http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/ en-us Copyright 2009 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:53:14 -0500 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=1.53 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Question: In the past year, my 14-year-old daughter has begun a nasty and disgusting habit -- she chews her fingernails off and the skin around them. Outside of school (and other similarly public venues), she nearly always has a hand... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/14yearold_cutic.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/14yearold_cutic.html Barbara's Mailbag Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 Barbara, we want to know if it's wrong to give kids everything they want and how to have fun with them better ways. From: Jimmy W, Knoxville, TN... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/barbara_we_want.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/barbara_we_want.html Barbara's Mailbag Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 That headline could easily include step parents, but I ran out of room. The gist of the question remains the same: Should your significant other, who is not your child's parent, be allowed or encouraged to discipline your child?... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/should_your_boyfriend_or_girlfriend_discipline_your_child.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/should_your_boyfriend_or_girlfriend_discipline_your_child.html Lylah M. Alphonse Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:49:57 -0500 My son is 7 1/2 and is in second grade. His first month of school went very well, but then something changed. He dreads going to school now. I have contacted the teacher and the after-school program. There is no... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/my_son_is_7_12.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/my_son_is_7_12.html Barbara's Mailbag Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 Hi, I just recently ran into an old friend of mine. I have a 16-month-old daughter, and the person I was taking her for daycare to was no longer available. My friend has a daughter that is just a little... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/can_a_friend_be.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/can_a_friend_be.html Barbara's Mailbag Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 Barbara, my almost-6-year-old grandson plays by himself at recess. He had one boy he played with before break but since their return he plays by himself again. He is very intelligent but has a great imagination. Kids say hi to... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/this_6yearold_l.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/this_6yearold_l.html Barbara's Mailbag Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 Lynsee, a 23-year-old teacher in Minneapolis, is expecting her first child any day now. And she's decided to share the whole experience, from the first labor pain to that final awesome push, with the internet.... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/first_time_mom_plans_to_give_birth_live_on_the_internet.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/first_time_mom_plans_to_give_birth_live_on_the_internet.html Lylah M. Alphonse Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:52:08 -0500 Hi Barbara, I have a six-year-old girl who has a six-year-old male classmate in Kindergarten. Our daughter has told us the boy is her boyfriend and she wants to marry him and he has told his parents the same... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/_hi_barbara_i_h.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/11/_hi_barbara_i_h.html Barbara's Mailbag Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 Tomorrow is Halloween, and this morning I dropped an adorably ferocious dinosaur and a sparklingly happy winged fairy off at preschool. They have been looking forward to their class parties all week, proudly making decorations and planning games and treats... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/should_ghosts_and_ghouls_be_allowed_in_schools.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/should_ghosts_and_ghouls_be_allowed_in_schools.html Lylah M. Alphonse Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:31:15 -0500 My question: I have one son who just turned 7. He's started first grade and this is the first year where he actually has homework. It's just one paper - usually math problems. My issue is this, when we get... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/getting_off_on.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/getting_off_on.html Barbara's Mailbag Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0500 Question: Is my seven-month-old son weaning himself or on a nursing strike? He's just gotten his top two teeth in and combined with a stuffy/runny nose, is biting but not willing to nurse. Though he is teething a bit and... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/is_7month_old_r.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/is_7month_old_r.html Barbara's Mailbag Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0500 Hello, Recently my wife and I weened our daughter off of the beloved "binky" (thing they suck on / chew toy / projectile!). We let her know in advance that we thought the "Binky Fairy" may be coming soon and... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/from_binky_to_t.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/from_binky_to_t.html Barbara's Mailbag Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0500 Question: My 11-year-old son is in the 7th grade, and we are now kicking ourselves that we didn't hold him back in Kindergarten. Although he's intelligent and happy, his performance in school is inconsistent - he'll do really well in... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/question_my_11y.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/question_my_11y.html Barbara's Mailbag Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0500 I read the New York Times article last week about how, for some parents, shouting at kids has replaced spanking, and I immediately felt guilty. I've been solo-parenting for the past week while my husband is with our oldest kids,... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/do_you_yell_at_your_kids.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/do_you_yell_at_your_kids.html Lylah M. Alphonse Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:25:09 -0500 Dear madam Barbara, My son is 6 years old and he is bit lazy. He always depends on me for his daily routine. He is fussy in eating and gets angry for a silly reason. He always sleeps late at... http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/_dear_madam_bar.html http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/child_caring/2009/10/_dear_madam_bar.html Barbara's Mailbag Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:00:00 -0500