Dec. 18 -- Parent
seeks tips on inexpensive holiday gifts (Laurie Abbo) Question: We have a very limited budget this year,
and I have many people to get presents for. My three children
all want to give everyone gifts, too. Do you have any ideas on
simple, inexpensive gifts to buy or that they can make?
Dec. 14 -- Software
for children entertains while it teaches (BRIAN BETHEL) In the early days of computers, children’s
software was mostly drill-based, lifeless and without any childlike
spark to fuel it. These days, things are very different.
Dec. 14 -- Keyboard
Kids - Here’s a guide to help you choose children’s
software (BRIAN BETHEL) When
the twinkling lights of Christmas Eve are replaced by the golden
light of Christmas morning, digitally savvy Santas will be passing
out software to good little boys and girls.
Dec. 11 -- How
can we connect the body with the mind to be better parents?
(Laurie Abbo) Question: I read a
lot in some of the newer books out today about the connection
with mind, body and soul. Can you tell me how I can use this understanding
to become a better parent?
Dec. 10 -- You
can ‘buy’ a star, but it’s only the thought that
counts (BRIAN BETHEL) From the
time the first human looked up into the sky in wonder to the most
recent dreams of childhood’s memory, the stars have beckoned.
Dec. 9 -- Grace
updates Tot Spot, other offerings for children (ROB MOORE)
The Children’s Museum area
of the Grace Museum will unveil some new goodies this afternoon.
The first phase of the museum’s renovation will complete
its voyage with a ribbon cutting at 4:30, followed by the opening
at 5 to initiate Artwalk.
Dec. 4 -- Parent
seeks value-centered audio-visual stimulation for children
(Laurie Abbo) Question: What audio
and video tapes do you recommend for bringing out the values we
want our children to have?
Nov. 27 -- Is
there one unifying principle of good parenting? (Laurie Abbo) Question: If you could give just one piece of advice
to parents on what to do to raise a well-adjusted child, what
would it be?
Nov. 20 -- Just
what is it about Pokemon that makes kids crazy? (Laurie Abbo) Question: What is the deal with these Pokemon toys?
My kids have turned into obsessed maniacs with the trading cards
and wanting to buy every toy that is available.
Nov. 13 -- Good
intentions aren’t enough to make parent meet goals (Laurie
Abbo) Question: I have read your
columns regularly and agree with everything you say, but I find
it so hard to put into practice being a parent who doesn’t
yell, nag, guilt and punish my children.
Nov. 11 -- Readers
share their most memorable birthday ideas (BRIAN BETHEL) Cake + Candles + Presents = Birthday Party. Everyone
knows that. Ah, but there are infinite variations on that all-too-familiar
theme, meaning that just because it’s a birthday doesn’t
mean you have to do the same old thing every year.
Nov. 9 -- Got
A Picky Eater? - Experts advise worried parents to do their best,
then just relax (JENNY DEAM) As
a thinking, caring parent, you probably already have some working
knowledge of the food-pyramid concept. You might even be able
to use the phrase minimum daily requirement correctly in a sentence.
You know what you’re supposed to do as far as feeding your
kids nutritious, well-balanced meals.
Nov. 9 -- Age
gap between siblings changes family dynamics (BRIAN BETHEL)
When she first found out she was
pregnant for the fourth time, Glynell Hughes was a bit taken aback.
Nov. 8 -- Immunizations
are crucial to child’s well-being (Brian Bethel) There are few people who look forward to shots,
but they’re a necessary part of our modern medical arsenal.
And when it comes to administering immunizations, no one needs
them more than children, especially in the first year of life.
Nov. 6 -- New
stepmother can’t cope with kids, stepkids arguing (Laurie
Abbo) Question: I remarried a year
ago, and with my husband came his two children — a 13-year-old
daughter and a 9-year-old son.
Oct. 30 -- Put
some Halloween humor in your parenting (Laurie Abbo) In observance of Halloween, I wanted to give you
some words of wisdom from my friend, Swami Beyondananda. The Swami
is the “brainchild and alter ego” of writer/humorist
Steve Bhaerman.
Oct. 23 -- How
should one handle unsolicited parenting advice? (Laurie Abbo) Question: I would like to know what you have to
say concerning unsolicited advice. I love my mother dearly, but
she seems to think I don’t know what to do for my children
in many cases.
Oct. 16 -- Help!
My 11-year-old always wants to have the last word (Laurie
Abbo) Question: Whenever I correct
my 11-year-old, he always has to have the last word.
Oct. 12 -- To
Spank Or Not? (BRIAN BETHEL)
For those growing up in other eras, misbehavior meant a swat on
the behind. Today, though, the practice of corporal punishment
or “spanking,” is a hotly contested topic that attracts
opinions both pro and con.
Oct. 12 -- ‘Growing
pains’ isn’t just an old TV series (Danny Reagan) Count me in as one of those who years ago thought
growing pains was one of those wives’ tales along the lines
of “it’s too cold to snow.”
Oct. 9 -- Parent
wishes to eliminate, or at least control, anger towards children
(Laurie Abbo) Question: I am trying
very hard to get rid of all my judgmental attitude traits, but
the one I have the hardest time altering is my anger towards my
children for not using good judgment or their intelligence sometimes.
Oct. 2 -- New
parents-to-be have jitters about parenthood (Laurie Abbo) Question: We are about to have our first child
and I am going crazy thinking about all the things we need to
do for our baby. How do you go about preparing to raise your first
child? Do you have any suggestions?
Oct. 1 -- ‘Pocket
Monster’ card game is raging as hottest new fad for kids
(BRIAN BETHEL) In the local Toys
R Us, a battle rages on. Lightning and other elemental furies
are unleashed. Cries of victory and defeat echo through the store.
A steady, measured chaos ensues.
Sept. 30 -- A Legacy Of Love - Wherever you find Bonnie
Shake, you’ll find children
(BRIAN BETHEL) If children truly are the future, then Bonnie Shake
has assured that the future is a very bright place indeed. Shake
has worked with children in one form or another pretty much all
of her life.
Sept. 26 -- Earliest
reading experiences bring back fond memories (BRIAN BETHEL): An old book is an old friend. Whether the pages
are tattered and torn or kept as pristine as the day it was bought
matters little.
Sept. 26 -- Some
books for children will always be classics (BRIAN BETHEL): Some children’s books will always be in print.
Sept. 25 -- Giving
kids freedom and responsibility is a great idea — but how?
(Laurie Abbo): Question: I have
read in your column many times where you suggest giving children
a lot of freedom to make their own decisions, learn from natural
consequences and be responsible for the choices that they make.
Sept. 18 -- Self-awareness
is the key to explaining ‘bad’ things to kids (Laurie
Abbo): Question: How do I explain
to my children the reason for which bad things happen?
Sept. 16 -- A
harmonious home nurtures children who live there (DORIS WILD
HELMERING) How wonderful for a child
to be able to arrive home from school knowing he is loved. Knowing
that when he walks into the house, he’s going to feel supported,
nurtured and comforted. Knowing that he is safe from criticism,
anger and hurtful remarks.
Sept. 14 -- Please
teach the children manners; thank you (Danny Reagan) A couple of years ago, a letter to the editor appeared
in this newspaper that decried the extinction of “thank you”
as a phrase the “new generation” used … or even
knew.
Sept. 14 -- Joint Venture - Parents, teachers working together
greatly enhance child’s education (BRIAN BETHEL) When
it comes to your child’s schooling, parents and teachers
are a team. That’s the only way to ensure that your child
is making the most of his or her time in school, experts agree.
Sept. 11 -- Difficult
upbringings can produce well-adjusted, successful adults (Laurie
Abbo): I am going to approach today’s
column a little differently. Online, I met a very nice 20-year-old
young man with a good job, who was telling me about his upbringing.
Sept. 4 -- Parents
must punish but maintain their kids' confidence (Laurie Abbo): Question: What do you think is a good consequence
for a child who perpetually refuses to complete his homework assignments?
Aug. 28 -- Is
home intervention the key to preventing crimes by children?
(Laurie Abbo): Question: I was reading
in the Abilene Reporter-News last week about Kip Kinkel, the boy
who shot his parents and then went to his school in Eugene, Ore.,
and shot students.
Aug. 26 -- Learning
to succeed in school is a family venture: Was your child’s academic performance in middle
school less than thrilling last year? If so, now is the time to
help him turn over a new academic leaf, say Margaret Sagarese
and Charlene Giannetti, who interviewed educators, parents and
middle school students for their new book, Parenting 911: How
Parents Can Safeguard and Rescue 10- to 15-Year-Olds (Broadway
Books).
Aug. 22 -- Today's
teens have different views on sex, friendship: In the wake of changes brought on by the feminist
movement and the sexual revolution, youths and their parents are
faced with conflicting portrayals of adolescent reality: the hormone-crazed
teen engaged in casual sex and the confident teen, capable of
building strong, respectful platonic friendships.
Aug. 19 -- Face
problems with school bullies head on:
In the world of the bully, everyone is a potential victim: The
small. The weak. The quiet. Even those who don’t fit into
those categories.
Aug. 16 -- Points
to consider when choosing day care:
Parents are the primary educators of their children, and the best
child care, of course, is nearly always at home.
Aug. 10 -- Preparation
can help kindergartners with first-day jitters: Going off to school this fall will be giving many
kindergartners the first-day jitters, especially children who
have never attended pre-school or day care. Avoiding tears —
from children and parents — is possible through a little
preparation.
Aug. 10 -- Valuable
lessons in the name of discipline (Danny Reagan): Today’s Topic: Discipline. Without discipline
your kids become Children of the Corn (also see Philistines).
Aug. 4 -- Good
habits can help kids grow into healthy adults: One of the best ways to help your children to grow
into healthy adults who don’t struggle with weight or eating
problems is to instill healthy eating habits from the minute they
take their first bite of food.
Aug. 4 -- It
makes good sense to invest in children:
Recently, we wrote an article suggesting that society, and government
services, wake up to the fact that more than 60 percent of all
mothers with children work. We advocated that the post office,
driver license bureau and school systems consider adjusting work
schedules so working parents wouldn’t have to take time off
from work to buy a stamp or attend a parent-teacher conference.
Aug. 3 -- Satisfactory
school supplies have to be trendy:
Time was, all a kid needed for school was a composition book and
a few pencils, but today’s students are demanding consumers
in an exploding market for back-to-school supplies — an industry
that rakes in $6 billion in the second half of the year.
Aug. 3 -- Bed-wetting,
though common, can be distressing:
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There’s nothing wrong with school-age
kids who wet their beds. Lori knows that. She’s a nurse in
the Children’s Mercy Hospital clinic that treats bedwetters.
Lori wet her bed until she was 12, and her 5-year-old daughter
does the same now.
Aug. 2 -- Birth
order can provide clues to your kids:
Understanding why your children fight may be as simple as understanding
their birth order.
July 13 -- Realistic
view can improve family trips (Brian Bethel): There’s no such thing as a perfect vacation.
Start believing that before you go, and you may save yourself,
your children and other members of your family some grief.
July 13 -- Guard
your health while on vacation:
You have arranged for someone to take care of the dog, collect
your mail and water your plants. Your bags are packed, and the
tickets are in your hand.
July 13 -- Enjoy
kidspeak; just don’t try to analyze it (Danny Reagan): This past Father’s Day was historic. For the
first time in the history of my dadhood, all four of my children
— even the 16-month-old — hand-delivered me cards.
July 12 -- Choosing
the right swim class can help ‘waterproof’ children: For hundreds of Abilene youth anticipating the
retirement of arm floaties, summer is a time to set aside water
anxiety and sign up for swimming lessons.
July 12 -- Weigh
respect vs. fear in raising your child:
Maybe it was because his voice was so deep. And so stern. And
so loud. When we were in our bedroom at the end of the hall and
Dad was, well, anywhere else in the house, he could boom out an
order to stop fighting that would make us drop fistfuls of hair,
quickly pull back flailing limbs and stop the caterwauling mid-screech.
July 12 -- Find
time to put together family photo albums: So you’ve dug out all the family photos from
shoe boxes or drawers, and are ready to begin placing them into
an acid-free, lignin-free environment.
June 19 -- Reader:
How do I make my 14-year-old clean her messy room? (Laurie
Abbo): Question: My 14-year-old
daughter refuses to keep her room clean no matter what I do, and
I feel it is a hopeless situation. Do you have any ideas?
June 12 -- Sticks
and stones hurt less than name-calling (Laurie Abbo): Question: When my son gets into verbal fights with
his friends and his feelings are hurt, I really want to say something
that is helpful. Do you have any ideas?
June 11 -- Circumcision
needs careful study by parents:
Male circumcision has become so controversial that some doctors
won’t even talk about it, at least not on the record.
June 8 -- Board
books grab attention of babies, toddlers: Board books and books printed on stiff, thick cardboard
abound in the bookstores these days, but not all of them are worth
buying for your baby or toddler.
June 8 -- Car
seat wars: They’re bulky, bewildering and a basic fact of
life: The child car seat: at
one point or another, the bane of every parent’s existence.
June 8 -- Everybody
is a role model, with parents heading the list (Danny Reagan): Are you a role model? Sure you are. Everyone is.
From God on down to Elmo on Sesame Street, and everyone in between.
Some are good role models, some are bad, some are both.
June 5 -- Parenting Perspectives Get some advice on parenting
from new columnist (Laurie
Abbo): Question: I am a full-time
working mother. I don’t need to work, but I really enjoy
it and I feel guilty for not being home right after school. Any
suggestions?
June 2 -- Hug
therapy can help children: KANSAS
CITY, Mo. — When a child develops emotional problems, sometimes
love is not enough. Sometimes, said nationally known child psychiatrist
Martha Welch, it takes an intense hug therapy between a mother
and her child.
June 1 -- How
clean should children be?: Some
parents wage an all-out war against dirt and germs. They wipe
down the kitchen counter with an antibacterial sponge, scrub the
bathtub with an antibacterial cleanser, stock every sink with
antibacterial soap and carry antibacterial hand gel in a handbag
or glove compartment.
May 26 -- Exploring
the mother-daughter relationship:
Two magazines joined forces recently to explore the relationship
between mothers and their teen-age daughters. The results of a
comprehensive survey were reported in Ladies’ Home Journal
and Seventeen magazines.
May 26 -- Are
innocent parents being accused of child abuse?: Child abuse finally was treated as a serious issue
in the 1960s, but there was a backlash in the early 1980s when
it became apparent that child testimony in several high-profile
cases had been tainted by overzealous therapists asking leading
questions, according to Arthur Allen, writing in the March issue
of Redbook.
May 21 -- Talking
to kids easy to say, tough to do:
We were hearing it long before the Littleton shootings. The advice,
that is — from therapists and spokespeople encouraging us
to Talk to Our Kids.
May 11 -- Maturity
puts ‘important’ things in proper perspective (Danny
Reagan): What if you blinked your
eyes and your young children aged 12 years? You’d probably
feel cheated of countless “Life Moments” and incredulous
as to the changes — in both them and yourself.
May 11 -- Creating
relationships is important lesson for children (Brian Bethel): For children, making friends is serious business.
The very process provides valuable lessons necessary to assure
your child’s social growth, while the practice of making,
keeping and on occasion losing friends gives your child a world
of experience that will help them foster relationships later in
life.
May 11 -- Teasing
can cause serious ego problems for school-age children: KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Shannon Heffernan, a junior
at Center High School, has witnessed it. The taunting, the teasing,
the bullying. Students teased about their clothes. Teased over
how they speak, what they say. Teased for being “stupid,”
teased for being who they are.
May 4 -- Parents
can reassure their children that Kosovo will not happen here: Atrocities in Kosovo. Ethnic cleansing. Humanitarian
crises. The terrible series of events in the distant land of Yugoslavia
is difficult for most adults to comprehend, so it’s no wonder
it gives them pause when children ask questions.
Apr. 14 -- Preemies
need prescription cuddling:
PALO ALTO, Calif. — Little Neil Norby is just 3 months old,
but already he is no stranger to heart monitors and respiratory
machines, needle pricks and surgery.
Apr. 13 -- Teaching
young children to do household chores can help them develop
(Brian Bethel):
Whether it’s taking the dog for a walk, helping fold clothes,
assisting in keeping the house clean or any of dozens of similar
tasks, chores can help teach your child responsibility.
Apr. 7 -- Irresponsible
child may be fearful, forgetful (Yvonne Fournier): Dear Dr. Fournier: I just got to work after taking
my son to school, and I am angry with him for his irresponsibility.
Mar. 22 -- Day-care
providers depend on prompt payment:
Paying a day-care provider should not be the last thing parents
want to do. Day-care providers provide a very needed service in
exchange for what’s usually a very nominal, but nonetheless
a very needed, paycheck.
Mar. 9 -- ‘Terrible
Twos’ aren’t just a figment of our imaginations
(Danny Reagan): My wife doesn’t
believe in the “Terrible Twos.” That’s despite
overwhelming evidence to the contrary at our house: a 2-year-old
version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Mar. 9 -- Childhood
experts offer parents advice on how to fight the Bedtime Battle
(Brian Bethel): It’s time
to sleep. But your favorite little person doesn’t seem to
think so. He cries. He complains. He wants a drink of water. He
wants another story. He wants everything but sleep.
Feb. 19 -- Babcocks
chosen ACU Parents of Year:
When Andrew Babcock heard his mother scream his name he froze
in his tracks. "It was one of those screams you don’t
know if you’re in trouble or if you’ve done something
good," he recalled.
Feb. 8 -- It's
the least you can do for your kids (Danny Reagan): What’s the most you can do for your kids?
How about this for an answer? The least. It’s a concept with
which most of you are already familiar.
Feb. 8 -- Sure
as shootin', they'll shuck those shoes (Brian Bethel): For adults, shoes serve a purpose. They protect
the feet as they go through life’s daily toil. For children,
especially young children, shoes are something probably more for
parents than for them.
Jan. 19 -- Tomorrow
fund helps pay for students' futures:
When you send your kids to college, you spend money like there
was no tomorrow. For many Texas families, though, tomorrow has
already been taken care of in the form of the Texas Tomorrow Fund,
now in its fourth enrollment year.
Jan. 12 -- Spanking:
do you or daren't you? (Danny Reagan):
Along with religion and politics, that's a topic many people avoid
in casual conversation with strangers.
Jan. 12 -- Resolve
to be a better-communicating parent (Brian Bethel): A new year is often a time to turn something old
into something new. As children get older, a new year might be
seen as time to work on better grades, start new projects or even
broader goals.
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