Previous Articles

Those Darned Socks -- April 1997
In which Laura does some soul-searching about materialism and living a simpler life.

My Son, The Marine -- May 1997
In which Laura and Karyn struggle to come to terms with Bryan's decision to enlist in the marines.

Busted By My Four-Year-Old -- June 1997
In which Eli accuses Laura of not being fully present, an offense she is entirely guilty of.

Teaching Peace -- July 1997
In which Laura and Karyn take a small step toward a more peaceful household.

Mama Kisses -- August 1997
In which Eli's kisses become too intimate and Laura learns the importance of setting clear boundaries.

A Parental Paradox -- September 1997
In which Laura faces the paradox of wanting children more than life itself, and then, just as strongly, needing to get away.

The Chickenpox Blues -- October 1997
In which Eli pushes every button Laura has and she has to admit there are times she does not like her son.

Losing My Mind -- November 1997
In which Laura details all the things she's lost since her third child, Lizzy was born.

The Love Bomb -- December 1997
In which Laura and Eli creatively explore a four-year-old's obsession with big guns.

Ouch! Stop Hurting Me! -- January 1998
In which Eli keeps physically hurting Laura and she struggles to figure it out.

The Big Bug -- February 1998
In which Laura and Eli have a building frenzy with K'nex™.

What's Heterosexual? -- March 1998
In which Laura scrambles to answer Eli's first questions about homosexuality.

I Don't Want To Go, Mama -- April 1998
In which Laura grapples with being the extroverted mother of an introverted child.

Mama, You Hurt My Feelings -- May 1998
In which Laura once again learns to listen to her children and apologize when she blows it.

Laura's Last Column? -- June 1998
In which Eli asks Laura to stop writing her column and Laura struggles with what to do.

Mama, Can I Get A Sticker Now? -- July 1998
In which a sticker chart helps Justin learn kindness toward his younger sister.

The Art of Do-overs -- August 1998
In which Vicky teaches Justin how to turn things around when two people have their heels dug in.

I Don't Want To Go To Kindergarten -- September 1998
In which Justin expresses the growth ambivalence most of us experience when faced with major life changes.

The Big Heist -- October 1998
In which Justin mysteriously "finds" fifteen dollars, and Vicky has to talk to him about taking things that aren't his.

Sick As A Dog And Still On Duty -- November 1998
In which Laura comments on the daunting challenge of being sick and still having to take care of the kids.

Weaning Emily -- December 1998
In which Laura weans a reluctant toddler from the breast.

It's Not Fair! -- January 1999
In which Vicky tries to come to terms with Justin's complaints that his little sister always gets more of Mama Vicky's attention than he does.

The Carseat Wars -- February 1999
In which Vicky struggles with two-year-old Emily, who refuses to get in her carseat.

Justin Learns to Ride a Bike -- March 1999
In which Vicky watches in delight as Justin master a two-wheeler.

I've Lost My Trust In You -- April 1999
In which Vicky is forced to confront her own rage and help Justin learn to deal with his.

Justin counts! -- May 1999
In which Justin proudly counts up to a thousand and Vicky reflects on children’s readiness to learn.

Sick Kids at School -- June 1999
In which Vicky wrestles with whether to send a sick kid to school so she can go to work.

Massage Night -- July 1999
In which Vicky saves a deteriorating evening by introducing the concept of massage night.

Making Decisions -- August 1999
In which Vicky uses an early morning argument as a way to teach Justin about the process of making decisions.

The Sandwich Generation -- September 1999
In which Vicky is faced with juggling the needs of her aging father and her two young children in a scary urban environment.

The Wishing Tree -- October 1999
In which Vicky and Joan teach Justin and Emily about the importance of having a special tree.

Weaning Emily Again -- December 1999
In which Laura decides to wean her last child, Emily, a month before her third birthday.

Weaning Emily, Take III -- January 2000
In which Emily expresses her grief, anger and bewilderment at being weaned, and Laura must contend with a shift in her daughter's sunny disposition.

I'm a Bad Person -- February 2000
In which Laura helps Justin deal with feelings of self-hatred after making a mistake.

Harry Potter -- March 2000
In which Laura and Justin dive into the world of Harry Potter.

When Emily Goes Over the Rainbow -- April 2000
In which Laura, who is rested from a night out, is able to deal with a cranky, irrational daughter with the kind of generosity and grace that come from having a full tank.

Playing Cards with Emily -- May 2000
In which Laura explores the different ways her three-year-old Emily and seven-year-old Justin approach playing games.

Justin's Snuggy Tank -- June 2000
In which Justin gets a lesson in filling the empty places we all have inside

Mama, You Plan Too Much -- July 2000
In which Laura is confronted with two members of her family whose needs for solitude and quiet time at home far surpass hers.

Swimming Lessons -- August 2000
In which Laura finally acquiesces to her daughter's desire to quit swimming lessons.

Grandpa's Ashes -- October 2000
In which Laura, Joan, and their daughter Emily go to pick up Grandpa's ashes.

Fire Story -- November 2000
In which Laura, Joan and the kids wake up at 4:00 A.M. with their house on fire.

Taking Inventory -- December 2000
In which Laura reflects on her family's belongings in the aftermath of the fire.

Point and Grunt -- January 2001
In which Laura discusses the hidden message that often lies beneath kids' difficult behavior.

Risk -- February 2001
In which Laura ponders the ethics of playing warlike board games with seven-year-olds.

Big Rocks, Little Rocks -- March 2001
In which Laura remembers how important it is to prioritize the important things in life.

New School -- April 2001
In which Laura has to deal with Justin's reaction when he's told he's going to a new school.

Sabbath -- May 2001
In which Laura rediscovers the value of slowing down and stopping the frantic pace of life.

A Child's Grief -- June 2001
In which Laura learns to follow the meandering path a child's grief sometimes takes.

Mom's Friends -- July 2001
In which Laura takes stock of the ways she must redefine friendship in the wake of motherhood.

Whose Vacation Is This Anyway? -- August 2001
In which Laura experiences the conflicting expectations that wreak havoc on family vacations.

The Wall They Bounce Off Of -- October 2001
In which Justin starts a new school and Vicki learns, once again, that she can’t make his feelings go away.

After The World Has Changed -- November 2001
In which Vicky struggles to make sense of the world after the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Harry Potter For Dummies -- December 2001
In which Vicky and her kids soundly trounce Joan in a game of Harry Potter trivia.

But I Have To Do My Homework! -- January 2002
In which Laura and Joan make Justin go to bed before his homework is done and all hell breaks loose.