If you’re like me, you may find it challenging to rest and recharge your batteries. I’m the type of person who goes until I can't anymore. Recharging is active work; I can only do it by putting effort in. However,…
Q: I am 5 months pregnant with our third, and my oldest (5-year-old girl) is asking how the baby is going to come out of my tummy. What’s an age-appropriate way to approach this? I also have a 3-year-old boy.…
In many families, money and finances are considered grown-up topics. Parents may believe children shouldn’t be privy to the family budget or included in any discussions regarding financial decisions, and while they have good intentions, shielding children from the topic…
Local spots to get out and fuel up with the kids
Melissa Lee’s clients’ two-story Matthews home was built in 1972, and the homeowners had changed a few paint colors and light fixtures since moving in five years prior, but now they were ready to modernize the choppy layout and make…
This week, we asked readers for their feelings on Elf on the Shelf. A whopping 53% of respondents have managed to avoid welcoming the December elf into their home. For the rest of us, here are some ideas and "elfluencers"…
Q: Hi Molly! My daughter (11) has always been a solid girl. Our pediatrician was concerned about her weight at her last two check-ups and recommended cutting back on sweets, fast food, etc., which we have. We even let her…
Updated November 2024 Babe & Butcher is offering Thanksgiving charcuterie, brunch, and dessert boards, and they’ll deliver on Thanksgiving morning. Thanksgiving pre-orders are now open at Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop in Huntersville. Grab one of their Apple, Spiced Pumpkin, Nanny’s…
An Interview with Kim and Penn Holderness
Q: My kids are having the constant “it’s not fair!” battle and it’s exhausting. Responding with “life’s not fair” isn’t working. What’s an effective way to shut this down? A: The F-word is not allowed in our household. No one…
When parents decide to divorce, it can be difficult to break the news to kids in an age-appropriate way. What are some explanations they can understand? How do you reassure them that while Mommy and Daddy won’t live together anymore,…
Danielle Steiner’s clients loved their two-story colonial in historic Dilworth, but with two young children and frequent guests, they were running out of space. “They have a lot of family from outside the U.S. come to visit and stay for…
Insight and tools to managing the stress and complexities of divorce
In just a few generations, the college application process has gone from filling out forms and taking a few standardized tests to navigating a gauntlet of portals, essays, application fees, and letters of recommendation. We sought out two local Charlotte…
Q: Do you know of a resource in town that could help me child-proof my kids' iPad? They are ages 6 and 8, but they are getting to the point where they know more about using iPad than I do.…
The only thing worse than a trip to the DMV is a trip to the DMV with your new teen driver. From ensuring you have the right paperwork to setting your child loose behind the wheel, it’s nothing short of…
Q: Hi Molly! My 8-year-old daughter keeps asking how much money my husband and I make. She wants to know the specific dollar amount on our paychecks. I just tell her we make enough to afford our house, food, and…
Jacy Painter Kelly’s client was a single mother of two when she hired the designer to decorate and furnish her new home in Fort Mill. “She was in Indian Land and wanted to build something more permanent and get into…
Get your kids and your home ready for school routines
On January 1, 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics published an article about the importance of free play and how crucial it is for a child’s development. Dr. Ken Ginsburg, a professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, sited…
Expert Jeremy Boone’s tips on how to best support your little athletes
Q: I’ve had this gut feeling that my 18-month-old son has autism since his first birthday. He wasn’t a super smile-y baby, rarely makes eye contact, and often fixates on ceiling fans or windshield wipers. My pediatrician says it’s impossible…
Q: Hi, Molly! This probably sounds familiar: My 3-year-old took a black Sharpie to my white wainscotting AND upholstered couch. He drew X’s down the staircase and into the living room “to protect his sister from the ninjas.” (I swear…
Q: My 3rd grader and his friends are so competitive when they play sports. It seems someone always gets upset, is a bad sport, complains about fairness, the person losing storms off, etc. We’re talking a dozen different boys who…
