Parenting

A Mother’s Curiosities in International Living

by Kate Fineske October 13, 2011

Note: This is the 2nd post of a two-post series (the 1st is here!) to help bring awareness to International Mothers’ Center Day (celebrated on Monday, October 10th). In honor of this event, I was inspired to discuss international living with two Mothers’ Center members who recently moved abroad with their families. What would you [...]

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The Greatest Book of All: Our Stories

by Kate Fineske October 6, 2011

Note: Monday, October 10th is International Mothers’ Center Day? Did you know there are hundreds of Mothers’ Centers currently existing in 15 countries around the world? Our international network is facilitated by mine: Mother Centers International Network for Empowerment. To help bring awareness to this celebrated day, I was inspired to write more about the [...]

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A Fan Letter to My Children

by Kate Fineske September 15, 2011

Note: Are you interested in learning more about being an effective advocate for your child? On Thursday, September 22nd, the National Association of Mothers’ Centers will be hosting a webinar as part of their Parenting and Family Webinar Series entitled: How to be Your Child’s Champion: Building Collaborative Relationships With the People in Your Child’s [...]

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“Scientific Studies” in Effective Communication (or lack-there-of)

by Kate Fineske August 25, 2011

~ Ladies and gentlemen… The Captain is speaking! Except that he’s not… You never realize how important communication is, until you can’t communicate with someone. And my youngest (although he understands every word that I say to him) is not quite able to communicate verbally yet. Physically he communicates: He smiles at appropriate times, he [...]

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Because It’s the “In” Thing (Life from the “Fashion Files” of a 10-year-old)

by Kate Fineske August 18, 2011

What would I be when I grew up? Such a profound question to ask at around age 10. Yet I have strong memories of a childhood friend and I sitting together one sunny, summer afternoon, imagining what we wanted to be when we grew up. It was the mid 80′s and my girl friend and [...]

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The Daily Tattle Battle

by Kate Fineske August 4, 2011

News Flash! We are interrupting your regularly scheduled programming to bring you breaking news! Reporting to you LIVE from the top of the stairs is… my middle child – here to tell you all about … How-his-big-sister-just-kicked-him-out-of-her-room-in-the-middle-of-afternoon-reading-time. AND How-it-wasn’t-fair … AND How-she-is-being-SO-mean… AND How-it’s-“JUST-NOT-FAIR-mom! She-WON’T-let-me-into-her-room!” Or, whatever else my middle child might have said… because, [...]

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“But, Daddy Said So…” — Dealing with Parenting Differences

by Kate Fineske July 28, 2011

My 5-year-old son has an intense obsession fixation on his father. My husband and my son share many similarities, from their overall looks, to their mannerisms, to their likes and dislikes. Some similarities are inherited, and others are probably due to my son’s deep admiration for his father. My husband is his son’s biggest fan, [...]

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No Offense, I think We’ll Stay Home Tonight

by Kate Fineske July 21, 2011

3 different families + 3 different family schedules = 1 Major Challenge What follows is one of the most ridiculous conversations that I’ve ever had: — Yes, I’d like to make a reservation for 6 adults one week from this Saturday please… No openings? OK, how about the next weekend on Friday? What? You’re booked [...]

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A Father’s Untold Story Through a Mother’s Unknowing Eyes

by Kate Fineske June 16, 2011

I remember the moment my husband and I decided to begin our family. We always knew when we got married that we wanted children. But like many young couples, we were very focused on our careers and not certain that a family was anywhere in our near future. Nevertheless, in 2001 - a little over [...]

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Playing Back Our Youth: The Moments in Life that Define How We Parent

by Kate Fineske June 9, 2011

Have you ever thought about wanting to save your children from making some of the same mistakes you made growing up? I have. I do. A lot. Is it possible to teach our kids what we wish we would have learned at an earlier stage of our own lives? In looking back at the various [...]

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