UPDATED June 17th, 2017 In my native Puerto Rico, the methods of discipline were very straightforward: You did what you were told or you were punished. Not obeying guaranteed un chancletazo (a spanking with a flip flop). Offering to hit with other implements such as belts, twigs and tree branches was not out of the […]
Successful single moms are in constant motion. Always doing, solving, thinking, creating, juggling, producing, and responding to the never-ending demands of motherhood. In an era in which women are bearing most of the parenting load, maintaining a balance between family and work life is an ever-increasing challenge. However, for most women mediocrity and failure are […]
As if our bodies don’t go through enough changes during pregnancy and childbirth, many of us also have to deal with urinary incontinence. For many women, sneezing, coughing, laughing or having sex—during and after pregnancy—is enough to trigger a leak. Why does this happen and what can we do about it? Here are some answers:
When children reach age 10 they are already on the verge of becoming adolescents. Tween boys and girls (pre-adolescents ages 9-12) will experience significant changes as puberty hits and parents need to discuss these changes with them. Physical, emotional, and social changes are all part of puberty which makes this developmental time fun, confusing, and […]
Are you a breastfeeding mom, or the friend, spouse, relative or partner of a breastfeeding mom? If so, get out and celebrate with The Big Latch On; an event in which mothers around the world gather to synchronously breastfeed their children in public. This year’s celebration, timed to coincide with World Breastfeeding Week, takes place […]
It is 7:15pm and Angelo, age 10, is sitting at the dinner table. He is not eating dinner, though; he is still doing his homework. Angelo wakes up at 6 am, eats breakfast, gets ready for school, finishes his homework from the day before, and gets on his school bus. The school bus picks him […]
Recently, the case of what I’ll call a “sexless” child came to my attention. Mateo’s parents are friends of a friend and they live in Germany. Mateo has two loving parents and an older brother. The parents have been puzzled with their youngest child from very early on in life. Although the parents have accepted […]
I experienced early puberty. My breasts developed when I was 5 and my menstrual cycles began when I was 7. By age 9, I was fully grown to adult size. Back then in Puerto Rico, nobody could explain why I had an early development. However, I was not alone and in the ensuing years, the […]
UPDATED August 1st, 2016 Recently, I’ve had friends who have been diagnosed with HPV, or the human papillomavirus. Their reaction has been of disbelief and fear, coupled with a lot of questions about the virus and its consequences. Knowing the facts about HPV can help you prevent a case of this stealthy, and potentially deadly, […]