March, 2017 | PulseonParenting

The Common Cold: Your Questions Answered

Mar 30 2017

It’s morning. I’m getting ready for school and hear my family in the kitchen. My husband’s rattling cough, punctuated by wall-shaking sneezes, echoes through the house. My daughter harmonizes with a wheezy, low melody. My older son, who normally sneezes three times in a row on a good day, seems determined to break the world’s record for ah-choos in rapid succession. And my younger son? Still out “cold” and I’m just letting him sleep. As for me, I’m dragging and achy and my throat is sore. I don’t have the sonorous coughing or sneezing like the rest of my family…

Mar 21 2017

There’s an episode of the sitcom New Girl where lovably pedantic Schmidt pulls out his ringing mobile. Incredulous, he says, “What? My phone hasn’t rung in two years!” There’s plenty of truth in that one-liner. We have Skype. We have FaceTime. And the too-convenient ability to text message. Really, who talks on the phone anymore? Mobile phones are hardly the simple chatting devices of ages past; they are fun-sized, portable computer devices, a far cry from the spring-tethered rotary dial model and the cordless version my family used to lose under the couch cushions. We communicate so differently…

Mar 15 2017

Remember Snackwells? The near-miracle treat that contains no fat? Back when we were told that fat, any fat, in our diets would surely lead to our artery-clogging demise, these cookies were a godsend to those of us with a raging sweet tooth. And I remember my indulgence, eating almost a whole box of the devil’s food variety, proudly avoiding an eminent heart attack by eating dessert so wisely. But now, times have changed and the “devil” in the name of those (let’s face it) tasteless, half-dessicated cookies has an updated meaning. Most of the calories come from sugar (satanic carbs!) and…

Mar 09 2017

One morning last fall, I just had to walk away. Homeschooling was not going well, specifically grammar, and I had to just take a break. No, we all needed a break. It was a Monday, my daughter was coming off her 10th birthday celebration, and we were in a sprint down Letdown Lane. Ok, I’ll admit it. I didn’t just walk away. I went and hid in my bedroom. Before I retreated, I gave my kids their science books and asked them to read. I honestly didn’t think they’d do it (they did admit to playing Minecraft on my…

Archive - March 2017

The Common Cold: Your Questions Answered

What We Need to Know About Cell Phone Etiquette

Beware of Hidden Allergens

Am I Doing Too Much? How to Help Kids Become More Responsible