Financially Savvy Kids
Whenever we sit down for breakfast on Sundays, the first thing my kids pick up from the newspaper are the ads. They're always on the lookout for inserts with full-color images of toys, videogames and...
View ArticleEnding the Cycle of Abuse
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. In addition to raising awareness about this global problem that affects millions of children, it's also a time to reflect on our own actions as parents...
View ArticleAt what age should a child start taking private music lessons?
As a kid, I had no choice but to play the piano. Although neither one of my parents played any instruments, they somehow got it into their heads that their children had to take music lessons.For my...
View ArticleMore family time
Despite all our worries about working too much and not spending enough time with our children, a recent study now reports that the opposite is true: Families are actually spending more time...
View ArticleFriends without kids
These days, my social life revolves around my children and their activities. The people I spend the most time with end up being other parents -- usually mothers -- who have preschoolers and kids in...
View ArticleMentors in our community
The obituary caught my eye just as we headed out the door last week for America's Kids Run. Frank Edward Petek, 59, was the guy at the starting line of the annual event who would share a joke, give...
View ArticleMultigenerational households
During my childhood in the Philippines and then later in Seattle, I was lucky enough to live in the same house as other relatives. At one time or another, we had an aunt or uncle living with us. For a...
View ArticlePlaying favorites and sibling rivalry
"I love you all equally." At least, that's what most parents tell their kids. But at some point in their life, children who have grown up with siblings will probably question whether or not that's...
View ArticleGearing up for summer
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View ArticleMore conversations about race
One of the things that I love about the elementary school that my son attends is the diversity. As we checked out his kindergarten class photo this year, I was surprised – and also relieved – to see...
View ArticleCompetitive parenting
I don't say it out loud but every once in a while, as I watch other families, I catch myself thinking, "Oh, I wouldn't do it that way."I've also found myself on the other side, as the recipient of...
View ArticleThe unique needs of firstborn children
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View ArticleQuitting
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View ArticleThe Financial Cost of Having a Child
It costs more to rear a child than to buy a house in Spokane. According to the latest “Expenditures on Children” report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average expenditures on a child in a...
View ArticleFamily-friendly Spokane
Now that I have two kids in tow, Spokane has become the ideal place to live. In a mid-size community like ours, we have all the benefits of downtown and other big city amenities but at the same time,...
View ArticleGetting parents ready for college
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View ArticleChildren benefit from childcare, studies show, but how much is too much?
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View ArticleTeaching creativity
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View ArticleThe “friendly divorce” movement
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View ArticleThe benefits of having siblings
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View ArticleTaking care of other people's kids
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View ArticleBeyond Time Out
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View ArticleWorking teens
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View ArticleSpanking
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View ArticleMatt Freeman named executive director of Idaho Board of Education
“I am very grateful for the Board's confidence in me to assume this leadership position,” said Freeman. “I look forward to working with the Board, policymakers, public schools, and colleges and...
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