So, marriage. Just the sound of it rings heavy, doesn’t it? The weight of the two syllables feels lofty with ideals. We want self-enlightenment and security and passion and magic and connection. But then there’s just so much pressure to get it right and not screw it up before we even get started. Then we spend a lifetime trying to mold ourselves and our partner into the coupling we envisioned. It seemed simpler before, back …

–Every Thanksgiving, my dad would push the family out the door right after the feast when any normal human would burp and take a nap. He’d grab his jacket from the hook on the wall, clap his hands together, and issue the decree we all knew was coming, “Okay, time for a walk!” There was no use fighting it. Only the elderly got a pass. No one would get pie until we’d done our time …

Oktoberfest, the world’s greatest beer festival, is held annually in Munich and other cities around the world. Stretching from September to October, this salute to beer seems off-limits for kids at first glance. But this isn’t touring wine country with the littles. It is, if done right, the coolest state fair and carnival and concert wrapped in to one. This is one family event where every single one of you can have fun. It’s ironic …

Having taught public school, private school, home school tutorials, and one-on-one, I’ve seen it all. There will always be discipline problems and tired kids and non-interest (not everyone loves a good John Donne poem). But one key to a child’s success both socially and behaviorally is the relationship between the teacher and the parents. Yet this is often one of the hardest relationships to keep positive. If you let it, it can become the cog …

The world, and the technology in it, is evolving. Self-driving cars are rolling in, robots are stocking Amazon shelves, and computers are working their way up the corporate ladder. We tend to approach change like a round of “Pop Goes the Weasel,” cautiously and with all systems firing so that when it does burst in on us, we can be ready. We look at the predictions for the price of college in five or 10 …

Unless you are an immigrant or the child of immigrants, the move from one country to another can be a hard thing for kids to understand. The transplanting of a life is about more than just a physical shift. It’s about holding onto one’s culture, ideals, and heritage during a shift onto new soil, and it’s no small thing. In honor of such a move, here are 15 books to help your child grasp what …

Now that autumn draws near, the fall bucket lists on every Pinterest page are starting to fill up. School is back in session. Pumpkin spice everything is everywhere. Scarves and boots are on the racks. Football drafts are in the works. Crockpots are creeping out of the pantry. There’s another layer fall brings for a parent of a child with special needs. There are considerations to be made that don’t fit with the standard protocol. …

If Disney is the Magic Kingdom, this is the Magic Kingdom’s cooler sister. Morgan’s Island Water Park is the place where kids with special needs aren’t just included; they are ushered in with open arms and free admission. Yes, you read that right. All kids with disabilities get into this water-themed park for free, and that’s just the beginning of its charm. As the mom of a son with cerebral palsy, we know what “handicap …

When in comes to the great outdoors there are two types of people: those who rough it and those who glamp it. But what is summer without a good campout? Nature resets something in all of us that needs slowing. It’s a handy serving size of meditative contemplation and it reminds us what the world looks like on the other side of the window. Every kid needs to sleep in a tent, count the stars, …

Some of my favorite Special Needs sites: Love that Max …this one’s my favorite! Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid …this is hilarious The CP Diary …written by a woman with Cerebral Palsy MOM – Not Otherwise Specified Support for Special Needs Hopeful Parents Autism Wonderland United Cerebral Palsy Foundation   Some of my favorite Infertility sites: Stirrup Queens A Little Pregnant Parenthood for Me Path to Fertility …wisdom & facts from a fertility clinic …