When you're the new kid in town, or the new family on the block, there's a way to overcome the awkwardness of not knowing anyone... More >>

Back to school is in the air. Parents are currently being bombarded with back-to-school sales in magazines, newspapers, television ads, and store flyers... More >>

Complaints about back and shoulder pain are increasingly common. Parents have every right to be concerned about how heavy their child's backpack is. In fact, overweight backpacks have been getting so much attention that April was declared National Backpack Safety Month by the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations.  More >>

If Robert Frost is right and good fences make good neighbors, are they good for families as well? The boundaries in the mother/daughter relationship are complicated because our daughters expect to be taken care of and also need to individuate. More >>

Know your role.  With political correctness, the line between adult and child has blurred: everyone is "equal," and no one should be offended. But political correctness doesn't work in the parent-child relationship. More >>

You've made your bed, now go bounce on it. Peter Scott More >>

A few weeks ago, I participated in a 45 mile ocean race with 6 other crew members and a 33-foot boat.  There were 10 other competitors in our class.  One of them - a very fast boat-had a handicap rating, which meant that we had to beat them by 20 minutes (in a 61/2 hour race). More >>

I don't subscribe to unconditional relationships, whether they are by blood, geography, gender, race, religion, or friendship. Recently, I had a situation in my personal life that brought this concept to the fore.  I (and others) had gotten deeply involved with a lovely person who was in a destructive relationship.  When it broke up...again...we were all asked to be supportive More >>

...I was moved to write the other day as I was sweeping the kitchen floor, and this is what came out. More >>

...I teach 8th grade English. It is sad how many of my students come from broken homes. I can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices they know they aren't first in their parent's eyes. More >>