From the Editor: Mothering mentors - I had a hard act to follow when I became a mother. My mother was the most selfless person I’ve ever known... Read on

The missing moms of books and movies - Did you ever notice how literature and movies are really rough on mothers?...... Read on

Becoming a mother takes time - Over twenty years ago, there was a rush of books on the market with titles like The One Minute Manager.... They were meant to reassure us that we could still be effective... Read on

A small case of mommy envy - I was lying in bed, wide-eyed and worried at three o’clock in the morning. It was a few days before our first child was born... Read on

How do you spell love? M-O-T-H-E-R - Mother’s Day is right around the corner. You can smell it in the air, the sweet aroma of chocolates and fresh flowers filling the stores... Read on

Grandmas make good neighbors - My mom lives across the pasture from us and a well-worn path stretches between our houses... Read on

Steps to Success: Parentpreneurs - Would you like to translate your idea for a parenting product into a business?...... Read on

Mothers Acting Up advocate on behalf of the world’s children - Mothers Acting Up (MAU) was created by four friends who—while raising their children together—became increasingly disturbed by the choices their government was making... Read on

Being there - The first time I picked my son’s nose, my husband cringed... Read on

Discussion for parents: Raising globally minded children - The Puget Sound area has many families who consider themselves part of the global community, and who are eager to raise sensitive, compassionate, globally-minded children... Read on

Go outside and play! - Go outside and play! - that’s what mothers told their children when I was growing up.... Read on

A child visits the workplace - If you ever want to get a blank look, just ask a child what his mother or father does for a living... Read on

Let them eat dirt - Kids love dirt. Mud pies. Messy hands. Bugs... Read on

Take the time to slow down - My children have been my greatest teachers. Compared to my education in all its varied forms, my children continue to be the best... Read on

Purple carrots: kids eat what they grow - Our children come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors—just like the fruit and vegetables we eat... Read on

How to plant a pizza garden - There’s one surefire way to get your kids excited about gardening—grow a pizza garden!... Read on

Green Power Baby Shower Expo - The Green Power Baby Shower Expo is coming to the downtown Seattle Sheraton Hotel on Saturday, May 3... Read on

From the Editor: New beginnings! - What better time than spring to celebrate new beginnings?... Read on

Instrument of torture or the Magic Flute - The instrumental music teacher cast her net into the fourth grade and pulled me into her boat, wriggling weakly... Read on

Chores, chores, chores - When I was growing up, Saturday was cleaning day. I had to vacuum, dust, scrub toilets, and pick up my room... Read on

An Irish feast from the kids’ kitchen - We love food at our house. My kids are all foodies, like myself... Read on

That darn Easter grass:Searching for inner peace among plastic vegetation - Easter stresses me out. Many people regard Easter—like spring—as a time of renewal... Read on

Natural egg dyes - Consider the possibilities in your own back yard and vegetable crisper for making natural Easter egg dyes this year... Read on

From the Editor: Acts of love and kindness - As you consider Valentine¹s Day remembrances, take a moment to think about the many ways you already show your love for your family each day... Read on

A Valentine from a boy who means it - “Dad, tell me about the first time you ever kissed a girl....”... Read on

Reclaim the romance! The at-home date night - Date night. Those words have quite a ring to them. But, for parents, sometimes a romantic evening out can seem more like a distant fairy tale... Read on

For love of Earth and sky - Psst! Excuse me, all you big people out there. Let’s not scare our children to death about the sad state of our planet, please... Read on

Gender and the arts - I read parenting articles all the time looking for guidance on my parenting journey... Read on

Parents are part of the program in co-op preschools - I was among the first of my friends to have a baby, and when I decided to stay home with my daughter, it was quite a culture shock... Read on

Healthy parents need couple time - Parents, more than anything else, want to do a good job. You want to raise smiling toddlers, well-adjusted teenagers, and successful adults... Read on

Bringing in the New Year - Introduce the customs and traditions associated with Chinese New Year to young readers by reading and sharing... Read on

Why Einstein never used flashcards - Many parents have had the experience of getting a lighted, musical, brainy toy for a special child and then having them react strongest to the box... Read on

Children learn second language easily - It may seem, well, foreign to introduce another language to your child when they haven’t even mastered English... Read on

Embrace a sustainable lifestyle! - The word sustainable is everywhere these days. What on earth does it mean?... Read on

Taming your child’s closet - You wonder how it ever got so out of control. Clothes are everywhere: your child’s closet and dresser are packed, and the laundry never ends... Read on

From the Editor: Let there be light - In one of our family’s favorite holiday books, The Mole Family’s Christmas, young Delver Mole, asks a friendly mouse: “What is Christmas?...” ... Read on

The Christmas-gift quandary or the Epstein family curse - “So, Dad, what would you like for Christmas?” I would ask that question every year from the time I was eight years old... Read on

The Twelve (Green) Days of Christmas - Not only do I find the song The Twelve Days of Christmas incredibly annoying, it’s also highly impractical... Read on

Gifts from the kids’ kitchen - Kids are great gift-givers. Recently, after a trip through the toy aisle, my eldest son began to scheme about what to purchase for his three younger brothers... Read on

Holiday magic - By now, my daughter’s preschool teacher is used to Emma’s active imagination... Read on

Holiday photo tips - Many families take photos during the holidays than at any other time of year. ... Read on

Five acts of kindness - Acts of kindness, both big and small, can help change the way you perceive the world and how others experience it... Read on

From the Editor: Traveling beyond D Street - My 12-year-old sister had gone to play with her friend and had left her new bike in the garage... Read on

Little kids with big plans - “I’m going to be a cat when I get big.” For my three-year-old daughter Wendy, the question “What are you going to be when you grow up?” is completely open-ended... Read on

Schoolmarm, school mom - From the moment we decided between cloth diapers and disposables, this parenting gig has been full of choices... Read on

Giving the gift of experience - The year I turned five was the year I was fortunate enough to enjoy the wonders of seeing ballet performed in a theater... Read on

Sharing fine art with children - The Northwest is home to several great art museums... Read on

Volunteer drivers urgently needed - Senior Services Transportation Program is seeking Volunteers Drivers... Read on

From the Editor: Harvest some fall memories - At our house At our house, as soon as we flipped the calendar page to October, the children started planning for Halloween... Read on

Skeletons, werewolves, and ghosts - “If a werewolf bites you, would you turn into a werewolf?” Wendy had been watching some unsuitable television and she was a little stirred-up... Read on

Field trip tips for homeschoolers - Several years ago, I coordinated a field trip to an agri-tourism farm for my homeschool group... Read on

Put history and flavor on your table with heirloom fruits and vegetables - Remember how good tomatoes from your grandmother's garden tasted? It wasn't just her gardening skills or that the tomatoes were fresh picked... Read on

Alternatives to Halloween Hangovers - The media has our attention: American obesity and related illnesses are reaching an “out of control” epidemic... Read on

Change your clock, change your battery - It is a simple message that can save lives—change the batteries in your home smoke alarms when you change your clocks in the fall... Read on

Kamana for Kids: Nature Stories and Activities for Children - Kamana for Kids is a program designed to introduce children to nature through stories and activities... Read on

KidsQuest offers homeschool science series - KidsQuest Children’s Museum in Bellevue is now offering a science lab learning series for homeschoolers... Read on

Turning 10 - “When is a kid old enough for a pocket knife?” my daughter Marie asked... Read on

Consignment stores: shortcuts and sure bets - I reach for the adorable purple shirt, my heartbeat quickening... Read on

Working from home with children - Working from home can bring visions of pajamas at noon and leisurely walks on sunny days with just your toddler and cell phone along for the ride... Read on

Whose homework is it anyway? - As another school year approaches, I’m reminding myself to butt out of my daughter’s homework... Read on

Green is the color for back to school - There was a flyer in my box in June about going back to school. Teachers hadn’t even taught their last week... Read on

Savoring life with preschoolers:Enrichment activities - Yesterday as my two-year old, soaking wet and clad in a soggy swim diaper, climbed into my fully-dressed lap, I reflected on the brevity of this season... Read on

From the Editor: Simple pleasures - My Aunt Wilma died recently at age 92, after living all her life on farms in western Iowa... Read on

One hot July day in Washington, D.C. - “I thought you said there were TWO Wright Brothers,” said my six-year-old daughter Sally... Read on

Simple celebrations - I recently read about parents who spend thousands of dollars on their children’s birthday parties... Read on

Saving the Earth CSA style - In a society with many acronyms, it took me years to understand the earth-saving importance of these three little letters: CSA... Read on

A new way to celebrate a birthday - My son's birthday is this month. And while I thank the heavens above for such a wonderful gift (my son), I cringe at the thought of the annual birthday party... Read on

Bellevue moms launch online guide for Eastside families - With the official launch of RubySlipperGuide.com, two local stay-at-home moms have added "update the website" to their list of daily tasks... Read on

From the Editor: Dads really make a difference - I like to watch young fathers interact with their children.... Read on

A secret celebration of fatherhood - The problem with Father’s Day is that it’s hard to maintain everyone’s enthusiasm for a whole day of celebrating fatherhood... Read on

Taking on the outdoors - More and more families are making outdoor play a priority and everyone’s reaping the benefits... Read on

Benefits of Family Camp Programs - Parents across the country pick their children up from camp to hear them tell tales of new friends... Read on

It’s the Great American Backyard Campout! - Join with families, friends, and neighbors camping out across the country on Saturday, June 23, for the third annual Great American Backyard Campout... Read on