Webisode 34: Sniffle No More - The Truth about Cough & Cold Meds

As parents it's natural to want to ease your child's discomfort when they aren't well. But when it comes to a cold it seems there aren't many options for younger children. Practicing primary care physician Dr. Heather Diskin is a recent graduate of the MassGeneral Hospital for Children pediatric training program. She gives us the truth about over the counter cough and cold medications. She'll explain the safety concerns, why they were taken off the shelves last year, what age they are effective and alternative methods to relieving your tots sniffles.



Sponsored by: Productive Parenting

Webisode 28: Manners for Minors

Without regular prompts or constant reminders, Dr. Maureen O’Brien will teach us how to develop or children into polite individuals. She’ll talk about how to get your children to be overall more gracious and respectful whether they are in a restaurant, receiving a gift or meeting new people. Recognized for her sense of humor and down-to-earth guidance, Dr. Maureen O'Brien is a nationally respected parenting expert with her “Watch Me Grow” book, parent magazine consulting and speaking experiences. More importantly, she is the mother of 13 year old twins!



Sponsored by: Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten

Webisode 26: Dr. Perfect - Finding the Right Pediatrician

Finding the right doctor for your child is quite the responsibility. You want to find someone capable that you connect with personally, and that you implicitly trust. It’s a lot easier said than done. Dr. Peter Greenspan, a pediatrician at MassGeneral Hospital for Children and Associate Medical Director of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, discusses the things parents should consider when looking for a compatible pediatrician. He gives specific areas to question and even some subjective things to note when researching or meeting a candidate.

Sponsored by: Wander Wear

Webisode 24: Sex and the Kiddies - When and How to Talk to Children about Sex

Forget the birds and bees, today’s kids are much more informed and connected than ever before. They get information from friends, from the Internet, and from everyday media such as movies, advertisements, and TV. Not only are more kids aware of sex at a younger age, more are having it. But this doesn’t mean they understand the physical issues involved nor can handle it emotionally. So when and how do parents today talk to and properly manage their kids and sex? Dr. Kristen Eckler, a respected obstetrician and gynecologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses this often awkward topic with us so parents can be more prepared and more effective in talking to their kids.

Sponsored by: “Please Stop the Rollercoaster! How Parents of Teenagers Can Smooth Out the Ride”

Webisode 22: Inside No Child Left Behind - Part 2

Our Part 1 webisode with nationally recognized elementary school principal, Robin Welch, was so popular, that we taped a second show to get even more into this truly controversial issue of No Child Left Behind.

Part 1 examines the question about what the policy is and how it is affects schools at large and actual classrooms. In this Part 2 piece, we’ll get more into the opinion about the effectiveness and issues at stake from one of American’s most respected administrators.

Sponsored By: Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten!

Webisode 21: Inside No Child Left Behind

With lofty and legitimate objectives, the Bush education initiative called, “No Child Left Behind” has become a major controversy among educators, parents and administrators. Is it working? Who is benefiting and who is being hurt?

Nationally recognized and awarded principal, Robin Welch, will help us to understand the intent and execution of the program. Robin will share his opinion on the merits and limitations of the initiative and what the future looks like with this program in a shifting political arena.

Principal Welch is a highly respected educator and administrator who has been involved with all aspects of childhood education and special needs. Among numerous other accolades, he is the recipient of the 2005 National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) National Distinguished Principal Award and the 2005 Massachusetts Elementary School Principals’ Association (MESPA) Thomas C. Passios Award.

Sponsored By: Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten!

Webisode 17: "Not So Happy Childhood: How to Identify and Deal with a Depressed Child"

Depression is more common than most people realize – especially in children. The average age depression begins is 13-14 years old. Julie Totten, founder of non-profit Families for Depression Awareness is dedicated to helping family members whose loved ones are affected by depressive disorders to get people well and prevent suicides. Julie considers depression a "family illness" - meaning it takes support of loved ones to get well. Julie discusses signs and symptoms for mothers to look for in their children, how mothers can best support their loved ones who have depressive disorders, precautions to take for children prescribed with antidepressants, and personal lessons from her family's experiences.

Sponsored by: Parents For Parents Magazine

Webisode 15: Are We There Yet? Traveling with Tots

Nationally respected parenting expert Dr. Maureen O’Brien discusses how to keep kids occupied, safe and healthy while traveling via car, train or plane. Dr. Mo is an acclaimed author, speaker, and consultant to parenting groups and magazines. Her book, “Watch Me Grow: I’m One-Two-Three”, is a cornerstone book on childhood development. Plus, Maureen is the mother of 13 year old twins. If anyone knows how to reduce the stress of traveling with kids in tow, she does!

Sponsored by: Wander Wear

Webisode 14: PhotoPhobic? Sharing digital photos safely

Are you scared to use photo services such as Flickr or Shutterfly because you think your family will be literally exposed? Keith Loris, co-founder of EnjoyMyMedia.com, discusses precautions moms should take when using the Internet to share photos, and other digital files. Keith talks about the potential risks and benefits of using these services, and gives tips for using these and other services safely to keep both your photos and loved ones protected!

Sponsored by: Planecomfort

Webisode 13: The Gift of Time - Personal Concierges

Ever imagine what it would be like to have someone help you for a change? Help with the kids, with the house, with chores. Getting birthday presents and organizing parties, planning vacations and house/pet sitting, or even helping you start a business. Lisa Schreider of Lisa's Hands of Time Concierge describes the typical, and not so typical, assistance that a personal concierge can provide. Often more affordable than most people think, personal concierges can really be of great service!

Sponsored By: PlaneComfort

Webisode 12: Please Stop the Rollercoaster! Parenting Teens

Hormones, drugs, school, college prep, and the list goes on. Being a teenager is tough business but parenting one can be even more challenging at times. Sue Blaney is the author of “Please Stop the Rollercoaster! How Parents of Teenagers Can Smooth Out the Ride,” a series of discussion group guidebooks for parents to gain support from fellow parents. With such groups all over the country, Sue has heard it all! She is a frequent consultant to the media, religious and academic groups on raising teenagers.

Sponsored by: “Please Stop the Rollercoaster! How Parents of Teenagers Can Smooth Out the Ride”

Webisode 10: The Super Parent Trap

The pressure to be a perfect parent is more overwhelming than ever before. Parents want to ensure their children are healthy, safe, educated and well-rounded. While children can easily be over-programmed, so can the parents - resulting in exhaustion, stress, and even feelings of resentment and depression. Nationally respected parenting expert Dr. Maureen O’Brien discusses how to avoid falling into the Parent Trap by looking for early warning signs and what to do if it's already happening. Dr. O’Brien is the founder of DestinationParenting.com, as well as the author of “Watch Me Grow I'm 1-2-3” books, and a parent magazine consultant. She is the mother of 13-year-old twins.

Sponsored by: Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten

Webisode 9: Straight Talk – Chiropractic unplugged

Good back health is critical for anyone – especially kids. Headaches, allergies, joint discomfort, and other maladies can often be caused by a misaligned spine. Because it’s considered alternative medicine, chiropractic remains a controversial solution. Pediatric chiropractor Howard Goldberg addresses common questions such as when and why to take your child to the chiropractor. He’ll answers questions such as how painful is it? How much does it cost and can it affect long term growth?

Sponsored By: The Volunteer Family

Webisode 8:“Kid-chens”: fun and safe cooking with kids

Cooking together is a great way to have fun and share some productive time and experience with your kids. However, with the potential dangers and mess, some parents find the experience too stressful. Cooking educator Sharon Tomlinson talks about how to set up and manage a safe cooking environment with your kids. She discusses some hidden dangers and how to avoid them. Sharon also shares great ideas to make healthy dishes together that the entire family can participate in and enjoy.

Sponsored by: Healthy Eating During Pregnancy

Webisode 7: Beyond the Lemonade Stand - encouraging kids to be entrepreneurial

Clearly, entrepreneurial skills are critical in the global economy. Whether your child wants to be the next Donald Trump or simply earn some extra money to buy a favorite toy, teaching them how to be entrepreneurial is a lifelong valuable skill. Our guest will be Beth Goldstein who is the author of the McGraw Hill book, The Ultimate Small Business Marketing Toolkit and Boston University’s chair for their entrepreneurial certification program. Beth will talk about why and how to teach your children about starting and managing their own businesses. She’ll give some great tips to teach kids about the value of money, how to earn and manage money and how to keep them motivated during the process.

Sponsor: "Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten"

Webisode 6: Camp Counsel - expert tips for great summer experiences

Picking the right camp and summer activities for your child/children can be extremely stressful. For over 12 years, Jill Tipograph has provided families with summer planning guidance. Her company, Everything Summer (http://www.everythingsummer.com/) is the only independent resource for unbiased and customized summer guidance for kids, teens and families to ensure a stress-free, fun summer experience. She is the author of "Your Everything Summer Guide & Planner" and a helpful blog (http://www.everythingsummer.com/blogger.htm).

Jill has been featured as a summer expert on NBC TV’s Today Show, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Smart Money, Bloomberg Media, Chicago Tribune, and others.

A crash course on summer planning, Jill will discuss when and what to look for in summer camps as well as how to prepare yourself and your child! With some camps requiring a year’s advance registration, this webisode is great all year long!

Sponsored by: Wander Wear - "preventing kids from getting lost"

Webisode 5: Mom-Cents: taking control of your financial future

Sure you can manage a checkbook, but do you know the difference between a home equity loan from a line of credit? A 529 from a 401K? A bond from a bond fund? Most women unfortunately don’t.

Women, especially moms, often delegate (or at least assume) that their husbands or other family members will take care of the family finances. Who could ever imagine that one day, you might be divorced, widowed or otherwise in charge of the money?

Angela Rizzolo, from the US Department of Labor and the newly launched Wi$eUp program, will talk about the causes and the cure for women to take control of their own financial futures.

Sponsored by: Ask Patty - Automotive Advice for Women

Webisode 4: Working Out - Is It?

For everyone, it is often hard to get motivated and schedule time to get to the gym. When you finally get there, you might as well try to get the best possible workout you can!

Certified aerobic instructor, Denise Battick, will uncover some important ways you can boost your workouts to maximize results without adding more time or hassle. She’ll even give you more reasons to get to the gym by uncovering some benefits that you probably never thought of! With over 20 years as a fitness expert, Denise is a working mother with two boys ages 4 and 8 so she really knows the challenges of making it all work – work out, that is!!

Sponsored by: Ask Patty - Automotive Advice for Women

Webisode 3: Raising Charitable Children

When kids have the latest video games, action heroes and dolls, how do you teach them to appreciate what they have? They say that charity starts at home, but with our intensely busy family schedules, we usually don’t have the time to talk about it - let alone do anything about it.

On this Mom Matters webisode, our expert guest is Heather Jack. She is the founder and president of The Volunteer Family, an organization that helps match interested families with community volunteer opportunities. Heather discusses easy ways we can spend true quality time together with our families while simultaneously teaching our children to care about others.

Sponsored by: The Volunteer Family

Webisode 2: Furry, Feathered, Friend or Foe

Many kids are terrified of animals, including domesticated pets – large and small, furry or not. Experienced veterinarian and community educator, Leslie Marci, helps us understand why some kids typically are fearful of animals and what we can do to help them feel safely at ease. She discusses what we can do as parents to ease our own anxiety and in turn help our children enjoy their own or other people’s pets.

Sponsored by: Wander Wear - preventing kids from getting lost