Kids & Family - Oct. 6, 2009
Six strategies to deal with tantrums
Prior to this fall, I considered myself pretty fortunate in the tantrum department. Neither of my sons were big fit-throwers at 2 or 3 when such behavior is common. But around the ripe age of 5, my son started to fuss in such an explosive way that I questioned everything from his diet to the history of my family's mental health.
Tags: tanrums, kids, motherfest, parenting

Kids & Family - July 27, 2009
Motherfest: If parenting had a slogan, what would it be?
On certain days, "Mmm, Mmm good" is the perfect tagline for parenting, but during more grueling times slogans like "It's Miller Time" are more descriptive of the experience.
Tags: Motherfest, taglines

Kids & Family - May 11, 2009
Motherfest: To Wii or not to Wii
When I became a parent, I decided early on that my sons would not have video game systems. I based this decision on the fact that so many modern games are violent, and because I wanted my kids to spend as little time in front of a television screen as possible. But that might change now that I played Wii.
Tags: motherfest, wii, video games, atari games

Kids & Family - March 2, 2009
Motherfest: "How do we know our life is real?"
Last weekend, my 6-year-old son and I drove out to see "Coraline" in 3-D in New Berlin. During the 25-minute drive to the cinema, we had our most intense conversation to date. Read more about it in this month's "Motherfest" column, a Milwaukee-focused parenting column only on OnMilwaukee.com.
Tags: motherfest, parenting, "the truman show"

Kids & Family - Dec. 8, 2008
Motherfest: Do I love my biological kid more than my adopted kid?
Few people ask me about the difference in my relationships with my sons, one who was adopted from Guatemala and one who is biological. I think most people feel like the subject matter is too personal, but for me, it's not.
Tags: biological child adopted child, adoption, motherfest

Kids & Family - Sept. 1, 2008
Motherfest: Inspired by a 6-year-old
I might not learn at the same pace as my kid, but this mom's determined to keep learning. Or else.
Tags: Motherfest, two-wheeler, tooth fairy, loose tooth

Kids & Family - July 7, 2008
New kiddie cocktails, 2008
The "kiddie cocktail" really hasn't changed much over the past few generations. We're changing that right now. Enjoy this updated-for-2008 list of faux kiddie cocktails.
Tags: kiddie cocktails, motherfest

Kids & Family - June 30, 2008
Motherfest: Teaching optimism
Recently, I realized that I left something off the short list of family values: optimism.
Tags: Motherfest, optimism

Kids & Family - May 19, 2008
Motherfest: Getting past ear wax
It's high time this mother toughens up.
Tags: Motherfest, beeswax, playgroup, Kermit the frog, Jim Henson

Kids & Family - Jan. 7, 2008
Adoption Ally understands waiting parents
A woman in Maine e-mailed me in response to today's "Motherfest" column. She started Adoption Ally in 2000 to help parents waiting to adopt.
Tags: Adoption Ally, adoption, international adoption, China, Guatemala, Motherfest, Russia, Colombia, Cambodia, Korea

Kids & Family - Jan. 7, 2008
Motherfest: Waiting for the adopted kid to come home sucks
Not to sound like a Tom Petty song, but when it comes to international adoption, the waiting is the hardest part.
Tags: adoption, international adoption, Motherfest, Guatemala, waiting

Kids & Family - Oct. 8, 2007
Motherfest: Sometimes boys dress in girls' clothing, right?
Could I let my 4-year-old son dress up like Strawberry Shortcake for Halloween?
Tags: Motherfest, Halloween costumes, 4-year-olds, Strawberry Shortcake, ghost

Kids & Family - Sept. 24, 2007
Motherfest: The space between
Here we are, with a 4-year-old kid with a gap between his teeth large enough to pass a Hot Wheel through. What's a parent to do?
Tags: gap teeth, Mitch Hedberg, Motherfest, dentist, Madonna, David Letterman, Lauren Hutton, space between teeth, dental work

Kids & Family - Sept. 10, 2007
Motherfest: Dropping babies on their heads and other blunders
After five years of not inflicting so much as a miniscule scratch on my boys, I managed to practically mutilate one of them this summer.
Tags: bruise, band-aids, Campbell's soup, accidents, injuries, Motherfest, parenting

Kids & Family - Aug. 27, 2007
Motherfest: Is there such a thing as too much information?
Should you talk to your kids about menstruation and circumcision? I did, but random cashiers have been getting ear fulls ever since.
Tags: parenting, honesty, too much information, circumcision, menstruation, Motherfest