Commentary Archives - Page 56 of 72 - Mothering in the Middle

Sex: It Really is Chemistry

by Dr. Barb Depree

What makes sex feel so good? What ignites passion and sustains attachment? What is it that makes your heart flutter? And how can you keep those feelings alive, especially in the bedroom, after 10—or 40—years?

Turns out passion and attraction—all the stuff of poetry, song, and story—are the product of your most ancient brain—the limbic system—which you have in common with lots of other animals and which regulates a chemical stew of neurotransmitters. Emotions, drives, impulses, and desires originate in the limbic system. This part of the brain is wired for pleasure and passion, and it operates independently of our conscious choice or will. […]

Back-To-School Tips for Dealing with Dysregulated Children

Valerie Gillies

Back to school does not bring out the best in dysregulated children. If you are seeing an increase in tantrums, meltdowns, clinginess, or regression to younger behaviors, you are not alone. Children all over America are bouncing off the walls, finishing off the summer with a bang. […]

Women and the Art of Play

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

We all know about the importance of play for the emotional growth and development of children. It can enhance their imagination, increase social skills and boost self-confidence. So why don’t we place more value on play for ourselves? According to a recent study by the Families and Work Institute, over one half of American women don’t have enough time to spend on themselves and to choose the activities they enjoy. […]

STIs: Up Close and Personal (II of II)

by Dr. Barb Depree, M.D.

In a post last month we established that folks over 50 are reentering the singles scene with seriously outdated information about the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that have become commonplace since their own prom nights.

When it comes to older people and STIs, “don’t ask; don’t tell” is the MO. Doctors don’t think to ask Grandma about her sex life, and Grandma sure ain’t talking. […]

Not a Daddy, But a Husband!

by Andrea Lynn

Leaving the soccer field last night, Claire said “I want to have a daddy.” Yeek! It was boiling hot, we were all exhausted, Anna was whining and crying her way to the car. I was carrying the folding chairs, the bag, the water. I had no energy for this kind of discussion. Not to mention the setting of the parking lot was not as I’d hoped. […]

Mothers Capture Precious Metals at the Olympics (July 27 – August 12)

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

The full range of female athletes on the Olympic teams makes it clear that age and family responsibilities are not the barriers to participation in the Games they used to be. Even before the London Olympics begin in 2012, stories from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing highlight the courage and resolve of the mothers of the world – as they demonstrate their athletic prowess and win gold or silver medals. […]

Mother Loss

by Jane Samuel

Four years ago, I naively walked through the life of a middle-aged woman with not much thought to the loss of a parent, let alone the loss of my mother. Then the dominoes in our lives began to line up, teeter and fall – some swiftly, some slowly, all painfully. […]

National Parks for Family Vacations – 2012

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

Given your limited budget, have you made any plans for a family vacation? Any time of year, a low cost getaway can create memories to cherish. But for some Sandwiched Boomers, squeezed between caring for growing children and aging parents, the choices may be slim. […]

STIs: Up Close and Personal with Viruses (Part I of II)

by Dr. Barb Depree, M.D.

In our little roundup of sexually transmitted infections, maybe you’ve noticed that many of them have no symptoms, and others mimic common illnesses like the flu or a urinary tract infection.

The take-away? There’s no way to know if you’re carrying an STI without getting tested. And there’s no way to prevent reinfection unless your partner gets tested, too. […]

Runaway

by Valerie Gillies

And I would run away
I would run away, yeah…, yeah
I would run away
I would run away with you

Cause I am falling in love with you
No never I’m never gonna stop
Falling in love with you

The Corrs “Runaway”

I use music like a pyromaniac uses gasoline. It’s a mood accelerant. Sad? I can be sadder in a flash. Elated? Romantic? Hyper? There’s a tune for just about everything. Technological improvements, like the iPod I can’t quite master, caused me to misplace some of my favorite tunes. How appropriate it was that I found the loaded CD holder yesterday, the first of my 48 days of summer. I popped in Runaway and was swept back nearly 20 years, late at night after all four chicken pox ridden children had finally collapsed, my lover and I falling into each other’s arms in the dim light, and slow dancing around the kitchen. I don’t dance. But I did. And it felt so good that my mind captured it like the rare prize that it was, and beautifully stored it in sensurround. […]