Select a category from the list on the left to view titles and descriptions of available articles in the various categories. If you are interested in reprinting any items shown here, please E-Mail.

Additionally please note Brette is always available for assignments.

If you are interested in reprinting her monthly column, Parental Guidance: Everything You Need to Know for Parenting Together Apart, you can read columns at Divorce Interactive. Email for information.

Beauty
"BeauTEA: The Beauty Secrets of Tea"

Book Review Columns
ABC's

Babies

Birthday & Family Parties

Children's Cookbooks

Crafts & Kids

Dads

Families

Grandparents

Growing Up

Halloween

Health & Hygiene for Kids

Holidays

July 4th, Washington D.C. & Our Government

Kindergarten

Moms

Money, Math & Shopping

Monsters

Music & Dance

Nature

Nursery Rhymes & Familiar Stories

Potty & Sleep

Snow

Staying Healthy

Thanksgiving

Travel

Valentine's Day

Vehicles

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Cooking
"Make a Special Birthday Cake": recipes and ideas for a terrific homemade birthday cake

"Make Take Out at Home": recipes and fun descriptions for making take out food at home with the kids - this also appeared as "Today's Feature" on Disney's www.family.com on 6/4/99

"Preparation is Everything": tips on stacking your freezer and pantry in preparation for the birth of a child

“Salad Secrets: 20 Ways to Help Kids Enjoy Salads”

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Divorce
"Avoid Gift-Giving Gripes": Gifts for kids after the divorce

"Avoiding the Revolving Courtroom Door": Staying out of court after divorce

"Daddy Doesn't Make Me Clean My Room": Household Responsibilities After Divorce

"Dealing with Divorce: A Primer to Help You Cope (NY)"

"Dealing wih Dollars: Smooth Financial Dealings with Your Ex"

"Don't Kill the Messenger": Keeping your child out of post-divorce disputes

"An Extra Step: Stepgrandparents"

"Friends and Parenting Time": Balancing children's friends against a parenting schedule

"The Girlfriend": Coping when your ex is dating

"Home Alone for the Holidays: What to Do When It Is Not Your Turn"

"Keeping Summer Vacation Fun in a Divorced Family"

"A List of Things for Divorced Parents to Be Thankful For"

"Live and Let Live": Accepting differences when parenting after divorce

"Making Divorce Friendlier: How Mediation Can Help You End Your Marriage Without Losing Your Mind or Your Children": description of the mediation process and the beneficial effects it has for families facing divorce

"Making Them Go": When kids don't want to go on visitation

"The Merits of Mediation: A More Personalized Alternative"

"Money Madness: Understanding That Child Support and Visitation Are Separate"

"New Year's Resolutions for Single Parents"

"The No Show": When parents don't show up for visitation

"Parenting Apart": Information for divorced or separated parents on sharing time with their babies.

"Reasons for Divorce in New York": clearcut guide to the grounds for divorce that are available in New York state

"Relocation": When one parent moves after divorce

"School Dances": Sharing Education Information: Access to education records after divorce

"Separate But Together After the Divorce": Spending time as a family after the divorce

"In Sickness and in Health": What to do when children's illnesses interfere with a parenting plan

"Teens and Visitation": Adjusting visitation for teenagers

"Whose Rules": Deciding how to apply rules for your child in two households

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Essays
"Anatomy of a Purse: Before and After Children": humor comparison list

"August is Time For…Christmas Shopping?!": my peculiar year-round Christmas shopping method

"Becoming a Writer": First sale essay

"Coming Home: Struggling With My Mother's Expectations": As the daughter of a professional working mom it was incredibly difficult to go against the current expectation that you will return to work. This essay has received incredible reader response each time it is published. Recipient of a 1999 Mothers at Home Media Award.

"Coming Home: One Year Later": a retrospective on one year as an at home mother -what I missed about the working world and the rewards I reaped

"Confessions of a Ferberizer": why we used the Ferber method, how I felt about it and my conclusion that I suffered a loss because of it

"Confessions of a Stocking Stuffer": humorous look at the holidays

"Divorcing Myself": First sale essay

"Freedom Lost…and Found": humorous look at the restrictions and freedoms parenthood brings

"Is He Really a Daddy Yet?": humor comparison list

"Lessons From My Second Child": the surprises that were in store for me when I thought I knew everything about parenting

"The Nap Conspiracy": humorous thoughts on children's naps

“Snapshot: Revisiting Memories Through the Camera’s Eye”: comments on the importance of memories from photographs

"Thanksgiving Our Way": how we went 'cold turkey' on Thanksgiving and discovered the true meaning of the holiday

"Under the Knife": reflections on two C-sections, what it was really like, how I felt about them and the conclusion I came to (a very honest and open look at C-sections)

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Family Activities
"Add Fish to Your Family": instructions for setting up and managing an aquarium as a family

"Bright Ideas for a Rainy Day": activities for dreary days

“Christmas Around the World”: ways to include traditions from other countries in your family's Christmas celebration

"Clothes Capers": fresh, creative ideas for re-using children's clothes

"Cool It!": cool backyard water fun ideas and new and exciting family grilling recipes

"Create a Family Recipe Book": family activity ideas for creating an heirloom containing family recipes

“Creative Ways to Say Thanks to Your Child’s Teacher”: year end gift ideas for teachers sure to warm their hearts

"Do It Yourself Birthday Parties": Tips for planning a fun and inexpensive party at home

"Don't Keep Quiet About the Library": tips for encouraging kids to use and enjoy the library

"Gift Baskets: A Creative Gift-Giving Alternative for Any Celebration": tips for creating gift baskets with kids

"Guide to a Smooth and Successful Garage Sale": garage sales tips for your entire family

"Have a Birthday Party for the New Year": ideas for a New Year's celebration with your children

"Having Words With Your Kids": ideas for making writing and the written word important to kids

"Kids' Rooms: Updated": easy and inexpensive decorating tips

"Leprechaun Fun": ideas for celebrating St. Patrick's Day with the whole family

“Making Moving Manageable for Kids”: Tips for moving with a family

"Picnic Particulars": tips for a manageable family picnic

"Plan a Valentine Mystery Rhyme Hunt": hide your kids' Valentine presents and give them rhyming clues that lead them to more clues until they find their candy or presents

“Plan Your Own Summer Camp”: keep your kids occupied over the summer

"Play It Up": family games that utilize household objects and lots of imagination

"Preserve Your Summer": creative ways for families to save summer memories

“Sweet Charity”: tips for getting children and teens involved with charities and charitable giving

“Take the Family for a Ride”: tips on family biking

"Using the Internet as a Family": sites and tips for the whole family

"Wrap It Up": creative holiday wrapping ideas for the whole family

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Family Life and Parenting
"At Home Dad Provides Voice for Full-Time Fathers": interview with founder of At-Home Dad newsletter/grassroots organization

"Color Blind: The Challenges of Raising a Multicultural Family"

"Create a Child Friendly Home Office": suggestions for child-proofing the home office, one of the most dangerous rooms in the house for children

"DAD Fights Gender Biases": profile of Dads and Daughters, a non-profit organization that acts as a voice for fathers of daughters

"Dining Without the Whining": tips for dining out with kids

"Home for the Holidays: Alone but not Blue": information to help single parents cope with holidays without their children

"Magazine Madness": round-up of children's magazines for every age group, with tips on choosing one that is right for your child

"The Mommy Stage": reflections on the mommy stage and tips for coping with it

"Parenting Apart" coping with visitation schedules with an infant

"Planning for Time Away from Baby": tips for medical consent and day care authorizations

"Raising Daughters": a full length feature about the issues involved in raising daughters. Includes many expert quotes and a sidebar of resources

"Raising Sons": full length feature about the issues involved in raising sons. Includes many quotes from experts and a resource list

"Saddled With Children: How to Go Anywhere and Do Anything with Kids Along"

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Fertility
"Embarrassing Conception Question": Everything you've always wanted to know but were afraid to ask

Knowledge is Power: Fertility Patients' Rights

Plus-Size Fertility

STDs and Fertility: Silent Dangers

Finance
"Creating and Living With a Family Budget"

"Repairing Your Family’s Credit"

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Health
“Pediatricians Take New Stand on Genetic Testing”: American Academy of Pediatrics new policy on genetic testing in children

“Link Found Between Normal Birth Weight and IQ”: a recent study that links birth weight in normal weight babies to IQ levels

"Low Birth Weight Linked to Diabetes Risk for African Americans": new study showing link between birth weight and diabetes

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Law
"Accidents, Injuries and the Unexpected": liability and your family

"Choosing an Attorney": tips to help you make this important decision

"Dealing with Divorce: A Primer to Help You Cope (NY)"

"The Legalities of Buying a Home (NY)"

"A Look at Education Law (NY)"

"Making Divorce Friendlier: How Mediation Can Help You End Your Marriage Without Losing Your Mind or Your Children": description of the mediation process and the beneficial effects it has for families facing divorce

"The Merits of Mediation: A More Personalized Alternative"

"The Role of the Law Guardian": commentary on the role of the law guardian in New York

"Reasons for Divorce in New York": clearcut guide to the grounds for divorce that are available in New York state

"Speaking Up for Children: A Profile of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) program": volunteers who represent children in neglect and abuse cases

"Vetting Your Nanny": guide to doing a background check on child care providers

"Why a Parent Needs a Will"

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Pregnancy and Baby

"The ABCs of Prenatal Tests"

"All You Need to Know About Working While Pregnant and Taking a Leave"

"Baby Matinee": Tips on taking baby to a movie and listing of theatres around the country with special baby matinees

"Be Safe, not Sorry": Nanny background checks

"The Big Burp": Information and techniques about burping

"Birth Year Mementos": How to save those precious memories

"From the Bottom of Your Heart": Creative ideas for baby thank you notes

"Genetics 101": simple explanations of the building blocks that determine your baby's traits

"Half a Million Dollar Baby": Facing the costs of raising children and how to save

"Is He Really a Daddy": humor

"It's Your Birth Right": Information about women's rights during pregnancy and labor - everything from changing doctors to choosing your labor position.

"Keep Your Baby Healthy at Daycare": Everything you need to know to keep your baby healthy and happy at daycare

"Ladies' Choice": Considering Elective C-Sections

"Leaving Baby Stranded": Making arrangements for your baby in the event you are unable to pick him up

"Parenting Apart": Information for divorced or separated parents on sharing time with their babies.

"Plus Size Pregnancy": this two part article looks at how plus size moms can stay healthy during pregnancy and feel good about themselves, while understanding what the *real* risks are (not the inflated ones).

"Precious Memories: Creative Ways to Preserve Your Baby's Keepsakes"

"Prenatal Testing": The ABCs of prenatal tests

"Preventing Preterm Labor": What you need to know to avoid the dangers of preterm labor

"Skinny Pregnancy": The dangerous trend of women who try not to gain weight in pregnancy

"Sun Safe Baby Fun": Keeping your baby happy, safe and comfortable in hot weather

"What If": How to make sure your baby can get medical care in your absence

"What If You Have a Big Baby": The real truth about big babies - why some people have them and whether it's good or bad to have a big baby

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Travel
"Afternoon Vacations": day trips in western New York State

"The Aspen of the East": Ellicottville, NY is a ski resort area and a wonder of nature in summer

“Boston is a Vehicle for Family Fun”: unique transportation in Boston

“Budget Family Travel”: ways to save money on family vacations

“Finger Lakes Fun”: travel in central New York state’s Finger Lakes area

"Give the Windmill a Whirl": day trip to farm and craft market in central New York

"Houseboat Happenings": travel piece about houseboating with a family in Ontario, sidebars about houseboats rentals in the NE and tips for packing for a houseboat trip

"Ithaca Adventures": Ithaca, NY home to Cornell and Cayuga Lake

"The Joys of Jordan": Jordan, Ontario offers upscale shops, a museum and a wonderful restaurant

"Native Buffalo Cuisine": Restaurants enjoyed by area natives in the Buffalo, New York area

"An Old-Fashioned Town": A visit to East Aurora, New York, home of the Roycroft movement

"A Place in History": travel piece about Upper Canada Village, an historic living museum in Ontario

"The Skinny on Skaneateles": a description of family activities in Skaneateles, NY

"Toronto Adventures": Toronto, Ontario with your family

"Toy Town U.S.A.": Details about a toy museum and toy festival in East Aurora, New York

"Tricks of the Trip": solutions for family travel

“Weekend Getaway: Ithaca Is It”: details about Ithaca, NY

“Winter Delights in Corning”: three weekends of Christmas festivities in Corning, NY, home to the famous glass factory

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Writing
"The Love of Writing: It's Kid Stuff": encouraging young writers

"Saving Your Thoughts: Tips for Pre-Journaling"

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