It started innocently enough.  The three year old, Lex, who normally has enough energy to power a small city, was pooped out.  ”Everyone gets tired,” I said, “even our little Energizer Bunny.”  My lovely wife was unconvinced.

The next day he had a fever.  Up to 103 it went.  ”He’s got the flu,” I said in my reassuring voice.  ”He’ll be fine in a couple of days.”  My lovely wife thought otherwise.

The next day, his fever still was bopping up and down, from a pleasant 99 to a worrisome 103.  We looked up the swine flu online.  Lex had about half…

Fighting among siblings or playmates is a natural part of being a child. If you think that it is not right for a child to sometimes pick a fight with one of his siblings or playmates, then you are quite wrong.  Fights are part and parcel of being a child, and it is a sign that your child is growing up naturally. Of course, we do not feel good when we see our children fighting and want to prevent fighting as much as possible. Here are some tips on how to prevent or nip a fight in the bud.

If the…

Kids love summertime and the freedom it brings. Moms, not so much. Finding ways to entertain the children all day can be taxing on mom and on the budget. But there are some ways to take the strain off both.

A number of restaurants offer free kids meals on certain nights of the week.  In our area, just about every night is covered by at least one restaurant.  Sixty-nine cent cheeseburger Wednesday at McDonald’s is a popular lunch stop. Even though the savings don’t amount to all that much (I think cheeseburgers are ninety-five cents every other day),…

Recently, I was offered a larger room because I am the oldest and I have the smallest room in the house.  I currently am debating if I should take the offer, but I am almost positive I will.  So, I thought, what are some good room change guidelines and ideas?

Here are some guidelines to changing rooms.

1. Run a “trial night”.  Have the child sleep in the room for one or two days.  Don’t bring in all the furniture, just use an air mattress and sheets or a sleeping bag, and a nightlight, if needed.  This allows you to see if the child will…
   
   

As I am writing this, it is the 4th of July back in the United States, a day where we celebrate our independence from the tyranny of England since 1776.  Meanwhile, I am deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.  I can’t help but think of all those who sacrifice so much to ensure we will still celebrate independence in the years to come.

Where I am is a very safe location and far from the action.  However, as I watch my military brothers and sisters go deeper into the fight I can’t…