Combating the Fairy Princess Syndrome

I am a single mother to a 3 ½ year old daughter. I try to be a good role model for her, showing her that women can earn a living and take care of themselves—that we don’t need a man. I want to teach her to expect the best, but prepare for the worst.
Yet, I [...]

Tome of the Mommy: Runaway Moms

Not everyone is cut out to have children.
Is that a blasphemy to say?
No. Because we all know it’s true.
Admit it: Doesn’t your belly tighten with dread when you’re in the presence of some woman who is visibly annoyed with, or publicly derisive to, her kid, embarrassing the poor thing in front of you or [...]

Tome of the Mommy: Ask Yourself, “Why did I Marry Him?”

I’ve been blessed with a wonderful relationship. My husband, Martin, and I have been together for over twenty years.
I’m always amazed when unhappy couples stay in a marriage. Isn’t the  goal to be with someone who makes you happy?
Not because each party feels some obligation to stay in the marriage.
When questioned as to whether they [...]

Tome of the Mommy: The Fighting of the Tree

For some of us, holiday rituals are our happiest memories. For others, they are the flint that sparks our greatest fears. Maybe memories of unhappy holidays past haunt us. Or maybe we stress out at the pressure to project “happiness” during this time of year.
If something truly important is bothering us, faking some form of [...]

Alone But Not Lonely For the Holidays

The editor of Single Minded Women asked me to write a piece about “surviving” the holidays as a single mom. Good choice on her part because I am a PRO at it! Counting this year, I will have celebrated 11 Thanksgivings and Christmases as a single mother. With a shared custody arrangement during the holidays, [...]

The Economic Blues and Children

There is no doubt: The economic downturn and a sluggish job market have taken a toll on families throughout the United States. Recent studies show that the loss of a job and decline in income impacts everyone in a family, and children in affected households manifest behavioral changes at home and in school.
A job loss [...]

Single Through Sorrow: Christine Stanton’s Story

Once we walked together. Now I walk alone.
Christine Stanton knows how this feels all too well. Her husband Scott’s sudden passing left a void in her life not easily filled. As we continue our series Single Through Sorrow, Christine shares her feelings with our readers about how she coped with her husband’s death and her relationships [...]

Happily Ever After Divorce: Notes of a Joyful Journey

If you are a newly single mom or in the middle of a divorce, I highly recommend you read Jessica Bram’s book; Happily Ever After Divorce: Notes of a Joyful Journey.
Bram’s writing is engaging, honest and above all inspirational. I passed her book on to a friend who is struggling with finding her own way [...]

Is Shouting Really the New Spanking?

Last week the New York Times ran an article: For Some Parents, Shouting is the New Spanking. This got me thinking, are we really yelling at our kids more today than yesterday? After speaking with several family therapists, the answer is yes and for a variety of reasons which include:
1). It has become socially unacceptable [...]

Dr. Susan’s Fit and Fun Family Action Plan

Current childhood obesity statistics are alarming as over 12% of children 5 and under are obese and over 17% of children 5-19 are obese. Nearly 23% of kids don’t engage in any free-time physical activity, and the typical American child spends about 44.5 hours per week using media outside of school. The economic slump has [...]

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