Since I've written about children being poisoned by household items over the years, I'm really careful about putting my purse, which contains medication and supplements, out of the reach of my four-year-old twin grandchildren. However, on my last visit, when I came downstairs in the morning twice, my purse was... Read more →
Each year, 2.5 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home, according to the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission. Some examples from the commission include: 97 crib-related deaths from 2002 through 2004. 23 deaths and 64 nonfatal incidents involving the entanglement of children’s clothing drawstrings over the... Read more →
More than 2.4 million grandparents are raising their grandchildren. They recognized the need to offer their grandchildren stability in a family emergency. They changed their plans to give their grandchildren the love and support they need. Slightly more than half – 1.3 million – of these families contain both grandparents;... Read more →
More than one in three baby boomers are grandparents with the average age being 53. For baby boomers who have questions about becoming grandparents or what their role should be, the Web offers a wide variety of sources of information. Like all Internet research, you need to pick and choose... Read more →
My grandchildren live in Florida and California. How can grandparents who live far from their grandchildren be supportive? A family plan is needed on how grandparents can help out, Dr. Arthur Kornhaber, founder of the Foundation for Grandparenting, told me in an interview. Kornhaber recommends that expecting parents have a... Read more →
When I was in Florida for Christmas, I was lucky to be able to visit the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami. While I love botanical gardens, my oldest daughter being a botanist, I was excited when we arrived to find art displays among the lush, tropical gardens. Work by... Read more →
Two years ago, when I was returning from a trip to Florida, I met a man who had retired in Costa Rica. He said the costs had gone up since he first moved there, but that living in Costa Rica was still offering savings. If you've fantasized about living overseas... Read more →
One of my daughters lives in Florida and the other in California. For a person who has lived in the rainy Pacific Northwest for years, it would be great to be able to retire where it's warm. Planning for retirement is a complicated, but necessary task. Many factors need to... Read more →
Living in the rainy Pacific Northwest, I've often wondered about getting enough vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin. People who live in northern climates may be deficient in vitamin D and may be at an increased risk of certain diseases and disorders, recent studies show. In a Feb. 13, 2008, article,... Read more →
During the winter, I get depressed. I long for spring, my favorite time of the year, and sunshine Winter darkness can "get people down" and contribute to reduced productivity and creativity, Dr. Norman Rosenthal, author of "Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder," told me... Read more →