Is sleep apnea robbing your child's rest? 480 words by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. The night my husband fell asleep in our preschooler’s bed proved to be life altering. Awakened repeatedly by the volume of his snoring, it was more horrifying to note the lapses of fifteen seconds of complete silence. Ultimately we were compelled to videotape the labored nighttime breathing for the pediatrician....
Are less teens hooking up? by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. The most recent National Youth Risk Behavior survey reported that more than half of all high school students (52.2%) have not had sex. That number of virgins is significantly up from 1991, when the survey reported only 45.9% had not engaged in sex. I shared these statistics with suburban basketball mom Jade Swenson who...
Doodling benefits memory & concentration 415 wds/34 wd sidebar by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. One of my earliest memories is watching my mother sketch happy whimsical faces while talking on the phone. My sons’ binders are covered with detailed dragons, elephants, and superheroes, and I am a geometric doodler, endlessly tracing triangles and squares with a pencil to stay alert. I thought doodling was...
Get the facts. Do the homework. Trust your judgment. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 970 words Choosing a healthy, safe place for your child to thrive while you’re at work is a daunting decision. Daycare horror stories making national news may suddenly keep you awake at night. But take a deep breath. Safe, healthy options for childcare are out there. It’s important to gather...
If you are parenting a teen. 635 words by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. I’m the first to admit having teens in the house can be challenging as a parent. It’s confusing. The experts tell us it’s dangerous and unhealthy to be their friend (“They have to see you as an authority!”), yet there are plenty of moments it feels natural to do so—to laugh,...
Ditch these common discipline traps 1500 words by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. If Houdini was the “Handcuff King,” in terms of disciplining my kids, I may be the “Handcuff Queen.” It is so easy to feel trapped and even bound when it comes to discipline. Our best attempts at helping our children learn self-control reveal we are often ourselves in short supply. It’s tricky...
Your child is still in there & needs connection 700 words by Michele Ranard If you have an adolescent, you already know how they can become too busy for you! It is more important than ever to be intentional about connecting. Maybe you feel as if all you do is service your tween or teen and watch them disappear (with the contents of...
Parents earn their license to mortify 600 words by Michele Ranard To the attractive mother with long wavy red hair in the minivan parked near me in the drop zone at middle school this morning: may I just say, “You rule the universe, and you make this mom proud.” Was that the cabbage patch you rocked from the driver’s seat? ‘Cause your skills...
OMG: Sexting is all the rage by Michele Ranard “I’ll never forget the first time I glanced down at my son’s cell phone and read a girlfriend’s text!” Jackie Patterson has a 15-year old son and was shocked by the sexually aggressive message sent to her son. “It was raunchy and turned my stomach. I felt like the end of childhood arrived in...
Before the guests arrive, Martha melts down 600 words by Michele Ranard Two years have passed since I cleaned the inside of my refrigerator. I am otherwise immaculate. I feel I have simply earned the right to a certain measure of filth in my castle. It is true I am blessed with OCD and enjoy a beautiful uncluttered nest. Most days the place...
Preventing eating disorders in children 700 words by Michele Ranard Seated on the floor with legs stretched out before her, my perfectly proportioned and petite eight year old niece recently gazed at her bare legs and sighed, “My thighs are fat.” My son is thirteen, has washboard abs from swimming, and has asked us far too often for the number of calories on...
