by Kim Green-Spangler Assertiveness builds character, self esteem and a healthier you. Those people who get the promotions at work, are the leaders in school, and know how to work a room, typically share the assertiveness ‘gene.’ They are the movers and shakers of the world, because they have learned...

When my daughter Sally turned 8, I bought her a new wooden canoe paddle and burned her name into the blade. With the gift came a promise: In July she and I would take a three-day canoe trip on the river that flows past our house. We hung the paddle over her bed. Sally was excited. In fact, we both were,...

Ahhh… summertime. Ninety-nine blissful days. Lemonade, barbeques, and… major stress? Figuring out what to do with one child for the summer (sleepaway camp or day camp? Tutoring or no? How to afford extra childcare?) can increase a parent’s stress level. Multiply that times two (or three, or four)...

“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,...