Author: Merrilee Witherell

Anticipating a new baby is one of the most enjoyable and exciting times in family life. Preparing a child for the birth of a new baby brother or sister, however, requires more than buying a crib and choosing paint colors for the nursery. According to Betsy Waterman, professor emerita of the counseling and psychological services program at SUNY Oswego, “Having another baby join a family is exciting, but also carries with it a complication that does not exist for the first baby: how and when to share the news with the child or children who are already part of the…

While most parents agree that reading is important, many of us struggle with how to foster a love of reading at a time when electronic devices vie for the attention of our kids. How can some bound sheets of paper with writing on them compete with games and apps designed to offer challenge and reward in the perfect mix to create addiction? And, as parents, how can we get kids to read without making it sound like punishment? “Step away from the Xbox and read for 20 minutes!” One way to help develop a love of reading, and a habit…