The Empowered Parent: LGBTQIA

Spring is here. For parents of teens and tweens that means party season. Malls and Instagram feeds are filling up with the latest trends for the big event. Prom season is upon us. For most, this rite of passage is filled with the customary angst and exaltations of those hormonal years. And this is as it should be. But for some youngsters, the season can…

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The Empowered Parent: Police in schools

What would you do if your child came home from school and told you he was questioned by police that day? By many accounts, schools have become scary places. School staff report reduced ability to control students over the years. It seems we’re seeing more and more drugs and violence. Bullying has been taken far beyond the playground and is now pervasive and instantaneous with…

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The Empowered Parent: Can parents of unvaccinated kids be sued?

There’s a lot of anger and fear out there driving the most recent flare up of a vaccination debate that periodically consumes in the media. I’ve seen many talking heads yelling out that parents who don’t vaccinate their children should be sued. Let’s explore. Can a parent be sued for not vaccinating their children? Of course-this is America. You can get sued for anything. Seriously,…

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The Empowered Parent: A GMO labeling primer

Parents have seen skyrocketing rates of health and behavioral disorders, especially in our children. We are what we eat, so parents have a serious reason to look to the food we are providing for our children when it comes to understanding their health. But how can we make meaningful choices if what is in our food isn’t even revealed? There is a growing interest in…

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The Empowered Parent: Home birth legalities

The choice of how and where to give birth to your child is your first decision as a parent of that new life. An Empowered Parent knows their options, knows their rights, and can freely choose the setting that is safest and most conducive to a happy, healthy birth experience. So let’s explore home birth. It may be the least frequently chosen option, but it…

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The Empowered Parent: Parents caring for parents

We are in full swing of the holiday season. I hope you’re all enjoying joyful parties, the smell of your grandmother’s cookie recipe, that gigantic ham that gets cooked for your special gathering, shiny decorations, singing, movies, strings of lights to brighten the cold winter nights, and any other tradition you treasure this time of year. This is a time of year when family memories…

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The Empowered Parent: Toy guns

Most of us remember: “I want an official Red-Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time!” How many times did we all hear Ralphie in “A Christmas Story” plead to his mother, his teacher, Santa, anyone who would listen? And the inevitable: “You’ll shoot your eye out.” You may be smiling at the innocence…

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The Empowered Parent: Can schools vaccinate your child?

Few topics get people so hot under the collar as vaccines. It’s easy to find a rabid opinion on the topic, but is the issue really as polarized as it is portrayed? Is it really a never-ending debate between the “anti-vaxxers” and the rest of the general public, where one side is absolutely right and the other dead wrong? As an Empowered Parent, you know…

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The Empowered Parent: Halloween and pets

Fall is in the air, festivals abound, and the holiday season is kicking off-How can you be an Empowered Parent this Halloween? Keep everyone focused on fun by taking steps to protect your furry family members and by educating your children to respect animals. Those of you with pets have probably noticed cuddling on the rise as nights get cooler. Our family has a slender…

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The Empowered Parent: The best gift you can give

When I chose to have my son at home, I did a lot of research. I researched the safety aspects. I learned about all the potential risks. I interviewed OBs and midwives and chose the provider that was the best fit for me and my growing family. I was blessed to have a healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy. Nevertheless, I mapped out the routes and times to…

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The Empowered Parent: Unsupervised children and the law

What happens when Mom leaves her 9-year-old daughter to play in a park while she works her shift at a nearby restaurant? What about leaving an 11-year-old in a car, or home alone? Does your answer change if the child is four? Parenting is hard. When making decisions for our children, sometimes we make a bad judgment call and sometimes we feel we have no…

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