Latest News

No Easy Answers When Kids Are Terminally Ill

Since I first read about the 13-month-old Canadian child named Joseph who recently came to St. Louis for a life-extending treatment, I’ve been thinking about my older sister. The one who I never knew because she died when she was only a month old.

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Sitting Can Be Hazardous to Your Health

It’s a gorgeous day outside, but my kids are at a hockey tournament so instead of being out and about, I’m using the opportunity to sit at my computer. The upside is that I’ll get to bed earlier tonight (sleep = good!). The downside is that I spend most of my waking, non-mom hours at computers (sitting = bad!).

If you work a desk job like I do, you’re probably in the same boat. Researchers are starting to notice that it doesn’t really matter if a person leaves her desk and heads straight to the gym every night — you can be totally fit, but if your day is spent on your butt, you will still have a higher risk of heart disease and other health problems. For details, check out this Men’s Health article.

Realistically, most of us leave our desks and head straight to the car to spend a couple of hours chauffeuring kids to events and practices after school. More sitting.

Ideally, researchers say

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Boarding the Blame Train

We’ve all seen Lindsay Lohan’s and Miley Cyrus’ antics (and in Lohan’s case, her lady parts) splashed across the media over the years. Understandably, most of us agree the girls are one step away from climbing onboard the Charlie Sheen train. But what really aggravates many is how their parents have long placed the blame for their indescretions on those around them.

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My Brain at 40 versus My Child's Brain Before 20

My brain is on a downhill slope. The reason? I turned 40 last month. Before you start rolling your eyes, take note: Back in September, scientists at the University of California-Los Angeles said that 39-year-olds are tops on standard tests of motor skills. After that, it truly is downhill.

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Defeating the Dinner Decision Demons

I ran into a friend last night at 6:30 p.m. on her way home from work. While we were standing on the sidewalk chatting, her husband called to find out when she would be home and — the million-dollar question — what was for supper. My friend sighed as she hung up and admitted that she had been full of good intentions of putting a roast in the Crockpot that morning, but …

Then she asked, “Do you plan your meals ahead of time?” Ah, yes, one of those things that we all know we’re supposed to do (like reading to our kids 20 minutes a day and washing our hands for a full rendition of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star). But life just seems to get in the way.

When I got home half an hour later, I discovered that the National Public Radio show Tell Me More was featuring this very topic. (Checking out the transcript or audio file is 15 minutes well spent). The key line for me was from Aviva Goldfarb, author of The Six O’Clock Scramble, who said, “[T]he hardest thing for people about cooking dinner really isn't the actual cooking, it's the deciding.” Amen, sister.

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The $65 Million Mom

If you haven’t been scouring gossip sites or reading Us Weekly, let me fill you in on a little something.

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St. Louis Will Soon Be Robotics Central

When you first hear the term “robotics,” thoughts of fun, high-spirited competitions and unique social and cultural interaction likely don’t come to mind.

That's about to change. Around St. Louis you’ll soon be hearing a lot about robotics.
 

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Debating How Kids Learn

Note: This is the third in a three-part series. Read part 1Read part 2

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not regulate or monitor homeschooling in the state of Missouri, according to the department’s web site.

Additionally, neither the State Board of Education nor the department has authority to issue regulations or guidelines concerning homeschooling.

According to Michelle Clark, communications director for DESE, this lack of oversight would extend to unschooling, even though she had not heard of that education method.

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Hot Looks for Hot Mamas

With the snow starting to melt away and that big orange thing in the sky finally revealing itself, I’ve been scouring fashion magazines and websites with abandon, trying to get a taste of the trends for spring to plan my wardrobe for the upcoming season.

To get help in finding looks that are both fashion-forward and easy for a busy mom to pull off, celebrated St. Louis fashion stylist and personal shopper, Jan Leach of Jan Leach Style, shared with me five hot trends for spring 2011. And along with Natalie Woods, owner of Daisy Clover Boutique in Webster Groves, explained via email how anyone can pull them off so us moms can look and feel our best.

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Flowers for My Nature-Loving Valentine

At the grocery store on Friday, my son was tooling around recklessly with his little mini-cart like he usually does … until he came to the floral Valentine’s Day display. He screeched to a halt directly in front of the roses and stared at them like they were the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen in all his four and a half years.

We wound up leaving the store with a flowering plant (not roses, luckily!) that he carried out like it was a precious jewel. We propped it securely in the car for the drive home and he insisted we turn off the music so his plant could have peace and quiet. And he unloaded it from the car directly into a sunny window, with no prompting from me. He’s also been watering it and wondering when the large bud will join the two flowers that are already blooming.

Clearly this is a boy who’s suffering from a nature deficit!

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Things to Do

Sea Lion Shows at the Saint Louis Zoo
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Wednesday, July 2, 2025

See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.

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Storytelling in the Museum from the Missouri History Museum
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Storytelling in the Museum is an in-person storytelling event happening at 10:30 a.m. at the Missouri History Museum. This event, perfect for the preschool set, features engaging stories with themes like Juneteenth, Sweet Treats, Summer and more. Storytelling in the Museum is free.

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Popular Stories

Festivals & Fireworks to Celebrate July 4th in St. Louis

It's time to celebrate Independence Day in St. Louis, and because this year July 4th falls on a Friday, your family can look forward to a full weekend of festivals and fireworks. Check out these family-friendly celebrations that include carnivals, fantastic fireworks and lots more.

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Summer Fun in St. Louis Starts Now! Your Guide to Family Fun this June

For many St. Louis families, the start of June represents the real start of summer. That's when the summer fun really starts to kick in, and the fact that so many activities and attractions are free is just a bonus!

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Why Summer Camp is Great for . . . Parents

Being able to focus on yourself, your partner, and other people in your life who mean a lot to you is no small matter. As parents, we’re used to being responsible providers and caregivers. However, there’s so much more to a person: we’re also partners and friends. These are important parts of our identities that we need to cultivate. Sending your kids to summer camp may bring out your more playful side that you haven’t shown for a while.

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7 Signs Your Kids Are Ready For Their First Sleepaway Camp

It’s time to decide whether to send your kids to sleepaway camp, but how do you know that's the right thing to do? How can you tell whether your kids are ready for their first extended stay away from home? Here are 7 important signs that experts say should inform your decision.

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Want Your Kids to Learn? Teach Them It’s Okay to Make Mistakes

It’s normal for parents to want to protect their children from failure. It’s also normal to want them to achieve, win, and do their best. But here’s the truth: We don’t learn anything new without making mistakes. I’ll say it again. Making mistakes is a crucial step in learning. If we’re fearful of making mistakes, learning comes to a screeching halt.

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