Q: My child comes home from her other parent's house with stories that sound absolutely ridiculous. I don't want to dismiss what she tells me, but I also don't know what's true, what's exaggerated and what might be made-up. How am I supposed to sort through that without overreacting? What's good ex-etiquette here?

A: When children live in two ...Read more

I was puzzled when the husband announced he was going to burp the house. I asked if he thought it would need a diaper change, too.

“You know, burp the house,” he said with an air of disbelief.

I didn’t know. I couldn’t get my head around patting a two-story house on the back.

He said burping a house is based on the German practice of ...Read more

Dear Kid Whisperer,

My daughter is 12. She has always been a whiner. More accurately, she used to whine, and now she yells. Her mother and I have become very good at shielding her from seeing stuff she wants so that we can avoid these situations. We try to avoid taking her to stores (including the grocery store) where she might want things, for...Read more

Sometimes a boy just likes to feel pretty. That’s why two of my granddaughters recently gave me a beauty treatment at their very own spa and salon.

And I can count on the fingers of two hands how much it cost to be the envy of everyone at an evening gathering where my bright red nails made me the life of the party.

My day of geezer ...Read more

While preparing her four sons to take a dream family vacation in the Caribbean last month, Carolyn Piro carefully reviewed every detail to get them ready.

She also contacted the Royal Caribbean cruise line about accommodations for her children, because her oldest, Sean Curran, has autism, and two other sons also have developmental disabilities....Read more

Sixty percent of Americans under age 65 — that’s about 164.7 million people — receive their health insurance through their employer, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis. That means losing a job can feel like a one-two punch: the loss of both income and health insurance.

Then comes the choice. Even with the loss of a paycheck...Read more

Money is an uncomfortable topic for many, yet it’s an important ongoing conversation to have in a relationship. Financial secrets undermine trust. And for many, it may even feel like betrayal.

More than 2 in 5 U.S. adults (43%) believe keeping financial secrets is at least as bad as physical infidelity. At the same time, almost half of ...Read more

While we all sit under the spell of Old Man Winter (no kin, I promise) I thought I would share three plants that I consider to be magical in the landscape. They are all three Luscious lantanas but they are like magic as you prepare to design your flower border for the new year.

The flowers I am talking about are Luscious Royale Cosmo, Luscious ...Read more

Dear Anna,

I’ve been seeing someone for about two months. From day one, I told him I’m not on birth control and that condoms are nonnegotiable. Yet every time things get physical, he starts pushing back — asking if we can “just this once” skip it, saying condoms don’t feel as good, or promising he’ll pull out or be careful. We ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The call for help went out on social media: People were walking out of ICE detention in Minneapolis in subzero cold without coats.

Send coats.

An avalanche of outerwear poured in. Coats in every size and style. Men’s coats. Women’s coats. Cuddly puffer coats for the children being swept into ICE custody. At donation sites ...Read more

I get a lot of questions that sound something like, “Can you help me write a profile that attracts the type of person I'm looking for?”

In the most loving way, I say, “No, I can't do that.”

And I don’t answer that way to be dismissive. I answer that way because I genuinely don't know what the person you're looking for … is ...Read more

Stephanie Stronsick has bats in her Berks County, Pennsylvania, house. On purpose.

“Aw, look at her little face,” Stronsick said about an injured brown bat her husband was holding on a recent winter afternoon.

Stronsick, 42, is the founder and executive director of Pennsylvania Bat Conservation and Rehabilitation (PA Bat Rescue), a ...Read more

Dear Kid Whisperer,

I want my kids to be responsible people. They are 1 and 3 years old. I know that chores need to be a part of their lives. Obviously, they are too young now, but I want them to be ready for life. I want them to learn about money, but I have no clue how much to pay them for their chores once they are old enough. Thoughts?

...Read more

Q. My recent breakup was a big one. I spend most of my time trying not to let the kids see how broken-up I am that their mother left. Valentine's Day is right around the corner and they're buzzing about it. The teacher is bringing in special treats, they're talking about exchanging cards, and the house feels full of electricity. I'm doing my ...Read more

It’s a game of hide and seek a lot of women play. You hide the last bite of something delectable for yourself, not because you’re selfish, but because you are a visionary.

Based on personal history and past performance, you know with certainty that soon, maybe in the next week, day or next five seconds, you may feel depleted, exhausted and ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Franki Jupiter grew up in St. Louis, the son of a Presbyterian minister and a Bible Study teacher. He was raised to believe he should marry young and remain committed — to both Jesus and his wife — for life.

But Jupiter, 39, didn’t end up doing so.

“I love people, and I’m not great with impulse control,” he ...Read more

The thought of saving money may feel overwhelming, especially if you have nothing saved and struggle to afford necessities like rent and groceries.

If you don’t have a healthy emergency fund, you’re not alone. In fact, only 30% of Americans would pay a $1,000 emergency expense from savings, a recent Bankrate survey found. Other survey ...Read more

TOP SECRET

To: Tom Cruise

From: Jerry Zezima

Re: “Mission: Implausible”

Dear Mr. Cruise:

I am a dashing, heroic and admittedly aging spy cleverly disguised as a syndicated newspaper columnist whose work is highly suspect. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to let me star in the next installment of your fabulously ...Read more

CHICAGO -- Even in the freezing air, Romian Crockett stood outside Chalmers STEAM Elementary with a boombox blaring ’90s music. Swaying to the beat, the principal hugged or high-fived each student who walked through the door. He knows all 218 by name.

“Terrence, good morning,” Crockett told a young boy bundled in layers.

“Wow, I got ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Inside a heated tent on the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia campus, 17-month-old KJ Muldoon wiggled around in his mother’s arms, smiling and clinging to a multicolored toy.

This time, the toddler who has been called one of the top 10 people who helped shape science in 2025 was not here for a medical appointment.

He was ...Read more