Social/Cultural

Mama J on November 13th, 2008

The Internet makes it possible for us to reach friends and contacts all over the world.  That’s why it’s become such a popular forum for people building electronic networks and communities. Just as we meet certain social needs to by hanging out with like- minded people, this “connection” can also be partially accomplished over the […]

Continue reading about The Value of Community

Don’t fret. Your college girls will search once more for connectedness and roots. They just need a little time to spread their wings. Even if you daughter never actually said, “I can’t wait to get out of this house!” she probably thought it once or twice during the high school years.  And unless she’s either […]

Continue reading about Your Girl’s Away at College? Don’t Worry, She’ll be Back….

Mama J on October 23rd, 2008

If we ride gracefully away from the election battlefield to view the election from a higher hilltop, we may realize what an opportunity any presidential election presents for the young women in our lives. It’s an exciting time, one that provokes a lot of questions about who is voting for whom and why.  Elementary and […]

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Mama J on September 25th, 2008

“Most people know that problems can arise with the sense of hearing and the sense of sight, but few people realize that problems can also arise with the sense of touch.”  –Hardy Brain Training As I’ve watched my daughter make the transition to third grade this fall, I’ve noticed that many, many of the girls […]

Continue reading about Fashion Girls and Comfort Girls

Mama J on September 24th, 2008

There are several reasons that I’m writing a book about stepparenting children who have lost a parent.  A huge one is because I believe that this type of grief changes a lot of dynamics in the stepfamily as compared to a divorce situation.  There is no book dedicated to the topic of stepparenting grieving children. […]

Continue reading about The Grief Factor in Stepfamilies

Mama J on September 16th, 2008

Did you know that every September 16 has officially been designated National Stepfamily Day by most of the states in the United States?  Today represents the 11th Annual Stepfamily Day. The inaugural issue of reMarriage magazine reports that “…one in three Americans is now part of a stepfamily – that is, a stepparent, stepchild, or […]

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Mama J on September 11th, 2008

It seems fitting to write about this topic on the anniversary of 9/11.  I grew up in New York City and vividly remember the Twin Towers being built.  On the fateful day of the crashes in 2001, I wrestled with how to discuss the events of the day with my children.  I felt the need for some […]

Continue reading about Discussing Disasters with Children

Mama J on September 3rd, 2008

Today’s post is in response to comments about the dramatic differences between raising boys and raising girls.  Why do tears, raised voices, and sudden mood changes occur more often with girls? “For many of us, understanding girls is like trying to fathom aliens who just got off the ship from outer space….We misunderstand who girls […]

Continue reading about What’s all the Drama about?