Take Time to Be a Dad Today »

The NY Times today features a story about a new advertising campaign, aimed at reminding fathers to be a more active part of their children’s lives. The public service ads from the Advertising Council are aimed at American-Indian, Asian-American and Hispanic fathers.

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Is it Time to Return to Caveman Parenting? »

MSNBC reports on some studies that were presented at a conference this week at a University of Notre Dame conference, that show that early human parents were more empathetic and attentive, and provided a nurturing environment with multiple caregivers, in contrast to the way some (most?) children are raised today.

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Yo Gabba Gabba! Live Hits Boston »

A few weeks ago my husband and I took our two-year-old daughter to her first concert – Yo Gabba Gabba! Live. For those of you without a toddler – you may be asking – “Yo Gabba what?” Think Sesame Street meets Teletubbies with a twist of hip hop funk for a modern and cool feel (and to also help keep the parent’s attention!). The show’s the latest rage on Nick, Jr. and takes the excitement on the road this fall by visiting over 60 cities nationwide.

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Larabar Mini Bars »

Every year I stock up on candy weeks before Halloween, and even though I hide them in the pantry, I manage to eat half the bag by the time the trick-or-treaters actually come around.

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LEGO Universe: an MMOG for the whole family »

Online safety for kids. Of course, if your child is playing a game where they interact with strangers, even virtually, a parent will have concerns. I spoke with the game developers about the safety measures they have put in place to ensure our children are safe from virtual harm. If players want to "chat" they can only use approved words and word combinations. Inappropriate language simply is not allowed to be typed into the conversation and is monitored immediately in a pop-up chat window.

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Teach Your Children (to drive) Well… »

The AAA Foundation wanted to see how well parents did when teaching kids with learner permits. They put cameras on the dash of cars, and followed 50 families. They were disappointed to find that supervised driving averaged only 2 hours a week, and only 20% of that at night, where kids need more experience.

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Up, up, and away: five timely travel tips for moms and families »

From flight delays to complex baggage regulations to enhanced security issues, international travel presents a real challenge to any traveler, much less those traveling with kids. Last spring, I crossed the pond for the first time with my eight-year-old daughter in tow. We came home with incredible memories, a little bit of jetlag, and a few mom-friendly travelers’ tips:

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Taking the (link)bait »

When I was in high school, there was a word I hated: social climber. I abhorred that word because it conjured up creepy crawly images of icky people that were disingenuous by nature and just, well, ick. Now there's a new word I detest for much the same reason: linkbait.

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Social media for good »

For many users, social media provides a great way to kill time, and with three percent of Twitter’s servers dedicated to Justin Bieber and sites like Perez Hilton and Texts From Last Night, you can easily understand how.

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Getting kids in the kitchen with You Can Cook and a pesto recipe »

From You Can Cook by Annabel Karmel. If you’re growing basil in your garden, have the kids help you make some pesto sauce! This recipe uses pine nuts, which is perfect for families with nut allergies since pine nuts are actually seeds and not nuts.

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Austin, Texas: My new favorite city »

In case you missed my earlier solo vacation post, I recently traveled solo to Austin, Texas on my quest to vacation somewhere I’ve never been. The allure of Austin included the music scene, the promise of great Tex-Mex and BBQ, and the availability of direct flights from Boston on my favorite airline, JetBlue. These things, and more, contribute to my new infatuation with this hospitable and happening place.

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