Parents Talk: My Kid's Bedroom Is a Mess—Now What?

Do you intervene or leave it to children to keep their rooms clean?

Almost any kid can make a room messy. It seems it's only a special, rare breed of child who consistently keeps a bedroom or other kid-area clean. What do you do about messy kids' rooms? Strictly enforce a cleanliness standard? Or let them learn a lesson by not getting involved? Or do you periodically do the dirty work yourself to help your kid start from a clean slate? It's "Cleanliness is next to godliness" vs. "She didn't make her bed, so let her lie in it." Which side are you on? Leave a comment below.

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Parents Talk

Parents Talk: Speeding Up the Adoption Process

Parents adopting children in England are to be given extra support and a "more active role" in the adoption process. Should the United States do something similar?

Most adoptive parents or those waiting to adopt, will likely tell stories of the long and sometimes difficult process they go through to bring a child home. According to BBC News, England's government is attempting to speed their own processes up and provide more support for adopting parents. Government officials want more adoptive parents to come forward to increase the number and speed of adoptions. According to the article, the number of children approved for adoption rose from 3,000 in 2010 to more than 4,000 in 2012, government figures show. But there are still about 4,000 in care waiting to be matched with prospective parents. In the article, Children's minister Edward Timpson said up to 25,000 people asked about adopting each year, …

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Parent’s Talk: Finding Activities for Kids During Winter Break

The winter break hiatus from school is coming up soon for kids. How will you embrace the break?

I’m assuming most youth attending school – from elementary to high school – are ready and waiting anxiously for the upcoming winter break. While kids of all ages tend to look forward to a break from school, sometimes it can be a little challenging for parents. From finding alternate daycare to combating the “there is nothing to do” phrase or just being the sole source of transportation, winter break from school can be both a blessing and a curse for parents. This week, we’re asking parents to help out each other this holiday season. SHARE: What ideas do you have for kids and families to do during winter break? What are your favorite “go to” places in the winter months? How do you handle daycare challenges? Share your ideas and thoughts in …

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Parents Talk: Fighting On and Off the Field

Are parent’s attitudes from the stands rubbing off on players?

During one of the first years my son played baseball, I remember a parent from an opposing team who routinely sat as close as he could to the field and constantly yelled at his son. No matter what his 9-year-old son did, apparently it was wrong in his father’s eyes. I felt bad for the kid, his teammates and, well, pretty much everyone that had to listen to it. I couldn't wait for the game to be over.  Fast-forward to recently and we hear of incidents of player infractions such as recent fighting on the field during a Totino-Grace High School and Prairie Seeds Academy boys varsity soccer game. The competition in youth sports has seems like it is at a point where more parents are trying to “coach” from the stands and players might be taking …

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Moms Talk: Caught in the Middle of a Lie

What do you do when your child isn't telling the truth? Weigh in on the topic as part of this week's Moms Talk discussion.

You're out of the room for a few minutes when you hear a crash. Your child, who has chocolate on his or her face, is standing over the shattered remains of the cookie jar. He or she immediately points to the family dog, who is sleeping across the room. You know your child is lying. What do you do next?  That is the question that Patch is posing to you, our readers, as part of this week's Moms Talk. The aforementioned situation is hypothetical, but lying is an issue that frequently confronts parents. There are any number of reasons why children lie, according to the Center for Effective Parenting, including fear of punishment, low self-esteem or an overactive imagination. While the reasons — and the lie — may change from day to day, how you…

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Dyane Garvey

12:50 am on Friday, May 13, 2011

I don't like it when my kids lie but I understand that it's also a natural instinct for them to lie when I'm the obstacle to their goals. I've learned I can shape the "pause" before the act by making the experience of making-it-right-again harder than if they did the right thing in the first place. Once I caught one of my kids stealing a candy bar from a St. Paul corner drug store. Like most kids…   more ›

Moms Talk: Home Alone

How old should kids be before you can start leaving them home alone?

It's a scene straight from the "Home Alone" movie franchise. Your child or teenager, left at home while you were out on errands or at work, gets into some kind of trouble —whether it's dealing with an intruder or a more mundane problem, like forgetting to take the dog out on time. Is your child old enough and responsible enough to handle the issue in a responsible or appropriate way? Can he or she be trusted to take care of the home while you're away for a brief time? Those are questions that confront countless parents every year. Common sense tells us that a four-year-old probably isn't old enough to stay home alone, while a high school senior can handle it without a fuss. But what about the ages in between? The state of Minnesota does …

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Moms Talk: Explaining Japan's Tragedy

Share your tips for striking the right balance of information and comfort.

An 8.9 magnitude earthquake caused a devastating tsunami to hit Japan March 11, leaving many parents with some difficult dinner table conversations to handle. With images and information about the tragedy coming from all directions, children and teenagers likely have their own good questions to ask and feelings to talk about. Star Tribune staffer Jeremy Olson recently compiled a number of information sources for parents to consult in the case of a disaster, including a tip sheet from the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (attached to this article). What are some effective ways you’ve talked about natural disasters with your children? How do you make kids feel secure while still giving them honest information? How does the …

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GALLERY: Inver Glen Library Hosts Magic Show

Magician and hypnotist K.C. Braun taught an audience of local families magic tricks at Inver Glen Library on Thursday.

Magicians must follow two simple rules, professional magician and hypnotist K.C. Braun told a rapt audience of children on Thursday afternoon. Never reveal the secret to your tricks, he said, and do not ever perform the same trick twice in front of the same audience. Braun broke both of those rules at a magic show at Inver Glen Library. As part of the show, he demostrated several sleight-of-hand tricks, and even taught the small but attentive audience how to perform a magic trick for friends or family. Hosted by Inver Glen Library, the program is just one of many programs and activities the library regularly organizes.

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