I’m probably not the only one who has a hard time ignoring the coverage of Britney Spears’ parenting kerfuffles. (The latest: a photo of her 4-year-old nearly 3-year-old son grabbing her pack of cigarettes and a lighter from a low table).
Besides mild shock and distaste, my usual reaction to celebrity bad-parent “news” is…yikes, what [...]

Dionne’s post about her hectic maternity leave — coping with newborn twins and a 21-month old toddler — reminded me of the dilemma many working parents face when planning maternity leave for their second or third kids: Do you keep your older child in daycare while you’re home with the baby? Or for those with [...]

Bosco and Sam

Before we had our son, my husband and I decided to start with a dog. For a couple of years, Bosco, a high-spirited collie mix, was the focal point of our lives; we spent many idyllic weekends going on long hikes and swims with him. I was also able to give him lots [...]

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Two weeks ago, my juggle was lightened a bit. Day care was closed and my husband and I made plans for our son to stay with his grandparents.
We had grand ideas of how much easier the week would be. We’d have more home-cooked dinners together since we could eat late and not worry [...]

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Maternity leave is supposed to be a time where the juggle is left far behind for a few months. But for me things are more hectic than ever with my three-month-old twins and 21-month-old son.
We’ve already determined that one adult cannot be left alone with our children for now, largely because of the [...]

A U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission investigator points out design flaws in an outdated baby crib which would allow infants to become trapped, as shown by a pair of dolls, in 2004. (Associated Press)

Like most parents, I want to make sure that the toys my child plays with and the food he eats don’t contain [...]

Angela Pandolfo Roy, who writes the Hausfrau blog on the Offsprung parenting network, asked a question recently that doubtless resonated with many a parent: “Do you read your kid’s journal?”
Of course, Ms. Roy, like me, has a child who’s just finished first grade, so the journal in question is more a hilarious and much-misspelled [...]

It can be hard for veteran jugglers to even remember what it’s like not to have children — I vaguely recall seeing movies on the spur of the moment and enjoying leisurely romantic dinners without paying a helpful teenager for the privilege — but we do usually have a few friends who can remind us. [...]

I have a secret vice. A vice that helps me unwind and cope with the stresses of my daily juggle. A vice that might draw mockery — or at least some serious teasing — from colleagues and friends if they knew.
Well, now everyone will know: I like soap operas. In fact, I’ve been watching one [...]

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Parents are plied with an array of gadgets to help mind children from a distance: Baby monitors tell you they’re crying two floors up and programmable music machines sing them to sleep while you do the laundry. One of the latest is a device that will alert you if you leave an infant unattended [...]