Monday, April 15, 2013
Strategies for talking with and listening to your children about the scary news, and a confidential 24-hour hotline for anyone experiencing psychological distress after Monday's Boston Marathon terror attack.
In the wake of the Boston Marathon explosions, Martha's Vineyard parents may find their children hearing about the terrifying attack or seeing it on the news and find themselves in a difficult discussion. For parents seeking guidance on how to address the tragedy with their own children, if it comes up, Boston Children's Hospital offers these steps to follow. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also has a 24-hour hotline dedicated to providing disaster crisis counseling at 1-800-985-5990 or by texting "TalkWithUs" to 66746. The hotline is open to U.S. residents who are experiencing psychological distress as a result of a natural or man-made disasters, incidents of mass violence or any other disasters. …
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The Steamship Authority has never required children over 5 to be chaperoned aboard its ferries to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, but that may be changing with the introduction of a new policy.
The general manager of the Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority has asked its board of directors to consider adopting a policy that would raise the minimum age at which children may ride the ferries unaccompanied. According to the minutes from the board's Feb. 12 meeting, Currently the SSA requires only that children under five years of age must be accompanied by an adult who is responsible for their care and conduct during the passage, and many other ferry operators and transportation providers have policies that require all children under the age of 12 or 13 to be accompanied by an adult. Although management feels that the SSA should establish a similar minimum age, the Board agreed to first solicit feedback…
Thursday, January 24, 2013
A Patch blogger's post about not helping her children on the slide is being debated across the country.
A Patch blog from Alameda, CA, called “Please Don’t Help My Kids” has struck a nerve with readers across the country. Posted in September, the blog has taken off over the past few weeks as it has found a second life through social media sharing. The blog has 124,000 Facebook recommendations and 833 people have tweeted the blog. The blog is an open letter to other parents at the playground. The blogger Kate Bassford Baker’s basic request is for parents to not help her daughters on the slide. She wrote that she wants her daughters to do things and learn things on their own. Learning to walk up the slide’s ladder is the first step to learning new things and overcoming obstacles, she wrote. “Because, as they grow up, the ladders will only get …
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Because of their size, parents may be difficult to discipline properly. ~ P.J. O'Rourke
I was talking to a friend earlier today and she was telling me a story that did not paint her in the greatest parental light, but since I have been in her shoes I did not judge; I offered only empathy at her moment of weakness. She was explaining what happened when she, her dear hubby, and their three lovely children started to decorate their Christmas tree this year. Everything was ready. The tree was in the stand and the lights strung. They were getting ready to put the ornaments on when it started. At first it was small, barely noticeable but it grew. Boy did it ever. “Stop it.” Said one. “I’m not doing anything.” Said another. “DAD!” Said the first. “Knock it off!” Said Dad. From there it escalated. Two little kids screaming and …
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
'Look, Daddy. Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings,' ZuZu Bailey.
This is one of the family’s favorite Christmas traditions. After we decorate the tree we all snuggle in with fancy hot chocolate and, if they’ve been exceptionally well-behaved that year, they’ll get homemade snickerdoodles. They didn’t get the snickerdoodles last year. Fingers-crossed that this year when I tally it all up, the good will outweigh the not-so-good. I missed the snickerdoodles last year. This is one of our “newer” traditions. We’ve only been watching for the last three or four years. Dylan started it and he really loves the movie. Honestly, I don’t really remember seeing it in its entirety before I started watching it with Pat and the kids. I’m more of a Grinch girl. Oh, and Frosty. I do have to admit that “It’s a Wonderful …
Barb Nahoumi
9:33 am on Sunday, March 17, 2013
For their own safety, children under 12 should be accompanied by a responsible adult on the ferries. more ›