Between after-school activities, homework, and work commitments, finding time for a family dinner can feel impossible. Yet sharing a meal together—even just a few times a week—offers lasting rewards. Research shows that kids who regularly eat with their families enjoy…
Q: My 9-year-old son smells after soccer practice. Not sweaty kid smell—like, full-blown body odor. We make him shower every night, but is it too soon for deodorant? I don’t want to embarrass him.—Liz A: No. Not too soon.…
Hectic and holidays go together like turkey and stuffing. This Thanksgiving, skip the long grocery lines, messy kitchen, and endless prep time and leave the cooking to someone else. Here are 11 local restaurants that can help you make this…
We’ve heard that boundaries allow us to love ourselves and others at the same time. Yet setting boundaries is arguably one of the hardest things to do, especially during the holidays. Pressures and expectations are at an all-time high, particularly…
Already a boy mom and pregnant again with twins, I found out we were having our second and third sons in one fell swoop. The sex of “Baby A” was obvious on the ultrasound. But “Baby B” was ducking and…
According to a survey by the American Pet Product Association, in 2020, pet ownership rose from 67% of households to an all-time high of 70%. If you haven’t taken the pet plunge yet, here are a few things to consider…
Each month, our 8-year-old resident foodie visits a different Charlotte-area restaurant that’s kid-friendly—but not a kid-topia. He orders something he’s never tried before and reports back with his recommendations for kids and their parents. Here is his review of Emmy…
Please be gentle with me. It’s a phrase that encompasses what many of us grieving moms want from others and need from ourselves. Yet too much gets in the way, leaving us feeling overwhelmed, paralyzed, and alone. Perhaps this is…
What are the three best words on the planet when you have no idea what to cook, are tired of kitchen duty, or have been on the go all day? Kids Eat Free! Luckily there are lots of great places…
When deciding the right time to have a baby, considerations like maternal age, finances, and ages of other children come into play. For more than a year, the pandemic has given couples even more reason to wonder, “Is now the…
Earlier this summer, my husband and I hiked through the woods near Linville Falls, leaving our three boys at home. I felt the stress of the last 18 months melt away. School, jobs, extended family, health, and safety had been…
Here we are. Back to school. As we transition from the ease of the summer to the stress of the school year, many moms feel motivated. Their Consistency Capes are tied tight. Others feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or panicked their Consistency…
A bike ride adds a sense of adventure to a family vacation or day trip. Kids can practice new skills on paved paths and more experienced riders can challenge themselves with more technical rides. Fortunately, the Carolinas and Virginia offer…
Charlotte Parent is thrilled to welcome Mollie Gee to our tribe. Some of you will recognize her from her instagram handle @thechubbydebutante, where she posts motivational quotes, book recommendations, and openly shares some of her own struggles on her motherhood…
Before I had kids, I would have told you good manners were non-negotiable. Even more than straight As or winning soccer goals, I wanted my children to demonstrate kindness, respect, and basic human civility. I’ve backpedaled on quite a few…
Heading back to school always comes with a bit of stress, but this year the transition may be especially challenging. Many children haven’t been in the classroom full-time in more than a year. The rules will be different, and most…
The importance of good handwriting can be easy to overlook in the digital age. Writing by hand, however, is an important skill for our children because it engages the brain in a different way than typing on a keyboard or…
Q: I pay a summer sitter to come four days a week, and my neighbor’s kids are in and out of my house constantly. My sitter says she doesn’t mind, but I don’t think my neighbors should get free childcare…
Renee Ratcliffe and her husband John founded Cakeable Charlotte in 2019 to offer baking classes and job skills training for students who have different abilities. They fund their classes with donations and proceeds from bake sales, pop-up sales, and…
Constantly on the go. Difficulty focusing. Touches everything. Impulsive. Difficulty following directions. Most of us know a child (or have a child) with some of these tendencies. These children are often believed to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or…
Body awareness is an important part of the developmental process, but it’s not a milestone we pay much attention to. For many of us, body awareness is not something we have to think about as we go about our day.…
A few hours at a local pizza restaurant with singing animals on stage, screaming kids, and the incessant pings of arcade games is enough to put me over the edge. I can usually hold it together, but as soon as…
We can all agree that motherhood is hard work and moms are more than deserving of a day that celebrates them and all they do. But for some people, Mother's Day can be difficult. "There is an assumption that it's…
Our children’s fear and anxiety can often lead to behaviors that leave us scratching our heads and asking ourselves, “Why is my kid doing that?” Anxiety is easier to spot and diagnose, but sensory issues can get overlooked. That’s why…
A child’s day is filled with transitions. They transition from sleep to wakefulness, from pajamas to clothes, from home to school and back home again, from playtime to mealtime, from quiet to loud, and from one activity to another. For…
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