down the Seine by one of our own—an American in Paris. Pamela Druckerman, an American woman married to a British man living in France and raising her three children there, released a new book this week titled Bringing up Bébé: One American Mother Discovers…

It was a disturbing morning, and I mean that in the best possible way. To “disturb,” as defined by Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, is to “destroy the tranquility or composure of.” Sitting among other moms of young children one morning this week, I listened to a longtime local educator lay it out plainly, just how far out of whack things have become for the kids she sees everyday in her school. I doubt there was a drop of tranquility in the room to be had, nor should there have been. As she shared a long list of the “bad news,” I know my stomach churned.  It was uncomfortable to hear that the …

We parents like to argue about a lot of stuff. Perhaps you’ve noticed? From the moment of conception, there are any number of parenting debates you can unsuspectingly find yourself in the middle of —drugs versus no drugs in labor, breastfeeding versus formula, crib versus co-sleeping. The list is long, and can be as difficult to navigate as a minefield. Many people I know try to steer clear of the contentious issues that a lot of parents seem to have strong opinions about, and are all too willing to share. But, there is one critical parenting debate that I’ve found that seems to draw out even…

Kindergarten registration began this week in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District and parents of eligible Kindergarten-aged children are making the sometimes difficult decision: “To send, or not to send?” I am among them, with a child who will turn 5 this spring, and making the decision whether or not enroll for the coming academic year has not been an easy one. While state law bases eligibility on a child’s birth date, the decision whether or not to start our children in Kindergarten is not cut-and-dried for myself and many other local parents. According to changes made to state law …

It’s two weeks into the New Year and at the point at which many resolutions have fallen by the wayside. For example, are you still working out? Be honest. The top reason people give for not exercising is lack of time, and parents tend to really lean on this excuse—myself included. There is no doubt about it that kids can take up a lot of your time, especially if you have small children. But is there really no time for exercise? This week, I asked our local Patch Parent Council and other parents to share how they make time for fitness while raising kids: Make yourself a priority. When it comes…

How much do you involve your kids in your politics? As a new presidential election cycle gets underway, let’s talk about how politics factors into your parenting. In the family I grew up in, which included some who served in elected office, I couldn’t avoid becoming politically aware at a young age. My parents involved me in their political lives actively, including me in their discussions of news and issues of the day. My father voraciously read the newspapers, and encouraged me to do the same. The hum of political talk shows was the soundtrack of my weekend mornings. But as passionate as my…

If your child doesn’t stay in school it could cost you. That's the focus of a new ordinance under consideration by Contra Costa County officials that would enact a daytime curfew for minors throughout the county. If the ordinance is approved as recommended by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s office, school-aged minors (under the age of 18) discovered in public places during regularly scheduled school hours would be cited with an infraction and potentially fined up to $500 for repeat offenders. Parents who knowingly permit a minor to violate the curfew may also be cited with an infraction …

“The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any.” ~ Fred Astaire  Learning and using good manners was important in my home growing up. As a parent, I am similarly vigilant about passing on what I learned to my sons.  But the rules of polite behavior often feel less clear to me now and at times outright lacking, as social customs and expectations have changed. One unclear area for me as a parent is settling on how I should teach my children to properly address an adult. This was a "biggie" in my house -- I was raised by a U.S. Navy officer from the South. I was …

Is the subject of Halloween candy a sweet or sour subject in your household? I have to admit I kind of have a problem with it. For the record, I eat the candy. Oh, I eat the candy and if you are worrying, my children are not deprived. They get to partake in moderation. But, I have a hard time embracing for one month of the year something I am loathe to do the other 11 months just because it’s the thing to do. It strikes me as a mixed message. Do as I say, except for Halloween. Although I’m not crazy about it, I couldn’t entirely rid my house of Halloween sweets. I’m outvoted by nearly three …

When did your children begin using technology? How did it start? Was it intentional or accidental? Things are so sped up these days, it seems like we are virtually handing our newborns the iPhone we just filmed their birth with. When should a child become a full-fledged digital citizen? When should concerns about their virtual life become a part of our day-to-day life? When Hilary DeCesare visited with a room full of mothers of young children, many of whom had babies in their arms, at Mothers Together at Community Presbyterian Church this week, it may have seemed a little early to talk about …

Did the cartoons you watched in childhood affect you? Personally, I blame Popeye for my aversion to spinach. Wile E. Coyote taught me that my best schemes will have a good chance of blowing up in my face — literally — but I can’t seem to give up. Times have changed, and so have cartoons. Cartoons of my childhood have been criticized for depictions of violence, as well as non-politically correct stories and characters that are cringe worthy by today’s standards. But according to some researchers, today’s cartoons are also leaving their mark on vulnerable brains. Based on a recent study making …

If one child is severely allergic to peanuts in a group of over 100 kids, does it make sense to restrict peanuts completely for everyone?  This is the question posed by a Parent Chat reader, who asks, "How much should one child's food allergies dictate the food choices of all of their other classmates at school?" With rising numbers of children who have a specific food allergy, or a combination of food allergies, the issue of how schools handle this situation is heating up. According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, as many as 15 million people in the United States have some form …

As a parent, it can feel like everyone around you is constantly judging you. But what if your own child dragged you before an actual judge, and sought monetary damages for alleged emotional damage you did as a “bad parent?” Sounds slightly absurd, and vaguely familiar as the plotline for a bad cable TV movie, but it does happen from time to time, most recently to Kimberly Garrity, 55, of Illinois.  Steven Miner, 23, and his sister Kathryn Miner, 20, brought suit against their mother seeking $50,000 in damages for “emotional distress” caused by her “bad” mothering. The suit was dismissed just …

Coming up with healthful school lunch choices (that your kids will eat) day after day is no small challenge. If you are looking for ideas, local moms are sharing their tips this week for managing five common challenges parents face when preparing school lunches. CHALLENGE: Packing something (nutritious) they will actually eat. Solution #1: Involve the kids. Barb Besse of Alamo, a member of our local Patch Parent Panel, says she handles this challenge by involving her kids, and lets them have a say in what they take to school. “I always have the kids help me pack their lunches, figuring they …

The aroma of number two pencils in the store signals the beginning of another school year. Some parents can’t believe summer has flown by so quickly. Others are counting the days until the school bell rings Shifting gears from summer frolicking, to fall studying, takes preparation. Whether you have a returning student, or a child just starting school, this week we’re talking about how to get your kids (and yourself) into the school groove. Michael McGinley of Danville says he and his wife prepared their twin boys for kindergarten by “talking to them a lot, so they know what to expect.”  Erin …

Are you good at asking for help? I'm really not good at it, and I was dealt some parenting and life lessons this week, courtesy of a sore back. Like many parents, I’m juggling several hats each day, and with not a lot of help. I balance writing projects and homeschooling a preschooler, while wrangling a 2-year-old, and attending to the daily household details and dramas of a stay-at-home mom. I’m part of that statistical slice deemed the “Hybrid Mom.” We (mostly happily) make choices so I can be at home with the kids at this stage in their lives — it was something my husband and I set as a …

No smoking and no dogs are common rules in restaurants and other public places, but what about a ban on children?  There is a growing trend afoot that considers children to not only be a nuisance, but bad for business. For example, Malaysia Airlines recently banned children from first class, and a restaurant in Pennsylvania made headlines when the owner decided to no longer allow kids under six years old to dine at his establishment. He reportedly said that he made the decision after many customer complaints. While he doesn’t dislike children, he said, he feels that allowing them to scream at…

I recently had the kind of day that ended with a big glass of “mommy juice.” It wasn’t an act of celebration of a job well done in the mothering department that day — far from it. I needed (badly) to take the edge off of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day that was topped off by being vomited and urinated on by two different children in under ten minutes. “Pour a glass,” I instructed my husband, “ a big one.” The Urban Dictionary defines mommy juice as "beer or liquor for a mom that is tired of dealing with her screaming kids." I've been there. Most days I deal well enough with the …