Posted October, 29, 2009 by Jackie Morgan MacDougall

There are some parenting debates that will never go out of style. Spanking, breastfeeding, and public or private school are just a few hot-button topics that can make even the most sane parents get a little nutty.

Now here we are, smack-dab-in-the-middle of the age of Facebook, Twitter and blogging. While they're useful and helpful online tools, they're also responsible for the latest battle. Don't believe me? Just ask a group of parents if it's OK to post pictures of kids online and you'll see.

Not only has the New York Times recently taken on this topic, it's one I find myself debating all the time with myself. I have a blog. I write about my family and our life. Sometimes I include pictures of my kids. (How else can I embarrass them regularly?) But am I putting them… Read More

Every February, May and September, a situation presents itself which forces me to answer a very complicated question.

What should I do for my kid's birthday?

Seems like a pretty simple dilemma. Unless you're a mom. Then it becomes like the onion of parenting decisions, each time a choice is made, there's another deeper, stinkier, tear-inducing layer. Party of no party? At home or a kid-requested location? The whole class or close friends? If left unchecked,… Read More

Posted on Thursday, October 15 by Jackie Morgan MacDougall

Just picture it, Massachusetts in October; autumn foliage, outdoor fairs, and hot apple cider on the hayride... it's a magical time. So when we discovered my kindergartner would be getting a week off for fall break (something I had never heard of - ever), we jumped at the chance to head back east to see my family, smack-dab-in-the-middle of New England's fall glory.

But the bonding family… Read More

In all my free time, I came across a post written by a blogger sharing her frustrations with family dinners. While I subscribe to the "do what's best for your family" theory, the comments in the post were so nasty, so mean, that it reminded me of a time when I too, was the judgmental one.

Let me start at the beginning...

I was the best mother to ever grace the earth. I made organic baby… Read More

Making friends pre-kids was a simple task. She liked what you liked, was fun to be around, and you could trust her with your life. It was all about the connection. After having kids, it goes nothing like that. You find yourself hanging out with new people based on geographic location, common kid ages or a mutual disinterest in mommy and me classes (or is that just me?).

But on the rare occasion you're lucky enough to still spend… Read More

Posted by Jackie Morgan MacDougall on Sept. 10, 2009

Unless you're living under a rock this week, you heard about -- or perhaps participated in -- the biggest battle to hit politics since, well... last year's election. But this time, the disagreement was over something as simple as Obama addressing kids via a televised message to be shown in schools.

WHAT? The president of the United States wants to talk to OUR children? The travesty!

That reaction may seem a bit dramatic,… Read More