We’re not picky shoppers. We buy the cheapest (name brand) peanut butter we find. Usually Smooth/Creamy, and once in a rare while “Natural”. All things being equal, we lean toward the “healthy” looking variations – Simply Jif, for example. Lately we’ve been buying Jif with Omega-3 added. We do it, because we feel like we…. read more

May 18, 2011 by Scott Copperman in Parenting

An informal survey of nine parents of Algebra, Geometry, or Algebra 2 parents revealed data which we found very distressing. 8 of the 9 parents said they feel they cannot help their child with their homework 0 of the 9 parents said they looked through their child’s math notebooks at least once a week This…. read more

May 16, 2011 by Staff in Education, Parenting

“Mom, can I call Greg to see if he can play?” “Sure, hon, I can pick him up or drive you over in about 15 minutes.” “Oh no, I mean on xbox.” Virtual playdates have replaced real playdates for many tweens. I suspect there are multiple reasons behind this shift. 1) Kids schedules are so…. read more

May 13, 2011 by Scott Copperman in Parenting

I’ve talked about this a bit on my podcast, but I figured it was worth mentioning here again. My kids, like all kids, have celebrities they idolize. My daughter thinks Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift are the greatest. My son can’t get enough of they Mythbusters crew, sports stars like Philip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson,…. read more

May 11, 2011 by Scott Copperman in Parenting

About six years ago, we made a short video of my son. He was (and still is) a passionate fan of Star Wars, and we used our new camcorder and my copy of Adobe Elements to throw together a 2-minute fan film starring a seven-year old Jedi warrior and (spoiler alert) his twin, Darth Menace….. read more

May 10, 2011 by Parent X in Parenting

My husband and I have been struggling with something for a while now: whether or not to give our kids allowance. My childhood existed without an allowance. We had chores and everyone pitched in to help. If I wanted something I asked Mom and Dad. If they said “no” and I really wanted it, I…. read more

May 5, 2011 by Susan Lane in Parenting

The school bus is an icon of education. From the standard yellow to the trippy buses of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem and the Partridge Family, the school bus has been one of the most standard and recognizable parts of going to school. Young kids marvel at the flat front buses, wondering if their…. read more

May 4, 2011 by Parent X in Education, Parenting

Child discipline is one of those topics that are deeply divisive amongst most people, like de-clawing cats and whether you should or shouldn’t put ketchup on your eggs, and I’ve often strangely found that the loudest and most vehement arguments extend from those without any offspring of their own. But then, one day they find…. read more

May 3, 2011 by Rose F. in Parenting

Last weekend I decided to help a few members of the community by supporting an upcoming ballot measure regarding the local community parks. Thinking that it may be a good lesson for my kids to learn about issues facing their community, I bribed brought them along with me.  Reluctantly, they came along and went door…. read more

April 26, 2011 by Susan Lane in Parenting

“Mommy, is the tooth fairy real?” I should have known this question was coming! My eight-year-old daughter, Ashleigh, has lost three of her front teeth in the past few months, and she is in third grade – where kids start questioning what their parents have told them about the tooth fairy and Santa. I paused,…. read more

April 19, 2011 by Cindy Sobania in Parenting