There's no escaping the holiday music in the stores and tinsel in the windows -- the holiday season is upon us. You know what will make your life easier? Our 2010 Holiday Gift Guide ! Whoo! For the fifth straight year (wow), we've done t…
I'm not going to bore you with facts and figures about childhood obesity in America, because we've all heard it before. What I will tell you is that there is little my kids enjoy more than receiving their own mail, and in particular, mag…
I have all sorts of tricks for when I worry too much, because I do worry -- too much and too often. Worrying happens to be a family trait. Unfortunately, that means I have a pint-sized worrier in my own house, and he can't self-medicate …
Though I have a six-year-old son, I have somehow avoided those plastic transforming toys that are supposed to go from a car or a truck to a robot, though I can never get them to look like either one. But avoid a block of wood that transf…
My oldest daughter is now six, which means that holy cow I can't believe I have a six-year-old !, and also, she's in need of actual active wear thanks to a slew of afterschool activities that require something a little more sweat-friendl…
I'm going to go ahead and admit it right here: I'm in my early thirties, and I love books written for teens. I know I'm not alone because the YA genre, or Young Adult, is awesomely popular right now. So I'm thrilled to have found a websi…
Those of you with little ones probably cannot imagine the day when your tween despairingly announces that her glasses make her look like "a total dork," but I'm here to tell you that it happens. And suddenly your kid is big enough to wea…
My kids are in that nightlight phase right now. (They're also in a Silly Bandz phase, a make me a sandwich and then I won't eat it phase, and a fighting about who gets to drink out of which princess cup phase. But that's besides the poin…
We've long adored the cute, unique little kid backpacks from Little Packrats (now PVC-free, by the way!), but now that some of our little kids are turning into big kids, we're glad that they've added some new bags just for them. The new …
Childhood diaries are always depicted as the tool of brooding, angry, angst-filled goth girls; more Heathers than Clueless . Personally, my own first journal was filled with a lot lighter fare. And a whole lot of bad rhyming poetry and o…
In the summer, I tend to let my handbags go a little more casual and a little less structured. Messenger bags can do the trick, but frankly, I don't want to look like a messenger. [ don't miss the giveaway after the jump!] That's where M…
We're heading into our second year of middle school , here, and it's been... interesting. It's definitely a whole different ballgame than elementary school, particularly for girls, who tend to morph into social piranhas pretty early. Is …
Most of the online shopping I do at UK shops is of the window variety. As in, browsing only, do not pass go, do not add to my cart, do not pay international shipping. But sometimes I stumble on a sale so good, it makes it worth it to do …
I have no trouble getting my kids to go outside on a summer's day, it's getting them to stay outside when the siren song of kids' cartoons and super-exciting video games beckon from the air-conditioned comfort of our home. That's when I,…
I've fought the princessification of my girls valiantly, as a mama who wants her girls to admire heroes who don't wait around for some dumb prince to find their happiness. As you may guess, it didn't work; they love princess everything, …
As a budding young ballerina, I was simply in love with A Very Young Dancer by Jill Krementz. I used to just lose myself in those marvelous photos until the pages were as dog-eared as the copies in the used bookstores that now carry it. …
Earth Day is fast-approaching, but this isn't just any Earth Day. This year happens to mark the 40th anniversary of the eco-celebration and to celebrate, Design Squad on PBS KIDS GO is launching the nationwide 2010 Trash to Treasure comp…
Even though I homeschool, I'm more than okay with farming out some subjects. Especially if my kids will do them happily on their own, instead of fighting with me for an hour. So, when Headsprout asked if my five year-old beginner reader …
I admit that when I first saw Lynn Hirshfield's new book, Girls Gone Green , I mistakenly assumed it was a collection of tween and teen celebrities sharing how they use eco-conscious nail polish or consume locally grown avocados in their…
As the mother of a fashion-conscious tween, I am here to tell you that sizes 10-14 or so are a forgotten wasteland when it comes to outfitting your kid. Little kid clothes are plentiful and varied, but the choices taper off with each suc…
The first thing I thought when I checked out the Grammaropolis website is that it's like Grammar Rock and the Mr. Men books had an adorable love child. You've got the catchy music, the little cartoon parts of speech (the verb is a superh…
Please help me find a First Communion dress that is a) not a bazillion dollars and b) not made out of that super scratchy cheap lace? The dress needs to be mostly white and dressy, but not too mini-bride! -Cathy We totally get what you m…
Somewhere in between bargain hunting and gift wrapping I make sure that I stop to think about how blessed I am in so many ways. After all, isn't that what this season is supposed to be about? Fashionology , a fun, interactive, design-you…
I learned long ago that the best way for my son to learn about "boring" things was to find creative ways to teach him . Although I personally am fascinated by Modern Art, he could probably not be able to withstand an extended visit to th…