And You Will Have Kids

Dear “And You Will Have Kids”,

A distant relative of my husband’s recently passed away.  Our children did not really know this relative, but I know that other relatives will be there. They have asked us to attend, along with the children.

 I am not sure whether or not to take my children.  When is it appropriate to take children to a funeral?

More →

Celebrating on New Year’s Eve becomes more complex when you are a parent.  Firstly, it’s difficult to find a babysitter on that night.  Secondly, it’s difficult to be out until the wee hours of the morning and get up early in the morning with the kids the next day.

No need to worry, there are some great family friendly ways to ring in the New Year. More →

Dear “And You Will Have Kids”,

My children are starting their winter break.  They’ll be off of school for 2 weeks! I’ve no idea how to keep them busy and out of trouble.  HELP!

Frazzled Mom

More →

It’s always frightening anytime your child is diagnosed with a health condition.    When that condition will require your child to be on medication for the rest of her life, it’s even more worrisome.

When you find out that your child has a mental illness, you may be shocked, relieved, or you may feel nothing.  Different people react differently to the news.

More →

Recently, my husband and I took our family to the movies as the kids wanted to REALLY see a movie that was just released. Since we usually keep our entertainment costs to a minimum due to budget concerns, it is a special treat for them to see a movie in the theater. 

I have to say that I was astounded at how much it cost for our family of 7 to have the privilege of seeing a movie in the theater when it was first released.  In my opinion, the movie was not worth the price tag. We are going back to our frugal entertainment plan. More →

Four of my five children were born on holidays.  It is a difficult thing to pull off a holiday celebration and a birthday party! Not only is it stressful for the party planner, but it’s hard to find people who are able to attend the party because many of them have other plans.

My heart just breaks for my daughter who was born on New Year’s Day because by New Year’s Day, most people are “done” with the holidays.  Most people have also been out late the night before and really don’t want to attend another party on New Year’s Day.  Perhaps you have a child born on or near a holiday and are wondering how to make their birthday “special” in the midst of all the rush that holidays seem to bring.  More →

Dear “And You Will Have Kids”,

I know that you have a large family like we do.  Every year, we try to take a Christmas photo to send out with our cards.  This year it’s difficult as we are having to cut costs and I will have to take the photo myself.  Do you have any Christmas photo tips to share?

Photo Challenged

More →

Healthy kids and holidays don’t seem to go together.  I can probably count on one hand the number of holidays that I’ve spent with healthy children. From the emails and phone calls I receive from others who have children, I am not alone. 

Yes, I am careful to feed my kids nutritious food and I make sure they get their rest.  I disinfect the house and make sure they use hand sanitizer after coughing or sneezing.  They still get sick.

More →

Holidays can be a stressful time of year, especially if you have a dysfunctional family.  Perhaps your family is “relatively normal”, but you have one or two difficult relatives who will be attending the family gathering at Grandma’s this year.  Just thinking about holiday gatherings can make even the most emotionally grounded person anxious!

How should you handle the situation? More →

Dear MS,

Our Golden Retriever is almost 13 years old and her health isn’t the best.  We’re wondering if we should start preparing our children, ages 3 and 5 for the inevitable now?  Should we just wait until the dog dies?  How have you handled this with your children?

CD

More →