Reach, Routine, and Refresh: One Mom’s Approach to Personal Revolution By Bronwen Fordyce I recently moved to the Triangle area, and with moving comes change.  I went from working outside the home, and living in a condo in the city on the other side of North America, to being a stay at home Mom, in a suburban home.  With so much change already occurring, I decided it was a great time for … [Read more...]

William by: Jeff Hall *Originally written for CHART — Chapel Hill Autism Resources and Tools*   3 years and 21 days ago, I made a decision that I swore I would never make. I dropped my firstborn son off at a state run program in a mental hospital, admitting to him and to the world that our family was no longer the best place for him, and that someone else was better equipped … [Read more...]

William Learning to be a father by letting go of my son... by: Jeff Hall (Reprinted with permission. Find the original article here) 3 years and 31 days ago, I made a decision that I swore I would never make. I dropped my firstborn son off at a state run program in a mental hospital, admitting to him and to the world that our family was no longer the best place for him, and that … [Read more...]

Technology and Our Children by Angela Mascenik Newsletter Coordinator, Chapel Hill/Carrboro Mothers Club *Opinions described in this article are not necessarily the views of the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Mothers Club When trying to think of a ‘feature article’ for this month’s newsletter, I often try to think about current issues we face as parents, hot topics in the news, socio-economic … [Read more...]

by: Karen Ehret Are there guns in your child’s best friend’s house?  If so, how are they stored? “No!” you just said, insistently, before even reading the second question.  But after a moment, many of you reconsidered.  “Probably not.”  A few more seconds passed, and it became “If there are, I’m sure they are locked up somehow.”  And then, finally, the real answer.  … [Read more...]

Seeking Work Life Balance? Childcare choice can make a difference As working families across the country are struggling with the dual demands of work and family, many seek the ever-elusive work life balance. There are a number of general issues that influence work life balance including time, flexibility and resources for unexpected situations. Parents’ choice of childcare can have an effect … [Read more...]

When it Comes to Books: Give Them What They (don’t know they) Want by: Jacqueline Kessman There are some books I love re-reading to my children, like The Giving Tree and the 30-year-old collection of Little Critter and Berenstain Bears books my mother saved, but I am always looking to add something new to the mix and there are few things my kids get more excited about than a new book. So, we … [Read more...]

Traveling With Kids by: Inna Shapiro The first thing you need to know about traveling with kids is to adjust your expectations.  You are not going to be driving non-stop for 14 hours a day or going on every roller coaster in the park, even if your kids are tall enough to get on the rides.  The worst mistake you can make as a traveler with kids is to overestimate their patience and stamina, … [Read more...]

The Role of a Doula by: Wanda Sundermann Most pregnant women today will at some time be asked if they are planning to have a doula at her birth. For many this will be the first time she has ever heard the word “doula”, a Greek word meaning “woman who serves”. In today’s birth culture, a doula is a birth attendant who gives physical and emotional support to a woman in labor and her … [Read more...]