Laurie Winslow Sargent

Wondering how to get your child to clean his room? Here are a few tips Supernanny forgot, at least in this one episode. On ABC’s Supernanny episode with the Phelps family (Season 6: Episode 3) plenty made me cringe. However, one scene stuck in my head for days.

One of the most effective ways my three now-grown "kids" learned to manage their own money was through the use of clothes budgets. They'd get an exact dollar amount per year, for ALL items of clothing from socks to jeans to coats. I believe it helped them become wise and frugal adults, even if it did drive them crazy at times...

Dear Moms: I know you’re busy. It can be hard to get everything done when running a household, and even crazier if you work outside the home on top of that! Yet you can find time for play with your kids. They need it. . . and so do you.

What about when you and your child share traits? While it is typically easier to understand a child who is like you, similarities in personality can create its own set of problems. If you are aware of shared traits, you may feel mixed emotions when your child displays weaknesses you struggled with as a child, such as stubbornness or impulsivity. Your heart may be in the right place — you want to prevent your child from making similar mistakes — but beware of ...