Know a tween or teen girl age 12 to 18 that has an interest in engineering? Young Engineers Of Today with the support of the Society of Information Managers is offering a special spring program at ImaginOn to encourage young…
As the year wraps up, it's a time for reflection. My family had a full and fast year with many memories made. And as the new year is right around the corner, many people start making resolutions for the year…
Babies on planes. Seems that's a general headline maker, especially during heavy travel times like the holidays. Passengers definitely have their opinions about babies and children on flights, some tolerant, others not.One set of parents decided to be proactive and…
Winter officially is here! And so is winter break for local students. Don't let cabin fever set in this week. There is are so many ways to celebrate the season in Charlotte, many at no charge, that it's a great…
This time next week Santa will have arrived, delivering many children a new digital device. But with all the inappropriate content out there, bone up on the parental controls for digital devices before your ho, ho, ho's become whoa! whoa!…
Discovery Place, the city's beloved children's science museum, is making access to its hands-on learning exhibits more accessible to families throughout Charlotte beginning today. The museum is reducing entrance fees for needy families who might not otherwise be able to…
Ugly Christmas sweaters have become a novelty in the past few years. I remember when holiday sweaters were worn simply as a fashion statement for the season, but now those once adored holiday fashions are what great holiday parties are…
It's that time of year again. No, not the holiday hubbub, but time to get your lottery application together if you want your child to get into a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools magnet program. The online School Options Lottery is open and…
This year I caved. I gave in to "peer" pressure - that is pressure from my son, his friends and even his kindergarten class. Actually I gave into the pressure of a merry band of holiday marketers! This is the…
If you're a parent with a child entering Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools next fall or particularly a parent interested in the magnet programs, be sure to keep this one on your to-do list. Families that want to participate in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' first…
Today, Dec. 2, is #GivingTuesday. Seems to fit with the spirit of the season (and a good counterbalance to Black Friday and Cyber Monday). #GivingTuesday (as you'll see all over social media today) is about giving back in the community.…
Medical emergencies always tend to spike at holiday time. Between food allergies, choking hazards and household accidents, the emergency department and operating rooms stay very busy in December and well into the New Year. It's like clockwork.Unfortunately many of these…
Thanksgiving means family, big meals, reflection on the special things in our life and for many it means a jaunt to the grandparents or some other relatives house for a big meal. For those of us who are packing suitcases…
My mom is dutiful in her reminders to me that we should always count our blessings. When the going gets tough, I remind myself to be grateful for the things I have, both big and small. Sometimes I take my…
Toys! Toys! Toys! It's that time of year again when little ones are making their wish lists for Santa (and hopefully being extra good in anticipation of his arrival). With so many choices on the retail shelves, it helps to…
While I was out and about over the weekend I noticed the Christmas decor popping up. And soon to follow are the Christmas lights, parades, performances and TV shows. Major networks have posted their TV show and movie schedules throughout…
Before pre-lit artificial trees and tinsel existed, families bundled up for a trek the woods to find the perfect Christmas tree.
Just this morning my son reminded me that we need to make his Christmas wish list/letter to Santa. He's getting ready for Christmas, and though it still feels a ways off to me, it's really not.As a matter of fact,…
Most schools throughout the area are out of school Tuesday, Nov. 11, in honor of Veteran's Day. Spend the day commemorating those that have served or are serving our country with these free or low-cost options in and around town.1.…
National Eating Healthy Day is Wednesday, Nov. 5. The day is timed well, just after a long weekend of Halloween candy and before the holiday season of eating revs up.Though generations of mothers have told their children to "eat their…
The news is official now: Heath E. Morrison will resign as superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools on Thursday, Nov. 6. The news definitely came as a shock. I had the pleasure of meeting Heath Morrison back in August at a press…
Halloween is a pretty big deal for all ages. And just so happens, school is also out this Halloween which also happens to fall on a Friday - the Friday after a Panther's Thursday night home game. If you're looking…
Halloween is almost here and the kids are ready to go knock on doors for the annual trick-or-treating. All that fun and excitement can cause the kids to lose sight of usual safety rules, especially when it comes to crossing…
This Sunday, Nov. 2, is the end of daylight saving time, as we fall back one hour. That means a bit more sunlight in the morning, but much earlier sunsets. This change rattles me each and every year, and it…
With the abundance of political ads on TV peppered between football games and the nightly news, children are getting an earful about politics right now. And while campaign ads have me feeling weary about this year's election, Charlotte-Mecklenburg K-12 students…
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. If you have a child in school, he's probably participated in bullying prevention events at school. My child and school buddies wore blue shirts on World Bullying Prevention Day and donned superhero gear as…
Halloween is more than a week away, but the fun has begun with pumpkins, yard decorations and costume prep. In addition to the Friday trick-or-treat bonanza this year, consider these other options for Halloween fun.1. Portrait Innovations at Promenade on…
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has announced a reassignment plan to be put in place in the 2015-16 school year to help relieve overcrowded classrooms at other schools in the district. The plan is based around four schools opening, two of which are…
I went on my first corn maze excursion last year. We went on a whim one Sunday morning. I had no idea what to expect, except sunshine on my shoulders, lots of green grass and blue sky out on a…
Eating out with kids. Some people do it from the start, others never do, but it's a topic that ranks up there with crying babies on a plane. Should they be allowed? I'm not talking about should they be allowed…
If you have a child embarking on the tween/teen years, sexuality is soon likely to be a topic of conversation. Starting the conversation about sex with kids can be tough, but better they get facts than hyperbole from peers or…
Lace up your walking shoes Wednesday, Oct. 8, for National Walk to School Day! Hundreds of kids, including myself, my kindergartener and a pod of neighborhood kiddos, are walking to school on Wednesday.Walking is such a great way to see…
Beginning next school year with the entering class of high school freshman, a new 10-point grading scale will replace the long-standing 7-point scale. That means an A is anything 90 or higher rather than a 93 or higher, B equals…
There's a lot in the new lately about the Enterovirus as more diagnoses are happening across the U.S., and affecting children. The latest news: a neurologic illness and limb weakening in a handful of children in Boston. Doctors are investigating…
Here are 31 things that are sure to make this Halloween your favorite Halloween yet.
I'm a believer in the positive benefits of exercise and eating well. Combined, they help improve not just physical well-being, but mental and emotional happiness too. With more than one-third of children and adolescents overweight or obese, instilling healthy lifestyle…
Being a mom who works outside the home means a very busy schedule. It’s challenging to say the least. You may clock out from the office, but you can never clock out from the job of mom. From breakfast to…
Though I hate to say goodbye to another summer, I welcome crisp, cool mornings like this one. Fall is officially here at 10:29 p.m. Sept. 22, when the sun crosses the "celestial equator." In more down-to-earth terms, today will be…
You can hardly turn on the radio or TV this week without hearing about a few certain NFL players (Greg Hardy, Adrian Peterson and Ray Rice more specifically) and the charges they face for domestic violence and child abuse. The…
It's Child Passenger Safety Week (Sept. 14-20), which means it's time to bone up on car seat safety. Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children 1 to 13 years old, and 1 in 3 children ride unrestrained.…
If your child participated in the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge, they are winners - world-record winners! Students across the U.S. and in 29 countries set a new world record for this summer in the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge, reading 304,749,681…
Fall is in the air. Temps are down, skies are not as bright and the leaves are turning, and there's a lot to do to enjoy the fall season with kids in Charlotte. Here are six things I recommend to…
As the new fall season rolls in, many of us are cleaning out the summer clothes and shoes that the kids have outgrown. Before you toss the old shoes in the giveaway bin, consider donating them to Stride Rite to…
The scores are in, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg School students beat the odds with proficiency gains on End-of-Course (EOC) and End-of-Grade (EOG) tests for the 2013-14 school year. And nearly 83 percent (130) of the district's schools met or exceeded expectations for…
A recent study shows that music may boost brainpower for children from economically disadvantaged homes and neighborhoods. The study out of Northwestern University found that after two years of music lessons, kids from poor neighborhoods interpreted speech sounds more quickly…
When I was swimming in the new-mom waters, thinking about how to keep baby teeth clean wasn't top of mind for me. How to get him to sleep through those nights of painful teething was more of a priority. That…
Parents of teens who are soon to have their driver's license listen up: The Bridgestone Teens Drive Smart tour is coming to Charlotte next weekend, Sept. 6 and 7. The FREE half-day workshop is designed as a hands-on training session…
So the doctors have confirmed something parents of teens have known for awhile: Early school start times aren't good for middle schoolers and high schoolers. The American Academy of Pediatrics pushed a statement this week saying that teens biological rhythm…
I'm nervous. This is the year - now the week - that I walk my son down the hall for his first day of kindergarten. I can't think about it too much or I get sad. Where did the past…
Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city without pitching a tent or losing all the comforts of home.
