Merry Consumerism Holiday! With Christmas mere days away, the conversation around how much is too much for our kids on Christmas has come up with multiple close friends and new-mom acquaintances alike. In our house, we haven’t had to focus on this too much as of yet. Our [...]
My family and some long-time friends waded through the lightsaber-carrying masses – Jedis, Rebel Alliance pilots and Wookies among them – to catch a 7 p.m. screening of the new Star Wars movie last night at the Reading Cinemas Rohnert Park 16. “The Force Awakens” appeared to be playing on [...]
2016 Specialty Toys of the Year Nominees The 2016 Toy Awards are upon us, and the contenders have been unveiled for voting. For this post, I specifically looked at the contenders for the Specialty Toy Awards. This Mama's Winners: 1. Boogie Board Play'N'Trace Doodle Pad by Kent Displays, [...]
So someone from Frankfurt, Germany – or someone just using a Frankfurt server - sends a 360-word amateurish email to schools in Los Angeles and New York threatening a possible terrorist attack and it not only results in the closure of 1,100 schools in L.A. but it makes front-page news [...]
The face I caught vs. what the photographer captured... For the last few weeks, each day has brought a slew of kids-on-Santa’s-lap pictures to my various social media news feeds. Some are sweet and picturesque; most are just downright hilarious as tantrum after tantrum is captured and shared [...]
I once had a Waltons-type perspective on what getting a Christmas tree should be like. You know, the family dressed in flannel venturing off into the evergreen forest to surround a single majestic arbor which is felled with a few swift ax blows and carted away by siblings singing carols [...]
Is he Santa's Little Helper or is he a threat to your child's future autonomy? Weigh in.
Scrolling through my Facebook feed last night I stumbled on a story about a couple that was up to their eyebrows in debt for their son’s college education. We’ve all read these before. They were in so deep retirement was only a dream. Their son, with a communications degree, worked [...]
In my teen years, I often would ride my bike go over to my grandparents’ house to mow their lawn and do small chores. My grandmother, a strong Swede in her late 80s at the time, was always so appreciate that she would roll out a full meal whether I [...]
How can parents talk to kids about the scary world we live in without raising them in fear? Writer Stephanie Ansley takes on that question...
There’s an old African proverb that states “It takes a village to raise a child”, and these days that proverb has never been more true. Whether we’re related by blood or by intention, families come in all forms, and are only defined by the bonds of love.
Crissi Langwell is the voice of the Village, which she started in 2012. Crissi is a the mother of three kids, ages 18-24, and tells stories of her blended family and other stories related to families and parenting. She is also a Petaluma author of 11 books. You can find out more about her novels at crissilangwell.com.
The Village is also home to other voices, as well, including Stephanie Ansley (a new mom facing the joys of first-time parenthood), as well as Paul Gullixson (a parent and coach of a team of 12-year-olds) and Meg McConahey (a mom with enough experience to have some good laughs about the whole thing).
We welcome all kinds of voices, and you may see some additional viewpoints from other Press Democrat writers and local contributors. Because it truly does take a village.
