I'm a dad and my oldest - now a pre-teen, who this year started at high school - is always tired and hates exercise. She was very active when she was younger but pressures of long school hours and homework have squeezed all that out of the calendar. Plus of course she's the age when children's bodies dramatically change size and shape and that's perfectly normal.
Given all that, what's the best way I can help her to stay as fit and healthy as possible? What has helped for your kids?
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posted by monster max
on May 15, 2013 -
64 answers
My preschooler is getting just old enough to have a proper social life (playdates, birthday parties, etc.). I've got some specific questions about the parental etiquette expectations surrounding these kiddie get-togethers.
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posted by Bardolph
on Apr 5, 2013 -
24 answers
My kids (a boy and a girl) are now five years old, and my wife or I read to them every night before bed. I'd like to start reading larger books to them which we can stretch out throughout a week or more, by reading them a chapter a night. Please help me put together a great reading list of age-appropriate books that will capture their imaginations and inspire happy dreams.
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posted by zarq
on Apr 2, 2013 -
61 answers
Tell me about your daily schedules, parenting logistics, etc., with a newborn
plus a toddler or older child.
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posted by Bardolph
on Mar 7, 2013 -
15 answers
I have a beautiful, curious, 8 month old daughter. I love her, but I don't know how to play with her. Help!
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posted by elizamina
on Feb 7, 2013 -
21 answers
It's time to switch my kids from regular car seats to booster seats and I can't figure out which to buy or what features I should be looking for. If you've gone through this, can you please share your experiences to help me make a decision?
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posted by zarq
on Nov 18, 2012 -
8 answers
My SO wants kids and would make a great dad. The trick is, I don't want to be "the mom."
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posted by anonymous
on Oct 24, 2012 -
60 answers
How old was your child when you first started leaving her with babysitters who weren't relatives? How long would you leave them for?
posted by gerryblog
on Oct 3, 2012 -
31 answers
AdviceFilter: What life experiences (or fun things) should my partner and I make time for, before having a baby?
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posted by amoeba
on Sep 19, 2012 -
19 answers
I have two kids. My wife wants another. I don't. How do we decide?
I have two boys. Ages 6 and 2 1/2. My wife is saying we should have another child because she wants a girl.
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posted by alshain
on Aug 13, 2012 -
34 answers
I have a 4 yo and another on the way. We camp a lot. We have a VW jetta wagon, but it's getting cramped and we need something bigger. I like the Mazda 5 but my wife thinks it's "too minivan looking." ANy suggestions for maxi-wagons that have that third row of seating that can fold down into cargo space? We do not want an SUV but may have to consider something on the small end of the SUV range ... and we're hoping not to spend more than 24k. Used/new/prev lease all are options.
posted by luriete
on Jul 30, 2012 -
22 answers
Tomorrow I find out if my two-year-old son has Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy. There's no "good" form of MD, but this is definitely the "bad" (and most common) version. Most children with this diagnosis are wheelchair-bound by age 12, and the average life expectancy is 25. There is no treatment and no cure. How do I, as a father, deal with this?
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posted by math
on Jul 10, 2012 -
31 answers
I am the mother of a beautiful, 5 week old baby girl. I wonder if I've made the biggest mistake of my life.
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posted by elizamina
on Jun 26, 2012 -
75 answers
She's not into what she thinks girls her age are "supposed" to be into. How do we show her that what
she likes is what's normal, and maybe encourage her to reach out to find the other kids that like that stuff too? Is that what we
should be doing?
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posted by kostia
on Jun 11, 2012 -
97 answers
I'm looking for websites that have cool, educational, entertaining and kid-safe stuff I can share with my two 4 year olds, perhaps similar to
the kids should see this, and/or sites that suggest neat projects and how-to's my wife and I can work on with them to open their eyes to the wonders of the world around them. All suggestions welcome!
posted by zarq
on Jun 10, 2012 -
4 answers
My brother and his wife are having a baby! How do I become
a good best epic uncle? What are some nice or useful things your siblings have done for your children? What are you own favorite memories involving your uncle?
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posted by Foci for Analysis
on May 29, 2012 -
23 answers
My husband loves his 2007 Mini Cooper S convertible, but also loves his 3 year old, 38" tall, 30 lb daughter. We're hoping to bring the two things together with the perfect car seat. It needs to be easy to get into for the kid, harness (as opposed to seat belt) preferred. Have any actual real-life Mini owners made this work?
posted by nkknkk
on May 10, 2012 -
4 answers
My kid wants to play Minecraft. I am not a gamer. Please help me answer questions regarding system requirements, appropriateness and how to get him started when I really don't want to get involved at all!
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posted by BlahLaLa
on Mar 15, 2012 -
30 answers
Have you discovered your child has seen online pornography? What did you do about it?
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posted by amoeba
on Mar 5, 2012 -
25 answers
This is not going to be pretty. I need to know if there is any way for me to maintain a life with my children if I cannot maintain one with my wife.
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posted by anonymous
on Dec 26, 2011 -
91 answers
I am looking for a book or a movie geared at younger kids (mine is 7), that would start a conversation about things not always being as they appear. Kinda like how toys on TV never end up to be as cool as they look, or how some people make promises that sound good, but they just don't deliver. I'd like to help my daughter start to develop the intelligence and skill set to truly discern the difference between substance and smoke.
posted by lakersfan1222
on Dec 1, 2011 -
23 answers
Seattle 2 year old is going stir crazy every day and needs to get out of the house. We're getting tired of our usual local activities, what are some of your favorites?
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posted by Slarty Bartfast
on Nov 27, 2011 -
15 answers
I need advice on how to raise disciplined, well-behaved children.
Lengthy details within. [more inside]
posted by zarq
on Nov 23, 2011 -
47 answers
What can I say to a 5 year old, when his parent is mentally unwell?
How can I explain, what can I do with him, and what structures can we put in place, to make his mother's (temporary, but severe) illness easier on him?
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posted by Elysum
on Nov 20, 2011 -
19 answers
At what age should children:
a) No longer kiss their parents on the lips?
b) No longer see their parents naked?
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posted by zarq
on Oct 5, 2011 -
66 answers
A friend is about to pass away. Please help me be as supportive and helpful as possible for her husband and young daughter during the next few months.
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posted by zarq
on Aug 23, 2011 -
26 answers
I'm reading (and really enjoying)
The Glass Castle, and my wife and are about to have our first kid. What other memoirs or non-fiction books should I read that focus on parenting, raising kids in unorthodox ways, or just plain unique families?
posted by nitsuj
on Jul 14, 2011 -
20 answers
We are expecting our second child in the next fortnight. What sort of things did you find most difficult and challenging transitioning to a family of four and how did you deal with it?
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posted by razzman
on May 14, 2011 -
19 answers
How do we have a satisfying long-distance relationships and visits, parent and in-law version?
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posted by Elsie
on May 11, 2011 -
19 answers
If your not-quite-yet-born self could give one or two pieces of advice to your soon-to-be mom about how not to screw up you and your relationship with her, what would it be?
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posted by staggering termagant
on May 9, 2011 -
118 answers
Pacific Northwest parents of small children: how do you survive the long rainy winters with your sanity intact?
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posted by gottabefunky
on Mar 18, 2011 -
13 answers
I'm looking for some kind of activity that will keep a group of roughly 15 kids, ages 3 to 12, entertained and interacting. I'm helping to provide child care for a monthly 'parent's night' at my church. Basically, the parents can drop their kids off, and we'll take care of the kids for 4 or 5 hours, freeing the adults to go out and have dinner, see a movie, have an adult conversation, etc. The problem is in the wide range of ages and the restrictions the parents have put on us ...
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posted by Myca
on Mar 14, 2011 -
30 answers
How can we develop the kind of family where things like race and sexuality and other big topics are discussed in an open, healthy, relaxed way?
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posted by flail
on Nov 29, 2010 -
17 answers
What resources have been helpful in teaching you parenting strategies for managing your child's behavior? Other parents, clinicians, internet, random inspiration?
What have you tried in the past that didn't work, and why? What's working now?
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posted by KITTYFLOWER
on Oct 15, 2010 -
9 answers
My kids are now 2 yrs and 7 months and we're going to be introducing them to peanut butter for the first time. Their pediatrician says it's safe. If you have direct experience with this can you please tell me at what age you introduced your kids to nuts and how it went? I'm specifically trying to figure out what possible allergic reaction warning signs we should be looking out for and how we should react to them.
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posted by zarq
on Sep 28, 2010 -
34 answers
What movies and books should I introduce to my kids as they move towards adulthood? I would like to give my kids a solid foundation in books and movies outside of what will be thrown at them by the media and their friends. I turn to Mefi to give me a list of the literary and cinematic signposts that would broaden and round out a toddler, tween, or teenager.
posted by jasondigitized
on Sep 14, 2010 -
36 answers
