“Daddy, why did the lady give you money?” asked my daughter Marie back when she was 5. We had just crossed a toll bridge and Marie was trying to make sense of the transaction at the booth. I would’ve liked to answer: “Don’t you know? THIS is where money comes from. Whenever grownups run low on...

Helping Your Teen Navigate Social Networks & Mobile Phones Don’t tell your teens this, but their brains aren’t fully developed. The part of the brain that’s used for reasoning and controlling impulses doesn’t fully mature until we’re in our mid-20s. That means, as parents fully understand, that...

(Family Features) Smart phones, PDAs, email, laptops, wireless Internet access — technology makes it easy to stay in touch with anyone, anywhere. But it can also make it difficult to get connected to the people you’re closest to — your family. When you add personal entertainment devices into the mix, a...

It’s spring! As Earth Day approaches, the bulbs are bursting, the trees are budding, and many families are preparing to welcome their newest addition. We all want the best for our new babes, but the high cost of buying solely organic products can seem downright prohibitive to families on a...

“Tell me a story about The Green Man Goes Trick-or-Treating.” When my daughter Sally was 3, that’s what she’d demand every night at bedtime for about a year. The Green Man is a weathered bronze statue of a soldier that stands on a big rock about two blocks from our house. I’d tell Sally bedtime...

In years past it was much easier to teach children about the value of a dollar. Do you remember going to the bank to get coin rolls to roll your change, or how about breaking open a piggy bank to count your savings for a special purchase? You either had the funds to make a purchase, or you didn’t. It...

Dear EarthTalk:  I work for an office equipment company selling copiers, fax machines, computers and printers. Each year new models come out making old ones obsolete. As a result, we have loads of trade-ins with nowhere to go. What can we do with this old equipment? — Jeff P., Worcester,...

Food waste is a huge issue in America, especially in light of the growing divide between the profligate rich and the hungry poor. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Loss Project, we throw away more than 25 percent—some 25.9 million tons—of all the food we produce for domestic sale...

Teenagers can behave in strange ways that often mystify adults. For some parents their teen’s moods or actions keep them up at night. The key is knowing how to recognize signs your teen may be in real trouble and not just experiencing normal difficulties of the age. Moreover, learning how to better...

I hear other moms talk about teaching their children about personal safety. What all does that include? My kids are under ten years old. What a great thing to be thinking and talking about! Here are some thoughts you might want to consider: We all have a personal space (“bubble”) around us. This bubble...