Bits and Pieces

What is it about the age of three that suddenly makes every gift come in a million itty-bitty pieces? No, not broken toys, just toys with a lot of parts. As in, parts over here and parts over there. Until you just give up and say, “Oh well, I’ll find them with the … [Read more...]

A Different Kind of Bath Safety

No doubt as a parent you’ve witnessed some odd behavior from your toddler. Things like running naked after the cat brandishing salad tongs, eating miscellaneous crusty items off the kitchen floor (but refusing good food at dinner), and even drinking her own bathwater — in great … [Read more...]

Building a Better Nugget

There are times when I wonder if I am raising my child so different from the norm that her friends are going to think she is a geek. If she has friends. Usually these thoughts occur to me just as our lifestyle choices slam us up against typical American habits, especially … [Read more...]

Getting Less to Give More: The New Birthday Party

As the holiday season approached, my husband and I experienced more than the usual anxiety. It wasn’t a matter of what to buy, for us, it was important to consider what not to buy and the many reasons why: We wanted to avoid the crush of gifts that create an association in a … [Read more...]

When “Getting the Lead Out” is Not Enough

The recent recalls of toys for lead contamination has become a major concern for parents. Additional research shows that it is not just lead we parents should be concerned about. Healthy Legacy, an environmental group of Minnesota, worked in tangent with a few other … [Read more...]