Families and Parenting
6 Ways to Tame Tears
American Baby, October 2007
There's no avoiding it: babies cry, sometimes for hours a day. But as parents, we're hardwired to do anything we can to make it stop, whether that's changing a diaper, offering a breast, or launching into a favorite John Mayer song. Read more.
12 Simple Things Your Baby Needs
Parenting, April 2007
When my husband and I first toted our newborn home from the hospital, the sheer terror of having to keep this tiny being alive threw us into survival mode. Out went superfluous chores like doing dishes or showering; instead, we focused on meeting Ella's most basic needs. In a few weeks we figured out that most of Ella's needs were basic. Read more.
The Kid Gap
Parenting, May 2006
There's no such thing as just-right sibling spacing. For every mom who's convinced that a 13-month age difference makes for a tight relationship between her kids, there's another who'll swear that 13 years is better for keeping sibling spats at bay. Moms and experts chime in on what's handy and what's a hassle about different kid age gaps. Read more.
Home and Organizing
Get Organized Now: Start the Year Off Right
Parenting, February 2008.
Your New Year's resolution: organize everything right this second (or at least before January 3rd). Here's a more realistic approach. Read more.
The Intelligent Kitchen
Smart Homeowner, January/February 2006
Ever since the Jetsons produced a three-course meal with the push of a button, homeowners have been waiting for their own kitchens to enter the space age. It looks like that's finally about to happen. Read more.
In the Background
Preservation Online, June 2005
In the 75 years since Grant Wood painted "American Gothic," the work's gaunt, pitchfork-wielding Midwesterner and his grim daughter have become nothing less than pop culture icons. Only slightly less recognizable is the simple white house behind them, whose arched, Gothic Revival-style window was Wood's inspiration and the raison d'etre of the painting's title. Read more.
Relationships and Psychology
Less-Stressed Kids
Better Homes and Gardens, February 2008
Like most kids his age, 15-year-old Mason Saliba Smith has a schedule that sounds like an anxiety attack on paper. But when he gets home each day, Mason takes a few minutes in his bedroom to sit calmly, spine straight, and meditate, a practice he learned from his yoga teacher. Read more.
Can We Talk?
Better Homes and Gardens, November 2006
If meaningful discussions are getting to be rare occurrences in your family, you don't have to resign yourself to lackluster chitchat. "With a little effort, we can revive the art of conversation in our own homes," says Debra Fine, author of the The Fine Art of Small Talk. Read more.
The New Parents' Relationship Survival Guide
Pregnancy, December 2005
Of all the things I had to worry about before my daughter, Ella, was born, the state of my marriage didn't even show up on the list. But for weeks after her arrival, it wasn't the off-and-on squalling or the endless feedings that had me in a major funk. It was my relationship with my husband. Read more.
Money
Bad Habits That Help You Save
For Me, May 2006
Bad habits can cost you. (How many times have you been socked with late fees after forgetting to pay your bills on time?) But sometimes, says Mary Hunt, author of Live Your Life for Half the Price, your personal foibles can actually help you save cash. Read more.
8 Tips for House-Hunting on Vacation
Bankrate.com, April 2005
You're on vacation. Lounging at the pool. Reading the novel of the summer. Maybe throwing back a few mai tais and ... checking out the local real estate market? Read more.
6 Pain-Free Ways to Give to a Cause
Bankrate.com, November 2004
Drop cash on a box of cereal or Ben Fold's latest CD, and indulge your latent do-gooder at the same time. Read more.
Interesting People
A Lesson in Love
Ladies' Home Journal, April 2007
Susan Lawrence, an elementary school special education teacher in her hometown of Carlisle, Iowa, has always had a strong faith in God. But she never expected that her pet would lead her down a new spiritual path. Read more.
Furniture the Old-Fashioned Way
American Profile, March 18, 2007
At RVP-1875, the 3-year-old furniture shop and museum he owns in Story City, Iowa (pop. 3,228), Robby Pedersen's goal isn't speed, or even perfection. It's authenticity. Read more.
Remaking the Planet
Smart Homeowner, Special Supplement, January 2006
Architect and designer William McDonough combines vision and technology to achieve his eco-revolutionary goals. Read more.
Health and Wellness
Pick Your Own
Better Homes and Gardens, July 2006
For kids who think green beans grow in the supermarket's produce section, a morning spent at a pick-your-own farm not only gets them in touch with the real thing, it may inspire a slightly more adventurous palate. Read more.
Looks Aren't Everything
Self, August 2005
We all automatically reach for the prettiest fruit and vegetables, but, as with so many things, there may be good reasons to ignore your shallower instincts. Read more.
Learn to Love Your Vegetables
Low Carb Living, September 2004.
Your average asparagus spear has a lot going for it: plenty of fiber, loads of cancer-fighting phytochemicals, only a handful of carbohydrates. It even looks dapper on a dinner plate. But despite those benefits -- and the Greek chorus of doctors and dietitians warning us to eat our vegetables -- asparagus and the rest of the produce section are the wallflowers of the food world. Read more.