admin, Author at Mothering in the Middle

Five Tips to Reconnect and Grow the Roots Deep (With Your Adult Children)

by Peggy Bodde

As our children grow up, it can sometimes feel as if they’re growing away from us. We know they need to spread their wings, find themselves, and cut the apron strings, but that doesn’t stop us from feeling a little sting the first time we realize they don’t want to be seen with us at the mall.

The separation process continues as they develop their own interests and pursuits, many times going in very different directions from the well-intentioned road map we carefully created for them.

The teen years blow in, bringing the discomfort of change we’re not ready for: a sudden disinterest in family vacations, less time with family and more time with friends, and a dislike for shared activities that were enjoyable just yesterday.

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The View From Scott’s Corner

Mothering contributor DeAnna Scott, 48, is the mother of twins, Robert and Phoebe (born via a traditional surrogacy in June 2013). DeAnna is a p/t photographer and full-time mom. We will feature her work on a monthly basis.

Love, Acceptance and Stepchildren

by Trisha Ladogna and Rachel Ruby

I watched Andrew Solomon’s Ted talk, “Love, No Matter What,” recently. And, it got me thinking about its relevance to stepfamilies and creating a stepfamily you love.

If you haven’t already seen it or it’s been awhile since you last watched Andrew’s talk, here it is:

http://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_solomon_love_no_matter_what?language=en […]

New Beginnings in the Workforce (A Tale of the Modern Midlife Woman/Mother)

by Melanie Elliott

Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to be an actress. I did plays in my youth with high school, community theatre and even in college. Then, in the early 90s, I moved to Chicago and got an MFA in acting.

In 2000 I started the new millennium in Los Angeles with the hopes of using my degree to succeed as an actor. I had some good auditions, did a bit of theatre, but suffice it to say, making a living as an actor in Los Angeles was not my path. I often say the best part about my LA acting career was meeting me husband. We met at an audition in 2000, got cast in the play together, our showmance became a romance, and we’ve been married a little over 11 years now. […]

10 Toddler-Tested Careers for Moms

by Julie Scagell

As my youngest turned 3, I was reminded that living with a toddler automatically qualifies a person for a myriad of possible career options. Whether you are a stay at home parent looking for entry back into the workforce, or a working parent looking for a career change, I am positive any brave soul who has survived toddlerhood will excel in one of the professions below.

Think of me as your underqualified high school guidance counselor, nudging you into the working world where you will be under stimulated and marginally compensated. You are welcome. […]

Smile and Be Happier

by Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D., and Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D

This year, March 20^this the first day of spring. And if that’s not enough to please you, the third annual International Day of Happiness falls on the same day. The United Nations General Assembly made it official by recognizing wellbeing as a fundamental right of people throughout the world.

Remember when Grammy Award winning musician Pharrell Williams teamed up with the UN Foundation to put some synergy in motion? The focus of the online happening was his infectious song “Happy.” You can watch funky videos from all over the world or listen to a jazz rendition.

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12 Tips For Positive Parenting Your Tween

by Dr. Laura Markham

Parenting preteens, or tweens, can be a challenge. Discipline, school, homework, time with family — everything is renegotiated. Hormones kick in as puberty approaches, and the pressures of the peer group magnify. Many moms and dads react to their tween’s moodiness, focus outside the family, increasing independence and maturing physical body by distancing somewhat from their child.

But, tweens need to feel they have a secure nest as they launch themselves into the exciting but scary world. Kids who feel disconnected from their parents lose their anchor and look for it in their peer group.

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To V(accinate) or Not to V(accinate) – That is the Question

by Nicholas D'Ambra

(photo courtesy of blog.legalbistro.com)

I am, by nature, a realist. With a propensity to be pessimistic.
(I think my California “village” can overwhelmingly attest to that.)

About a week ago I found out my son had Chickenpox (Varicella virus). My first thought was how could this happen? My subsequent thoughts involved more hits on Google than a Kardashian.

After too much wine and online research (and a visit to our pediatrician), I realized my son would be fine. My worries, however, continued to swirl. As newer parents with children born after the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine debate, we did spread out our son’s vaccines when he was younger. (Our daughter, however, is on schedule.)

This time around, our concern is about what our school aged son may bring home with him each day. My seven-month-old daughter, who is contently and constantly on the receiving end of kisses and squeezes from my 6 year old son, was extremely vulnerable to contracting the virus.

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Spare Some Change? (An Ode to Midlife Mothering)

by Nancy LaMar Rodgers

Spring Ahead

There is something magical about hearing that first bird tweeting somewhere off in the distance when the snow is still on the ground and you can still see your breath as soon as you walk outside. I think however it is the annual changing of the clocks that sets our bodies into motion, no matter how long we have sat stagnant, and hibernating.

So while most of us take the change of seasons in stride, what is it about change in general that makes many of us go into either a paralyzed or manic state, dependent upon our primitive reaction to trauma? […]

The Older New Parent’s Three Main Food Groups: Caffeine, Ibuprofen, & Wine

I know we got insanely lucky with the mini, lucky I was able to conceive naturally after my 45th birthday, lucky that she was born totally healthy and amazing. So god knows I’m not complaining here. But let me complain for a second.

It seems she’s hitting her terrible two’s a year early. I suppose I could be grateful for her advanced development, like some parents are when their kids walk early. (“She’s only one! And she’s already in her terrible two’s!”)

Instead, I feel like my head has been blown off and I’m walking around with shards on top of my neck. […]

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