Father’s Day is Sunday and if you’re like me, you usually go down to the wire. If you haven't already, what will you get for one of your favorite guys? If your children are old enough, try a brainstorming session. What should we get dad? What does he enjoy? My kids have thought up some great ideas in years past although I think my 8-year-old may be doing one of those ‘this gift would be great for ME and dad’ since it involves a trip to Game Stop. Make a ‘day in the life of dad’ video: With iPhones and flip cams, it’s easier than ever to produce your own video. Write down all the things dad …

Apple picking season is here. After you've made all the apple breads and pies, here's another way to make use of fall's favorite fruit. Cut apples vertically in half. With the flat side down, vertically insert a Popsicle stick in the center of the apple. Your children can use these homemade stamps to make paintings. Pour paint onto paper plates then have your children dip the apples into the paint and gently press them onto paper. Baby Take your baby’s hands and explore an apple half together. Let her smell and touch the fruit. If she is 6 months or older and eating dairy, you can place some …

1. Follow car safety rules. Babies should ride in the backseat in a rear-facing car seat. Prior to installing, read the instructions carefully. Your local police department can help too. 2. Go for new baby equipment. Before you re-use any hand-me-down baby accessory, be sure it meets the most up-to-date safety standards and guidelines. Recently, the consumer protection agency has banned the use of drop-down cribs because of safety concerns. 3. When your baby isn’t being held, make sure they are in a safe place such as a crib or pack and play. Remember babies become mobile very quickly so stay…

As families experience the first day of school Wednesday, Medfield Patch has some tips to get back into the groove for the upcoming year.  Wake up In order for your child to do their best in school, they’re going to need sleep. Experts say children ages 5-10 need 10 hours of sleep a night; ages 11-13 need 9.5 hours; and ages 13 and older need 9.2 hours. Keeping a watchful eye on your children's sleep is as important to their overall health as the food they eat and the exercise they get. Start setting a bedtime and stick to it. Establish a sleep routine. Keeping the same schedule (brush teeth…

It wasn’t fun figuring this math equation out but after the use of my fingers and some scratches on a piece of paper, I got it: My son will graduate high school in 2021. It wasn’t fun because I’m terrible at math and it wasn’t fun because I’m not ready to have an 18-year-old anytime soon. What will his frame of mind be by the time he graduates? Beloit College recently released its annual Mindset list providing parents a glimpse into how their offspring will view the world. Warning: You could feel old. For example incoming freshmen born in 1993 are more likely to associate ''Amazon'' with …

It’s been hot. Real hot. And if I didn’t have kids, I would have been more than content to spend my time in the comforts of an air-conditioned home. Unfortunately, my little ones need constant entertainment. If you’re one of the brave few who are willing to leave home, run to the car and find some summertime adventure, I’ve got a list of ways you can stay cool: 1. Water Play Capron Park Zoo, Attleboro Yeah, they have animals and cool species but better yet they have a new splash park. This zero-depth water playground will have water spraying them, pouring on them and delighting them. Kids can…

I’m not one of those parents who worry that my children’s brains are going to go dark because they eat too many s’mores this summer. I think kids need a break from school. I’m all for that. I don’t plan on making them study math facts for 30 minutes every day or insist that they read a book. My tactic is a bit less instructive. Oh, my kids will be learning … they just won’t know it. I’m allowing them to take the lead. The other morning, we watched a bird build her nest on our back deck. You couldn’t ask for a better view. My 6-year-old daughter and I watched her fly back and forth – each time…

Some of the many reasons, my kids love to camp are: They don’t have to shower. They can play in the dirt, stay up late, hunt for bugs and have my complete attention (iPhone not invited). Minus the shower part – that’s why I love it too. If you need a reason to dust off the tent or roll out the sleeping bags, I have one. Not only is it good old-fashioned fun but June 25 marked the National Wildlife Federation’s Great American Backyard Campout. It was their annual push to get people outside and sleeping under the stars. So if you missed the big push, give it a try this weekend with the kids! I …

A parenting decision that could have gone either way. My family and I were on the Blackstone Valley bike path last summer. My then 7-year-old son took turns complaining about being tired and about wearing a helmet. He and I took a break and he spent a minute or two begging to take off his helmet.  “It feels tight. It feels heavy. I don’t need it!” For a quick, split second I considered just taking his helmet. I couldn’t take the whining anymore. Besides we were only two minutes from the car. Thankfully, I stuck to my guns and refused his request. One minute later he was cruising down a slight…

My friend opened her pool for the first time this season and instead of the adults relaxing pool-side we were shouting commands to the kids. “Don’t run!” “No jumping on the shallow end.” “Nate, where are you? I can’t see you!” Let’s just say we had to get our ‘feet wet’ again when it comes to re-establishing pool safety as we splash into summer. I thought it would be a good idea to offer a quick refresher to all parents. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers the following tips to ensure safe swimming this summer: Never leave children alone in or near the pool or spa, even for a moment. …

As the school year comes to a close, you may be wondering how to properly thank your child’s teacher or daycare provider. The good news is that an inexpensive, thoughtful gift packs just as a big punch as a gift certificate to an exclusive day spa. Recruit fellow parents to contribute to the group gift – they will appreciate you taking the lead and figuring out the perfect gift. Here are some great group gift ideas for teachers: Build a classroom library: This is a perfect group gift that will add value to the classroom for years to come. Each student brings in a copy of their favorite book …

Could watching SpongeBob Squarepants today affect your kid's life later on? Is your teenager just lazy or does he have a condition? I like to consider these topics that you and other parents may discuss at the playground or ponder over on the sidelines of a little league game.  Too much TV could lead to health problems in the distant future Duh? According to a study conducted by the University of Sydney, children who watch excessive amounts of TV or play loads of computer games could be at higher risk for future heart attacks and strokes. I’m just wondering if this news will deter my 8-year-…

So for the fifth time today, parents everywhere are serving as referees as their beautiful offspring call each other names, fight over a toy, and try to shove each other out of the way. Feel like you’re going to lose it? What if we told you that this is actually a natural and positive part of your children’s lives? According to some experts, kids ages 3 to 7 years old engage in some kind of conflict 3.5 times an hour. Per hour? Yes, per hour. When they fight over possessions, tease each other and even when they are getting along — they are learning valuable life lessons. Lessons, such as, how…

I hate ticks. My daughter had one of those blood-suckers on her head when she was 3-years-old and I nearly passed out. It was discovered by the woman cutting her hair at the time. After they peeled me off the floor and got me some water, I twisted that bugger right off of her scalp. Yuck. Well guess what? They’re back. As soon as the snow melts, you can find them. I volunteer in my son’s elementary school and the nurse has already had to clear a few heads. Here’s my friendly reminder to parents: Check their heads and bodies, often. Like it or not, these minuscule insects pose a serious health…

When my father was a child, he spent his summer days playing pick-up baseball with the neighborhood kids. “Back then, the phrase youth sports didn’t really exist,” he recently told me. “It was called playing outdoors, making friends and having fun.”  As the official baseball season begins both at Fenway and at local athletic fields in your town, why not bring back the good ol’ pick-up baseball? Here’s a few ways to get it started: Find a field. It can be in your back yard, a local park or you could call your Parks and Recreation Department to find out if and when a field in available in town…

We love this April Fool's Day post that we had to feature it again this year. Enjoy some good, (mostly) clean fun! Right or wrong, I love April Fool's Day. My kids and I started plotting our pranks weeks ago. Sadly, my husband doesn’t join in until the last moment and takes the brunt of most of the jokes.   Here are 10 awesome April Fool's day pranks that the whole family can get in on: Barbie goes to work. My daughter has a zillion Barbie dolls and we thought they may enjoy a day at the office. We loaded up my husband’s car with them (in the windshield, out the back window and buckled in on …

A round-up of recent surveys on parenting. Where do you stand on these issues? What do you feel guilty about? Feeling guilty is such a normal part of most moms' overall emotions that it’s hardly distinguishable from any other feeling. Guilt creeps in when we’re happy. (Should I have bought those shoes?) It creeps in when we’re mad. (Was I too hard on my daughter?) In a recent poll at Baby Center, it was discovered that 94-percent of moms feel guilty most of the time. So last week the site declared it “guilt-free week” and challenged moms live life with guilt-free parenting. Could you do it? …

I love strange holidays, especially in March when there isn’t too much to celebrate. That’s if you don’t know about the lesser-known ones. Last week, Bellingham South Elementary marked Dr. Suess’ birthday with a community reading day and lunch of green eggs and ham. This week, my kids came home to home-made chocolate chip cookies because it’s national cookie week (plus, I’m always looking for reasons to bake and eat sweets!). Here are just a few ways you and your family can celebrate your way through March: National Chocolate Chip Cookie Week – happening now! Did you know the chocolate chip …

When my daughter was 9-months-old, I heard her making noise from her bedroom and knew naptime was over. I opened the door to see her peering out at me from over the crib rail. She had pulled herself up and by the expression on her face, she was thinking, “Hey, I think I can get out of here all by myself!” The mattress was immediately lowered and I bought myself a few more months of crib-time. Not surprisingly, the threat of injury in a crib increases as a child becomes more mobile, according to a study in the March 2011 issue of Pediatrics. During the course of the study an estimated 181,654 …

My headline was just meant to get you to read this column. I’m not writing about sunshine and rainbows or the fact that spring is around the corner. I know that would make most of you smile. I’m writing about your children's dental health. Don’t click away. It’s National Children’s Dental Health month and it’s time to talk teeth. I’ll go first. My son has already had a cavity. Nothing makes you feel like a failure like having a dentist share this news with you. Basically, I heard this: “You haven’t taught your child to brush his teeth properly. You probably allow him to eat sweets after …