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5 Wordless Ways to Comfort Loved Ones
We all want to comfort the ones we love, especially our children, when they are upset or stressed but not all parents, or all kids, are comfortable talking about feelings. For that matter, a lot of times kids genuinely don’t understand what is upsetting them. There are times that trying to force a conversation makes […]
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Gift Guides
House and Home
Mom & Mother's Day
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Your Wife
Gift Guide: DO Something
You aren’t likely to go wrong with the classics like flowers and breakfast in bed, and if she doesn’t like those you almost certainly already know. But there is something I suspect would make most women happy that most never put on a gift list: finish something on their honey-do list. If she has been […]
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Fun and Games
Games & Playing
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Teens
Cards Against Humanity and Teens
I don’t know if you’ve seen or heard about this card game but “Cards Against Humanity” is billed (on the box) as “a party game for horrible people.” Our teen wants this game and he’s not alone in that. There is no chance – zero – of us giving it to him as shipped but […]
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Books
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Lists
134 Kids and Teen Book Recommendations from State Libraries
The Library of Congress has an annual book festival where, among other things, all 50 states and the US territories are invited to have a table and promote their state literacy programs. Every state has their own “center for the book” that selects notable books about the state and/or by state authors, although not all are […]
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Bonding
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Relationships
Teens
Young Adults
Tips for Talking to Your Teen
Little kids want nothing more than to talk to mommy and daddy – sometimes a bit too much! But teens? We all know that changes in the teen years. You still see your baby even as they start driving, graduate, move out, and start their own life. Finding a balance between the baby you see […]
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Bonding
Family
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Grandparents
My Dad
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Then and Now
33 Questions to Ask Your Dad
Two weeks ago, my dad was healthy. Old (in his 80s, he won’t argue that point), but healthy. Within 24 hours, he was hospitalized and although he is home now, they never figured out what went wrong and he’s still not well. It’s the sort of thing that really makes you realize all the questions you […]
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Featured
Camouflage, Cover, and Concealment: The Art of Staying Safe
This is from a book I am writing “26 Mental & Urban Life Skills” in my series “Survival Skills for All Ages.” Given the events in Las Vegas last night, I decided to share this information on camouflage, cover, and concealment. I pray that you and yours never need it. Escape and evasion is always […]
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Books
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Little Kids
Preschool
10 GREAT Picture Books You’ve Never Heard Of
There are mountains, heaps, and masses of amazing picture books available today. No matter what your tyke is interested in or worried about, there is a picture book (or five) about it. Our personal collection of picture books included a larger-than-average number of books focused on art and artists. I am really at a loss to […]
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Mental Health
Social Issues
When Mental Illness Strikes Close to Home
When mental illness strikes close to home, it can be hard to know what to do. The first, and sometimes hardest, step is recognizing that it really is mental illness. When mental illness gets scary, it’s more than depression or anxiety. In the cases that impacted our family, it definitely involved delusions and paranoia. Thankfully, it […]
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Dad's Wishlist
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Fun and Games
Traditions
Vehicles
Getting Started in Electric Trains
You can name everyone on the Island of Sodor. You know who is emerald green, and who causes confusion and delay. As much as your child loves Thomas and Friends, they are getting bigger and you think it’s time to try electric trains, but you don’t know where to start. Our experience is that it’s […]
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