Latest

Dinner for One
The ABCs of Single Parent Survival
By Susan Courtad
My children are set to start another school year. You know what that means. No, not a frantic dash to Target for new pencil cases and backpacks. It’s the time of year when single parents everywhere need to do a little back-to-school shopping... read the rest

The IP Bookshelf
Never Take a Shark to the Dentist by Judi Barrett, illustrated by John Nickle
Never Take a Shark to the Dentist (And other things not to do) By Judi Barrett, illustrated by John Nickle Atheneum; $16.99 34 pp; ISBN-13: 978-1416907244 Review by Amy Brozio-Andrews Every kid knows there's a list of things she's never to do. Most... read the rest

Mominatrix
Those cheatin' hearts.
By Kristen Chase
It seems that you can’t open a newspaper, magazine, or hell, an email from a friend and not read about a politician’s wife, a celebrity’s spouse, or someone close to you suffering at the hands of their husband’s wandering eye. Or... read the rest

Long Journey on a Short Bus
The Club.
By Karen Murphy
Last year just before Halloween we shopped for costumes. Each and every year for years before that I had lovingly and painstakingly sewed intricate costumes, despite knowing next to nothing about sewing, but now that Eric was of age to wear one I felt... read the rest

The Parental is Political
The ins and outs of sex offender notification.
By Julie Marsh
Are there any sex offenders living in your neighborhood? Of course not, you think. Not in my neighborhood. But how do you know? Have you checked your state's registry? Do you check it regularly? Or are you expecting to be notified by law enforcement... read the rest

Mamma Mia
Being a passenger in life.
By Anita Doberman
I am trying to learn one thing as I grow older. Yes, even I attempt to grasp higher truths, and these are not tips to be a better cook or crafty mom because they are impossible tasks for my incapable hands, but notions that I really have no control over... read the rest

The IP Bookshelf
Sipping Spiders Through a Straw: Campfire Songs for Monsters By Kelly DiPucchio; illustrated by Gris Grimly
Sipping Spiders Through a Straw: Campfire Songs for Monsters By Kelly DiPucchio; illustrated by Gris Grimly Scholastic Press, $15.99 40 pp., ISBN-13: 978-0439584012 Review by Amy Brozio-Andrews With just a few weeks left of summer, there's just enough... read the rest

Of Mice And Kids
I had honorable intentions.
By Margaret Curran
For months, my kids begged me for a pair of pet mice. In fact, the word "beg" doesn’t do justice to the extremes my girls’ went to in order to convince me to invite mice into our house. They swore they would take care of their new... read the rest

Home/Office
Back to Life, Back to Reality
By Dana Tuszke
Summer is almost over. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting darker and many parents are ready to get back to reality. Ready to send their kids back to the life of text books, loose leaf paper and sharpened pencils. I don't know if I'm... read the rest

The View From Here
The Top Five Reasons School Should Not Start in August
By Amy Nathan
School starts in August in many school districts across the country (ours on August 20th), and that’s just plain wrong. First of all, it’s a Wednesday. If administrators are going to start school in what is ostensibly only the third-quarter... read the rest

What's the Matter With Mommy?
Loser Mom Syndrome
By Kelley Cunningham
The most overlooked disease facing Mothers today is Loser Mom Syndrome. LMS is a constant threat, a dark storm cloud lurking on the horizon that threatens to undermine any fleeting feelings of control and peace a mother can create for herself. You... read the rest

The IP Bookshelf
It's Not Fair!, By Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
It's Not Fair! By Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld HarperCollins; $16.99 40 pp.; ISBN-13: 978-0061152573 Review by Amy Brozio-Andrews It's no secret that I'm a fan of Amy Krouse Rosenthal's. From her unconventional memoir Encyclopedia... read the rest

Mominatrix
Getting lucky.
By Kristen Chase
It’s no secret that today, 08/08/08, is considered the luckiest day this year – thousands of superstitious couples are scheduled to get hitched and hordes of preggos are being offered huge prizes just to pop one out. Lottery lines are already... read the rest

Growing Pains
I'm Just Blogging My Summers Away
By Elizabeth Thompson
Where has the summer gone? Well, I'll tell you. Besides the fact that I’ve been busy traveling and desperately seeking some sort of part-time work that allows me to keep my stay-at-home status (if I do, you WILL be the first to know) I can't... read the rest

The IP Bookshelf
Babies are Boring, by Jon Ritchie, illustrated by Alex Ritchie
Babies Are Boring By Jon Ritchie, illustrated by Alex Ritchie Purple Possum Publishing Inc.; $11.95 40 pp.; ISBN-13: 978-0980997002 Review by Amy Brozio-Andrews The guys at Purple Possum Publishing have got it right -- "Kids books are for... read the rest

Little Miss Feminist
We're just not a beauty queen kind of family.
By Rita Fiorentino
Earlier this summer, the owner of my kids’ Taekwondo school sent us an e-mail. It said: I’d like to sponsor Katie for The Little Miss contest in our town. What would you think? I think she would be great! Can I have your permission to ask... read the rest

Dinner for One
Brides, Boys and Bellyaches
By Susan Courtad
I always knew single parenthood would have its challenges, but I never imagined it would make me ill. Not ill-ill, thankfully, just a queasy kind of ill whenever certain subjects come up in our house. You know, like love, marriage and dating. The first... read the rest