Colorado schools start earlier than many states. Our neighborhoods here are buzzing with the back-to-school sounds of buses rumbling through neighborhoods and kids chatting in packs as they return from the bus stop.
In fact, I would argue that at least in this region of the U.S., fall inspires more feelings of change and new beginnings than spring. [...]
The combination of keeping up with my freelance writing contracts and having kids on a summer schedule has wrought a little havoc with my blog posting routine! However, from the number of comments (none!) I received on my school-home connection questions, it appears that many of you are on “summer time” as well.
I am writing [...]
Last Wednesday I blogged about anger, and the very same day another of my stepparent colleagues also blogged about stepparent anger. Are we affected by the upcoming full moon, or is this a recurring theme families need to pay attention to? What do you think?
I’ve been focusing on ways I can “come down” from feeling angry [...]
Your turn: If you have any comments or advice for this reader, please comment below or send me an e-mail at info@dianefromme.com.
I’ve recently been in e-mail dialogue with a concerned stepmother. She’s stepparenting three elementary- and middle-school-aged children whose mother died several years ago.
My heart went out to her as I read about her situation. [...]
Continue reading about A Reader Writes: If Everyone’s Fine, Why do I Feel Stressed?
I am running a slightly edited version of yesterday’s post for the Wednesday stepparenting blog because I think the theme of “hosting a stranger” also applies to stepfamilies. Your partner’s kids are your brave new frontier. Will you to rise to the challenge?
One of my loves is to coordinate international exchange students. I match students [...]
One of my loves is to coordinate international exchange students. I match students from other countries with loving host families and I make sure they have a space in one of the local high schools. But every once in a while I have to deal with a “situation” that results from some combination of clashing [...]
I have this feature on the latest version of my blog software called QuickPress, and I feel compelled to try it out. You are the guinea pigs for this “Quick Blog” success story on addressing bullying.
One crossroads I think parents face when they learn of bullying behavior against their child is whether or not to [...]
Given that many of you will be drawn to the presidential inauguration
on Tuesday, I’m posting today and I’ll leave it up until Wednesday’s
post.
You’ve all probably heard of tough love before, but what does it mean?
Does it mean yelling at our kids? Does it mean pulling the no-flex
authority trip, or copping the “I brought you into [...]
I’ve been watching the DVDs of the former TV series, “Everwood.” I
became interested in this show too late to watch it live on the WB, but
once I learned it revolved around a single dad raising kids after his
wife and their mother dies, I figured I could learn something from it.
(Plus it’s just really fun to [...]
As Christmas Day draws to a sleepy close, I thought I’d share
something I did for my kids today. Since I’m a writer, I decided to
give them each a gift of words that describe something I admire about
each one. I rolled up each sheet of sentiments (four in all), rubber-
banded it tight, and popped it in [...]