Please Don't Help My Kids

A Patch blogger's post about not helping her children on the slide is being debated across the country.

A Patch blog from Alameda, CA, called “Please Don’t Help My Kids” has struck a nerve with readers across the country. Posted in September, the blog has taken off over the past few weeks as it has found a second life through social media sharing. The blog has 124,000 Facebook recommendations and 833 people have tweeted the blog. The blog is an open letter to other parents at the playground. The blogger Kate Bassford Baker’s basic request is for parents to not help her daughters on the slide. She wrote that she wants her daughters to do things and learn things on their own. Learning to walk up the slide’s ladder is the first step to learning new things and overcoming obstacles, she wrote. “Because, as they grow up, the ladders will only get …

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Have You Reviewed with Your Children What to Do in 'Danger' Scenarios? Should You?

A week after the Newtown, CT, massacre, schools have reviewed their safety procedures. Now should parents follow up with more coaching?

A week after the deadly elementary school attack in Newtown, CT, that has rocked the the nation, some parents say their kids remain oblivious to the attack—and the danger.  Most teens and children are wrapped up in their own worlds. One mom of a middle-schooler told me instead of being worried about how the Newtown deaths would affect her daughter, she is more concerned that the girl is not aware enough of what took place. And there is only so much the schools can do. So this mom will spin out a scenario of danger and ask the daughter to think through how she might best respond.  If you are a parent, are you doing the same kind of 'coaching' with your kids? Should parents be following up and expanding on the schools' safety procedures and …

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Moms Talk Q&A

Tell Us: What Do You Think of the High Rate of C-Sections at Melrose-Wakefield Hospital?

For this week's Moms Talk, we want to hear from you, our Melrose Patchers, about cesarean deliveries.

Usually each Wednesday in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of Melrosians take your questions, give advice and share solutions. This week, we're trying something different—we want to hear from you! After all, Melrose Patch isn't a one-way broadcasting station. This is a community site and you're a big part of it, so we want to hear your thoughts. (Please remember if you're signing up for a Melrose Patch account that our Terms of Service do not allow aliases. Also, we suggest using your full name for your Melrose Patch account. You may also sign in using your Facebook account.) If you want to submit a question, or if you're interested in joining the Melrose Patch Moms Council—which means weighing in with your thoughts each week on the question of…

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Daniel DeMaina

9:22 am on Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Great Jesse—thanks for the response.   more ›

Moms Talk Q&A

Tell Us: Halloween Costumes—How Far Is Too Far?

For this week's Moms Talk, we want to hear what you think about children wearing provocative Halloween costumes.

Usually each Wednesday in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of Melrosians take your questions, give advice and share solutions. This week, we're trying something different—we want to hear from you! After all, Melrose Patch isn't a one-way broadcasting station. This is a community site and you're a big part of it, so we want to hear your thoughts. (Please remember if you're signing up for a Melrose Patch account that our Terms of Service do not allow aliases. Also, we suggest using your full name for your Melrose Patch account. You may also sign in using your Facebook account.) If you want to submit a question, or if you're interested in joining the Melrose Patch Moms Council—which means weighing in with your thoughts each week on the question of…

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Moms Talk Q&A

Discuss: What Are the Best Apps for Kids and Moms?

For this week's Moms Talk, we want to know how you use smartphone apps for yourself and your children.

Usually each Wednesday in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of Melrosians take your questions, give advice and share solutions. This week, we're trying something different—we want to hear from you! After all, Melrose Patch isn't a one-way broadcasting station. This is a community site and you're a big part of it, so we want to hear your thoughts. If you want to submit a question, or if you're interested in joining the Melrose Patch Moms Council—which means weighing in with your thoughts each week on the question of the day—e-mail editor Daniel DeMaina at danield@patch.com. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation in the comments section with today's question ... Apps for kids or apps for moms: We're all using …

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Daniel DeMaina

4:52 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011

A comment on this article was removed for violating Patch's Terms of Use, which state in part, "Without limitation, you agree that you will not post or transmit to other users anything that contains Content that ... contains any advertising, promotional materials, "junk mail," "spam," "chain letters," "pyramid schemes," or any other form of solicitation." The Terms of Use can be read here — http…   more ›

Moms Talk Q&A

Tell Us: Handling When Kids Say the Darndest Things

What do you do when your kids' honesty innocently breaches proper etiquette?

Usually each Wednesday in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of Melrosians take your questions, give advice and share solutions. This week, we're trying something different—we want to hear from you! After all, Melrose Patch isn't a one-way broadcasting station. This is a community site and you're a big part of it, so we want to hear your thoughts. If you want to submit a question, or if you're interested in joining the Melrose Patch Moms Council—which means weighing in with your thoughts each week on the question of the day—e-mail editor Daniel DeMaina at danield@patch.com. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation in the comments section with today's question ... Unfortunately, kids DO say the darnedest things: What to …

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Moms Talk Q&A

Discuss: It's Not The Stork—Having 'The Talk'

In this week's Moms Talk, we broach the subject of talking to kids about sex and reproduction. How do you approach it?

Usually each Wednesday in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of Melrosians take your questions, give advice and share solutions. If you want to submit a question, or if you're interested in joining the Melrose Patch Moms Council—which means weighing in with your thoughts each week on the question of the day—e-mail editor Daniel DeMaina at danield@patch.com. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation in the comments section with today's question ... It's not the stork: How to have, ahem, "The Talk" and other curious discussions. At what age? What's appropriate information to satisfy the natural curiosity? (Please remember if you're signing up for a Melrose Patch account that our Terms of Service do not allow aliases. Also, …

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Moms Talk Q&A

Discuss: How Do You Discipline Your Child?

For this week's Moms Talk, we want to know how handle peer pressure's effect on your kids and when/how to discuss the dangers of sex, drugs and alcohol.

Usually each Wednesday in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of Melrosians take your questions, give advice and share solutions. This week, we're trying something different—we want to hear from you! After all, Melrose Patch isn't a one-way broadcasting station. This is a community site and you're a big part of it, so we want to hear your thoughts. If you want to submit a question, or if you're interested in joining the Melrose Patch Moms Council—which means weighing in with your thoughts each week on the question of the day—e-mail editor Daniel DeMaina at danield@patch.com. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation in the comments section with today's question ... Discipline: From the naughty chair to grounded for life. …

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Moms Talk Q&A

Discuss: All the Kids Are Doing It—Dealing with Peer Pressure

For this week's Moms Talk, we want to know how handle peer pressure's effect on your kids and when/how to discuss the dangers of sex, drugs and alcohol.

Each Wednesday in Moms Talk, our Moms Council of Melrosians take your questions, give advice and share solutions. If you want to submit a question, or if you're interested in joining the Melrose Patch Moms Council—which means weighing in with your thoughts each week on the question of the day—e-mail editor Daniel DeMaina at danield@patch.com. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation in the comments section with today's question ... All the kids are doing it: When and how to discuss peer pressure and dangers of sex, drugs and alcohol. What age is appropriate? are you more lenient as they get older? Molly Phillips: My kids are too young to be dealing with this sort of peer pressure (4 & 6) but to be honest, peer …

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Blog Posts of the Week

Blogs: A New Mom Blogger, Victorian Fair Photos, and More

Each Friday, we round up our favorite blog posts of the week from Melrose Patch bloggers.

Every Friday we'll pick our favorite Melrose Patch blog posts from the week and compile them here. Check out all blog posts by going to the News tab at the top of the page and clicking on "Local Voices." If you want to share your thoughts about Melrose and the issues of the day, or want to share your expertise in a particular area, email me at danield@patch.com about blogging on Melrose Patch.

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