Parenting Reprints

20 Questions to Ask During Pregnancy (1020 words plus sidebars)provides an annotated list of questions patients can ask their health care providers to ensure they have the healthiest pregnancy possible. Empowers readers during prenatal care and delivery.

How to Love Your Pregnant Body (860 words) helps moms-to-be accept the physical changes of pregnancy and treat themselves with care and compassion. This piece is a great fit for your pregnancy department or for a special-edition baby guide.

Preventing Birth Defects (925 words, 52-word resources sidebar) offers expert advice from preventive medicine and high-risk pregnancy specialists about ways to reduce the risk of birth defects before and during pregnancy. Highlights importance of genetic and prenatal screening, lifestyle choices, and avoiding workplace hazards like X-rays and toxins.

Eight Benefits of Professional Labor Support (700 words, + sidebars) describes eight benefits of doula supported labors, including physical, social and emotional advantages. Optional sidebars (110 words combined) provide information on how to locate a doula, what to ask before hiring her, and how much doula services cost.

Coping with Infertility (750 words + two sidebars, 75 and 145 words, respectively) describes common stresses of infertility and offer suggestions for taking care of your health, well-being, and your marriage relationship. Sidebars suggest resources for information and support and explain “what not to say” to friends struggling with infertility.

New Mom Mistakes: Befriend Yourself and Move Forward (900 words) explains why new moms obsess over the potential consequences of their errors and hold themselves to impossibly high standards. Mental health experts offer advice to help new moms treat themselves with a spirit of care and compassion, even when they fall short of their own ideals. Two brief sidebars offer suggestions for self-compassion and a light-hearted response to unsolicited advice.

The New Parent Trap (950 words; infant and older) exposes the invisible traps that keep new parents from asking for or accepting help. Expert moms teach readers how to ask for (and accept!) assistance. This article is a perfect fit for your “New Baby” issue or for infant “Ages and Stages” section.

Sleep Training Basics (900 words plus sidebars) highlights similarities and differences between several common sleep-training methods and offers tips for maximizing the effectiveness of whatever technique parents choose. Optional sidebars explain how to make kids’ rooms sleep-friendly and help parents align their expectations with reality.

4 Ways to Encourage Independence Every Day (960 words) shows parents how to encourage age-appropriate independent action in four areas: getting dressed, eating, playing, and spending money. Ideas are appropriate for toddlers through teens. This evergreen article fits well in July (Independence Day) or for back-to-school.

The Waiting Game: 10 Low-Tech Ways to Keep Kids Entertained (675 words) offers fun ideas for passing time with kids. These games require few supplies and can be tailored to work with kids of all ages.

Help Kids Handle Disappointment (940 words) shows parents how to acknowledge feelings (both their own and their kids’), how to guide kids through a discovery process, and how to support their coping efforts.

Talking with Kids about Tragedy (820 words plus 70-word sidebar) addresses issues that arise in the wake of tragic events. Parents learn to acknowledge their own feelings, what (and how much) to say to kids, how to give kids active coping opportunities, and what signs to watch out for. Optional sidebar helps parents determine when to seek professional help.

The Parenting Time Warp (980 words) explains how individuals’ temporal personalities can conflict with the demands of parenting — for instance when a clock-obsessed go-getter parents a laid back preschool dawdler. Offers advice for slowing down, taking stock, and finding your own custom speed.

Becoming a High-Energy Mom (either 450 or 830 words + 60-word resources sidebar; all ages) offers tips for moms on how to eat, move, work and sleep for sustained physical and emotional energy. Includes advice from nutrition, fitness, and sleep experts and an explanation of why multitasking drains energy and how to get focused.

How to Respond to Anger (750 words + 130-word sidebar) moms learn how to get angry without getting burned. Expert suggestions help parents avoid overwhelm, identify real issues, take responsibility for their feelings and actions, and express disagreement without blame or hostility. An optional sidebar summarizes a recent study showing the effects of parent hostility on toddlers’ aggression.

Admitting Mistakes to Teens: Why It’s Hard and How to Do It (1020 words; tweens/teens) shows how parents’ refusal to admit mistakes pushes teens further away at a time when they need our support. Offers expert advice for coming clean to your teen, which builds trust and bolsters parental influence.

Single Parent or Superhero? (1070 words) explores the reasons help-seeking is difficult for single parents and offers practical advice for identifying needs, making connections, and getting support from others (including the kids). Includes a sidebar with online sources for inspiration, co-parenting strategies, and kid-friendly information.

Great Work! Using Praise to Build Kids’ Self-Confidence (800 words, 65 word sidebar) describes the pitfalls of effusive, sweeping praise, and offers tips for giving kids positive feedback that nurtures healthy self-assurance. This article is aimed at parents of preschool and school-age kids, and I’ve included an optional resources sidebar. Evergreen or back-to-school.

Show and Tell: 10 Things the Babysitter Should Know Before Your Next Night Out (700 words) Lighthearted, practical advice to help parents establish clear expectations and provide thoughtful how-to information that sets a babysitter up for success.  

Have the Happiest Babysitter on the Block (550 words) shares eight ideas parents can use to make their favorite babysitters feel respected and useful so they aren’t lured away by the sitter-stealing parents down the street.

Tattle Taming: Why Kids Tattle and How to Respond (760 words) offers expert insights from child psychologists into the reasons for kids’ reports and the wisest way to react. Parents learn why ignoring a tattle tale doesn’t quiet him down, and how to act as a mediator in kids’ conflicts instead of solving problems for them.

You’ve Got It, Mom: 10 Tips to Boost Self-Confidence (720 words plus sidebars) goes beyond a fake-it-until-you-make-it approach to help readers tap into authentic feelings of self-assurance with 10 can-do behaviors. Sidebars direct readers to web resources and offer silly strategies to boost self-confidence.

Encourage a Can-Do Attitude about Academics (830 words; school age) describes recent research findings on optimism and learning, and gives parents practical strategies for encouraging a learning mindset. This topic is evergreen and the article fits well at back-to-school time or mid-year, since kids and parents often refocus on academics after receiving mid-year report cards.

Learning Beyond the Books: 5 Skills Smart Kids Need (1000 words + 40-word resources sidebar; all ages)explains critical skills kids need to succeed in and beyond the classroom: Growth Mindset, Meta-cognitive Understanding, Investigative Approach, Emotional Intelligence, and Self-expression. Readers learn what each skill is (and why it matters) with expert advice from educators and psychologists. They’ll also find practical skill-building suggestions to implement in their own homes.

Homework Help (800 words; parents of school age, middle school, high school) shows parents that – when it comes to homework help – what you ask is more important than what you know. Gives parents 10 smart questions they can use to direct kids’ work and teach important learning-management skills and explains why these questions are critical.

Spelling F-U-N (770 plus sidebars) describes twelve easy, multi-sensory spelling strategies parents can use at home tonight. Includes an optional sidebar (100 words) with entertaining children’s books that confront tricky spelling problems and spelling test anxiety.

Killing Creativity: Why It’s Declining and What Parents Can Do about It (850 words + 140-word creativity-building sidebar; preschool and school age)  helps parents see how kids’ natural creativity gets crushed in our modern culture and presents sage advice from educators skilled in arts-based instruction on how to regain the creative edge.

Creative Brain Builders (600 words; directed at parents, some activities include kids) describes eight creative ways to rev up your creative energies and go from “hum-drum” to “a-ha” in short order. Inspires readers to think laterally, even when they’re stressed out and busy.

Again, Again! How to Make Reading Irresistible to Preschool Boys (several versions, from 580 to 1050 words; short version moves booklist to optional sidebar; preschool age) discusses the literacy gap between boys and girls and offers tips for making the most of reading with young boys. Includes a booklist with dynamite read-aloud recommendations.

Ready, Set, School! Preparing your Child for Kindergarten (880 words) describes the results of a national survey of kindergarten teachers and offers fun, practical ways to get kids ready for kindergarten. Parents get expert insights to help prepare pupils for reading, writing, speaking, math and science, small motor skills, self-care, and social interactions. An optional sidebar gives advice on selecting appropriate educational technology for little learners

Finish the School Year Strong (620 words) helps parents encourage kids’ learning right up to the final bell with tips for assessing learning and requirements, project planning and test preparation. Includes expert advice from tutors and testing professionals.

6 Math Projects to Make Summer Count (850 words, 2 sidebars 150 words total) describes hands-on project ideas for preschoolers and kids in grades K-6. All use inexpensive supplies and can be done with a single child or a larger group. Optional sidebars point readers to online resources and math-tastic toys, and remind them that a good old-fashioned lemonade stand reinforces many math skills.

Pursuing Your Own Education (720 words + 70-word sidebar) inspires parents to pursue their own educational goals, even in the face of practical and personal obstacles. Offers advice on choosing the right program, finding funding, and proceeding at a pace that is right for the reader. First-person insights from a guidance counselor who received three degrees while raising a family inspire and instruct.

How to Beat Back-to-School Clutter (800 words + 150-word sidebar) offers a three-zone defense parents can use to keep kids’ school-time clutter under control. Professional organizers share tips on setting up a launch pad, homework supply caddy and an information station. Optional 150-word sidebar points parents to slick online organizing resources.

Get the Poop on Potty Training (800 words plus sidebars) offers experts’ answers to parents potty-training questions in a straightforward, Q-and-A format. Sidebars list signs of potty-training readiness and direct parents to useful potty-training resources.

Help Kids Conquer Social Anxiety (865 words; school age) offers practical strategies parents can use to help kids stretch beyond their social comfort zones and explains when parents should seek professional help.

Say Goodbye to Ghosts and Other Childhood Fears (880 words plus two sidebars) shows parents how to help kids confront their fears so they don’t grow bigger and scarier. Sidebars highlight story, picture and self-help books addressing common kid concerns and info-seeking strategies that undermine scary thoughts. Evergreen. Fits well with Halloween editorial.. Evergreen or Halloween.

Dental Drama: How to Handle Kids’ Dental Anxiety (800 words; ages birth to 10) offers expert, show-stopping advice on how to address kids’ anxieties during at-home hygiene, before visiting the dentist, and at their next appointment. This topic is evergreen, and the information in this piece is aimed at parents of children from birth to age 10.)

Self-Conscious Smiles (750 words) helps parents address kids’ concerns about wearing braces and what ego-friendly options are available to treat dental alignment issues. Includes expert insights from orthodontists and a counselor with insight into self-images issues in tweens and teens. Perfect for dental health month (February) or your health-related special issue or tween/teen department.

10 Not-So-Proud Moments in Parenting (280 words) I recently instituted topless spaghetti dinners to avoid marinara stains that just won’t come out. This came back to haunt me when the kids told my mother-in-law they “eat dinner naked.” This short list describes 10 funny (and embarrassing) situations that will resonate with other moms of young children.

You Know You’re a Mom If… You spent months agonizing over the perfect no-too-trendy baby name only to call your child “Booty” or “Flapjack” or “The LaundryMaker.” (250 words) Lists ten humorous truths about motherhood. Perfect for mother’s day issue or any time you need a pick-me-up sidebar.

10 Super Powers Every Mom Wants (250 words) Every mom secretly wishes for a few super powers to make her life easier, like the ability to be in two (or three) places at once. This fun filler reminds moms of what’s most important in parenting: love, laughter, connection and compassion.

10 Sure Signs It’s Summertime (220 words) Shares ten fun summertime truths that parents everywhere will recognize. This light article is a perfect way to celebrate those golden days between the end of school and the back-to-school blues.

Every Setback has a Silver Lining (190 words) reminds parents of the important life lessons kids learn through disappointment. Can be used as a sidebar to articles on optimism and disappointment or as a stand-alone piece.

How to Beat the Winter Blues (760 words plus sidebars) describes the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder and gives readers effective, practical strategies for feeling better, including increased light exposure, higher-protein diets, exercise, and social activity. Optional sidebars offer happy habits readers should practice all year long (100 words) and alert readers to recent findings that show women who deliver babies during winter months are at increased risk for post-partum depression (65 words).

Emergency Room Pointers for Parents (640 words + 60-word sidebar; all ages) offers insider tips from physicians on how to get quality care in the emergency department, even if kids’ concerns aren’t life-threatening. Evergreen. Fits well during fall/winter cold and flu season.

I Think I Can: Eight Ways to Encourage Optimism in Your Child (900 words + 230-word sidebar; all ages) describes the benefits of an optimistic attitude and shows parents how to build kids’ optimism and persistence on a daily basis. An optional sidebar describes well-loved books that provide optimistic models for readers of all ages. Evergreen. Fits well with New Year or back-to-school editorial.

Living Your Life’s Dream (880 words + 145-word sidebar; focuses on parents’ self-development)describes reasons why readers might not be living their dreams (to date) and how to take action (starting today) that will make dreams reality. Practitioners of positive psychology share their insider secrets to overcoming anxiety and living a fulfilled life. Evergreen. Fits well with New Year’s editorial.

Restful Resolutions (600 words; tips for parents) reveals seven strategies parents can apply tonight to fall asleep faster, sleep more soundly, and awaken rested and ready to tackle tomorrow’s kid chaos. Available in two versions: one with a New Year – New You slant, and one that is appropriate for any month of the year.

Keep Your Resolutions: 8 Ways to Change Any Behavior (760 words) presents eight principles – based on research – that apply to any live-better effort. They don’t cost a dime, and your readers can enact them immediately. I’ve also included a brief sidebar with links to online resources and communities, to help readers find social support for their efforts. This piece is slanted to fit with your New Year’s editorial; the topic is evergreen.

How to Help Teens Tackle New Year’s Resolutions (900 words) gives parents a consulting skills tune-up to address four common self-improvement goals teens take on: losing weight, getting better grades, saving money, and making friends. Expert advice in each area clues parents in to the process of change and encourages them to scaffold kids’ success without undermining their motivation. A consulting “cheat sheet” for parents that applies to any teen-related behavior change effort is also included.

Creative Valentine’s Day Fun (550 words)shares ideas for crafty Valentine-themed projects and activities parents and kids can do together. Focuses on easy, inexpensive ways to express affection and spend time together. Includes links to online instructions and resources.

Ten Creative Ways to Tell Kids You Love Them (600 words) gives parents fun ideas for showing kids we’re head-over-heels in love with them, including faux tattoos and homemade fortune cookies. Perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Loves Me, Loves Me Not: Supporting Kids through the Ups and Downs of Friendship (1000 words; school age) shows parents why social conflicts occur, what kids are doing when they share them with us, and how to support kids without micromanaging their social lives. Evergreen. Also fits with Valentine’s Day editorial.

Supporting Adolescent Romantic Relationships (1,040 words) reminds parents about what kids learn from romantic relationships and offer a list of do’s and don’ts to help parents support healthy relationship skills development. Evergreen and also appropriate for Valentine’s Day editorial.

12 Ways to Show Kids What Grown-Up Love Looks Like (920 words) offers twelve tried-and-true ways to refresh your romantic relationship with your spouse and show kids what real love looks like. Based on the simple, straightforward advice of Harriet Lerner, PhD, author of Marriage Rules: A Manual for the Married and Coupled Up. Valentine’s Day or evergreen.

Get Outdoors: 8 Reasons to Spend Time in Nature (675 words) highlights specific findings from recent research that will make your readers want to get outside at the first sign of spring. Sidebars include outdoor activities to do with kids, a list of web resources to maximize the fun (and benefits) of outdoor adventures, and a reference list of studies cited.

Lucky You! (700 words) describes ten ways to find more good fortune (and live happier), based on solid studies in psychology. This piece is a perfect fit for March Saint Patrick’s Day-related editorial, and, since good luck is always welcome, this article is evergreen.

Finish the School Year Strong (620 words) helps parents encourage kids’ learning right up to the final bell with tips for assessing learning and requirements, project planning and test preparation. Includes expert advice from tutors and testing professionals.

Grow with It! How to Thrive at Each Stage of Motherhood (Two versions: 1000 or 2000 words; optional 100- and 185-word sidebars; all ages) In this article, moms of all ages and stages share wisdom and words of encouragement to help readers grow with their kids. Sidebars provide reader resources and quoted responses to “How have you grown with your kids?” Evergreen but perfect for Mother’s Day.

Safe at Home Plate: How to Prevent Baseball-Related Injuries (650 words + 100 sidebar) gives expert stay-safe advice from an emergency and sports medicine specialists to prevent acute and chronic injuries common in baseball players. Includes an optional sidebar describing signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke and reminding parents what to do if they see these signs.

Ten Tips for Clearing Out Clutter (700 words)  offers suggestions for sorting, selecting and paring down personal belongings to free up physical and emotional space.  These practical suggestions will help your readers manage their cluttered lives and live happier with less. Spring cleaning or evergreen.

What Dads Do Best (1350 words) describes six ways dads parent differently and encourages moms to see how their own parenting challenges might be tackled with a more dad-like approach. This upbeat, balanced article – with quotes from moms who with inspiring co-parents – is a perfect way to celebrate Father’s Day.

Travel with Kids of All Ages (880 words + optional 50- and 80-word sidebars; all ages from infant to teens) offers practical tips to ensure your next family adventure is exhilarating in a good way. At each stage, parents learn how to schedule travel and pit stops, what to bring, and how to balance important kid concerns. Evergreen or summer vacation.

Mom’s Post-Vacation Vacation (520 words) shares ten suggestions for post-vacation-vacation destinations that will help parents recover from too-much togetherness. Most ideas are low-cost and close to home, and they remind readers that it doesn’t take much to reclaim peace and quiet.

Kids Flying Solo? Help Them Soar (750 words plus short web-linked sidebars) offers advice for booking kids’ flights, packing and preparation, including expert insights from travel consultants and parents whose kids frequently fly unaccompanied by an adult. Optional sidebars direct parents to online travel planning resources and alert them to recent changes in TSA policy regarding kids’ shoe removal at airport screening checkpoints.

How to Handle Homesickness (without bringing kids home!) (609 words + 55 sidebar) helps parents address homesickness without making the problem worse. Parents get expert suggestions on how to support campers while they explore the world on their own. Optional sidebar lists comfort items to send to camp with your kid.

Kids Going to Camp? How Not to Worry (940 words; school age) helps parents understand their own summer-camp anxieties (Will she eat? What if the other kids are cruel?) and shows them how to stop worrying and stay focused on the benefits of camp experiences. Fits with a camp guide or summer editorial.

Self-Determination at Summer Camp (760 words; school age and up) explains the psychology of summer camp and shows parents how camp experiences meet kids’ needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. Kids feel energized and engaged when these needs are fulfilled. Fits with camp guide or summer editorial.

What to Do While the Kids are Away (530 words; focuses on parents’ self-development) Lighthearted inspiration for parents; describes ten ways to spend free time while the kids are at camp or on a long visit to grandma’s house. Fits with summer editorial.

6 Math Projects to Make Summer Count (850 words, 2 sidebars 150 words total) describes hands-on project ideas for preschoolers and kids in grades K-6. All use inexpensive supplies and can be done with a single child or a larger group. Optional sidebars point readers to online resources and math-tastic toys, and remind them that a good old-fashioned lemonade stand reinforces many math skills.

Handling Outdoor Emergencies (560 words + 90-word sidebar) teaches readers how to avoid and respond to life-threatening emergencies caused by heat, weather, water, and allergic reactions. An optional 90-word sidebar points parents to sources of additional information and first aid training.

Heat Emergencies (680 words, 60-word resources sidebar) describes the range of reactions to prolonged heat exposure and offers six stay-cool strategies for families, including smart clothing choices, hydration tips, and indoor activity options.

Water Safety for Tots to Teens (Series of 3 articles, 300-words each) Reminds parents that safety supervision is job one, even when there are lifeguards on duty. Offers expert advice on how to keep kids safe at spray parks, water parks and pools, and at the beach. Fits with summer editorial.

10 Sure Signs It’s Summertime (220 words) Shares ten fun summertime truths that parents everywhere will recognize. This light article is a perfect way to celebrate those golden days between the end of school and the back-to-school blues.

Beat Back-to-School Clutter (800 words plus sidebar) provides easy home organizing ideas for maximizing school success. Readers learn how to set up a launch pad, homework supply caddy and an information station. Optional 150-word sidebar points parents to slick online organizing resources.

Classroom Connections: 12 Ways to Support Your Child’s Teacher (750 words; school age) describes the benefits of strong parent-teacher partnerships and offers tips for establishing and maintaining effective collaboration throughout the school year. Perfect for back-to-school.

Choosing After-School Activities (650 words; school age) describes the academic, social and physical benefits of extracurricular programs and helps parents sort the best programs from the rest, with advice from educators and psychologists. Focuses on back-to-school planning.

New School? No Problem (680 words plus 140-word sidebar) describes ways parents can help school-age kids get comfortable, with attention to the school environment, academic anxieties, and the school-day routine. An optional sidebar highlights worry-busting books appropriate for kids from preschool to middle school, listed by age group.

Say Goodbye to Ghosts and Other Childhood Fears (880 words plus two sidebars) shows parents how to help kids confront their fears so they don’t grow bigger and scarier. Sidebars highlight story, picture and self-help books addressing common kid concerns and info-seeking strategies that undermine scary thoughts. Evergreen. Fits well with Halloween editorial.

Happy Hello-ween: Social Skills for Trick-or-Treaters (415 words) offers practical advice for coaching kids’ social skills while they make candy requests in costume. Fun and  informative reminder of the importance of clear speech, eye contact, personal space and good manners. Halloween editorial.

Giving Thanks: Inspired Ways to Put Gratitude in Action (660 words) offers ten fun, creative ideas for expressing gratitude to family and friends, and in the reader’s community. These ideas show kids how to express thankful feelings and build themselves and others up in the process.

The Practice of Gratitude: 30 Ways to Give Thanks (930 words) offers readers fun, meaningful ways to build grateful habits in family life. Suggestions will help readers think grateful thoughts, and to express thanks in word and in action. Perfect for Thanksgiving editorial, and can be presented in calendar format or online day-by-day throughout November.

Family Fued? Not This Year (960 words) offers a 4-step approach to identifying issues, being inclusive, enlisting peacekeeping help and seeking peace. With some strategic planning and the handful of tactful responses in this article, your readers can make their holiday celebrations more enjoyable for everyone.

Have a Haiku Holiday (700 words plus sidebar)shares ten ideas for creating simple, satisfying holiday celebrations using the lessons of haiku.These Japanese poems – which are written in a strict form with three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables each – require the poet to express the essential and eliminate everything else. An optional sidebar of holiday haiku poems will inspire your readers to write their own.

Gifts Money Can’t Buy (930 words, all ages) reminds parents of kids’ deeper psychological wants and needs and shows them how to give life-changing gifts that don’t cost a dime. Perfect for holiday time; also available with a Valentine’s Day slant.

The Gift of Fond Memories (925 words; all ages) helps readers to go from ordinary mom to memory-maker extraordinaire by infusing these not-so-secret ingredients into their own family traditions. Evergreen or with a holiday slant.

“It’s Not Fair!” How to Handle Holiday Rivalry (880 words; all ages) explains the dynamics behind kids’ concerns about fairness and offers constructive, practical suggestions for dealing with kids’ complaints that “she got more than I did.” Slanted to fit with holiday editorial, when many parents struggle to balance their desires to make each child feel special and to treat them all fairly.

Ten Tips for a Debt-Free Holiday (890 or 500-word versions available) shows how our beliefs and behavior can trap us into spending more than we’d planned and offers financial experts’ practical advice for safeguarding the bottom line throughout holiday season.

What Kids Need (740 words, all ages) reminds parents what kids really need from us: structure, support, undivided attention, apprenticeship, silliness, patience and real conversation. Encourages parents to refocus on meeting kids’ needs consistently and generously, without fear that they’ll be spoiled rotten as a result. Slanted to fit holiday editorial, ideas are evergreen.

What Moms Really Want (1200 words; all ages) Moms from across the US and Canada share their best-ever holiday gifts and most-loved treasures. This light-hearted article reminds readers that they probably already have all that their heart desires (and more). Available with holiday slant or for any time of year.