According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the average American family has 1.86 children. Perhaps you, like me, have never figured out how one manages to have .86 of a child. All I know is that we had whole children and a lot of them. It was not in the original life plan to have a very…
The Mommy Wars between work-outside-the-home and stay-at-home moms have been ongoing for years. But there’s a new breed of battle heating up on Social Media and blogs: Moms arguing about parenting techniques. I received this message from a Mom this week: “Charlotte, I value your advice and opinions in many areas and your blog is…
This Kid Will Never Be Potty-Trained by Charlotte Siems Have you ever felt like your circumstances will last forever? For instance: This kid will never be potty-trained. I will be homeschooling the rest of my life. I’m never going to have this baby. I’ll never get a full night’s sleep. Let me give you a…
Whether you’re expecting your second baby or your seventh, I’m a firm believer in a “babymoon,” a time when the world slows down and you enjoy getting to know your newborn baby. The postpartum period is complicated by shifting hormones and sleep deprivation, so a bit of planning ahead can help smooth the way. Here…
The hot sun shone brightly, reflecting on the warm sand. Sitting comfortably in a half-chair, feet burrowed in the powdery sand, I tried to concentrate on my book. Glancing frequently towards the water to keep track of the swimmers being tossed by the waves, my attention was divided. The sun grew hotter, and even the…
You might know her. She lives in a world of chaos and disorder. Drama and domestic violence are her everyday surroundings. She shares a sparsely-furnished low-income apartment with various people who come and go. She’s never known anything different because she was born into this world of neglect and poverty, with distorted relationships and TV…