Q: My kid’s stepmom’s birthday is coming up. We’re not BFFs, but we get along really well and she’s been a great SAHM to my kids while I’m at work. We haven’t had much interaction outside of the kids, so…
Q: My daughter and her boyfriend are going out a lot, but they never tell me where! And they come back so late! I don't know what to do... A: Ask her. You’re her mother, not her friend. You control…
As moms, finding and maintaining authentic friendships can be difficult. How nice would it be if the opposite were true? What if moms felt free to be real and unite through the messy experience of motherhood? Instead, we tend to…
Neely Verano’s lifelong passion for the arts led her to serve in various nonprofit leadership roles at the Mint Museum, McColl Center for Art + Innovation, and The Arts Empowerment Project. She’s also a co-founder of LaCa Projects, Charlotte’s contemporary…
My husband and I lived in our South Charlotte neighborhood for about a year before we had any meaningful interaction with our neighbors. Then one weekend, I showed up to the pool sporting 38 weeks of pregnancy. Suddenly I was…
Many of us would agree that our childhood affects how we think, feel, and behave as adults. The trauma experienced as a child, no matter where that trauma may lie on the spectrum, unequivocally affects our environments, relationships, and how…
Since relocating from Tennessee in 2016, Drs. Sarah and Gaurav Bharti are relative newcomers to Charlotte, but you might already recognize them from around town. Gaurav, a board certified plastic surgeon, is the ‘B’ in H/K/B Cosmetic Surgery and has…
Because children’s brains are malleable, they can learn and retain new skills, like foreign languages, more rapidly than we can as adults. But bad habits tend to stick, too. In other words, a child who learns to love screens in…
We often associate summertime with relaxation and fun, but most moms experience the opposite. While we kick off the season with a much-needed relief from the busyness of May, we inevitably succumb to the pressure to create a memorable summer…
James Kopecky recently completed his seventh season with Charlotte Ballet. In honor of Father’s Day this month, we caught up with the dancing dad to 3-year-old daughter, Hazel. James shares how he and wife Kate creatively avoid the word “no,”…
Shannon Carpenter has been a stay-at-home dad for 14 years. "Initially, I was joking when I suggested to my wife that I stay home with our then 15-month-old son,” he says. “But the more we talked about it, the more…
Q: My 8-year-old granddaughter lives with us full time, and she seems to be developing early. She has a 19-year-old sister to talk to, but I feel like I should be the one to take to her about puberty. How…
Tell us about your family. How many children do you have and what are their ages? I have three children, Allie (21), Jake (19), and Evan (15). What are you most grateful for this Mother’s Day? I am most grateful…
Tell us about your family. How many children do you have and what are their ages? My family consists of my global son, Brock Montgomery (16) (he has friends all over the world); my intelligent beyond-her-years daughter, Charli Ana (14)…
Tell us about your family. How many children do you have and what are their ages? I have two girls, Kaia Grey (5) and Nora Cole (16 months). What are you most grateful for this Mother’s Day? Our health and the…
I recently saw this meme on Instagram that made me chuckle (credit @mommycusses) ME: (Hanging one-handed from a cliff, seconds from death) MY KID: Can you hold this? While the situation is exaggerated, the sentiment is relatable. Moms…
We all lose it. The constant pressures and unrealistic expectations mothers experience make us feel overwhelmed and maxed out. When it becomes too much, we lose it. The gentle, therapeutic term for this is dysregulation. Our toddlers do it when…
Q: I have a 15-year-old son. I love him but don’t know how to handle him. He’s moody, and bigger than me. He has never been physical or threatening, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed by him. My husband has talked…
The pandemic’s consequences on young people’s mental health has been significant. But Jessica Russell, a licensed clinical mental health counselor with Thriveworks, is encouraged to see more kids and teens discussing their mental health as a result. For the…
When the owners of a lakefront home in Cornelius wanted a designated play place for their three young daughters, the team at Aguilar Design Studio in Cornelius came to their rescue. Aaron and Laura Aguilar, the spouses and owners behind…
In 2016, Krista St-Germain became a widow and single parent of two children overnight after a drunk driver killed her husband. “Being a single parent can be overwhelming,” she says. “You are the only person taking on the parenting load.…
When our son Ben grew too large to be carried from his wheelchair to the beach, we wondered how we’d manage future trips to the shore. His favorite pastime is splashing at the ocean’s edge, and we didn’t want him…
Most of us mistakenly think self-confidence comes from reaching our goals and meeting expectations. It makes sense. Since childhood, we’ve been inundated with messages about who we should be, which leads to a relentless strive for external validation. The…
Q: How do I talk with my kids about what’s happening in Ukraine? –Veronica A: When COVID deaths were rampant, parents asked how to explain the sadness to their kids. When 2020 Presidential debates highlighted name-calling, parents asked how…
