Cricket Media Mama, Author at Cricket Media, Inc.

Is Your Child Afraid of the Dark?

A few months ago, my youngest daughter starting wanting to sleep with the overhead light on. I was a little worried about how bright her room was and if she’d be able to get quality sleep, but if I turned off the light after she fell asleep, she’d wake up screaming. So I talked to […]

A Food Strike Requires a Fast Resolution

My daughters have never been daring eaters. They take after their dad that way. When I met him the most exotic food he’d ever eaten was beef fried rice. Personally, I’ve always been a pretty adventurous eater. I was eating oysters, octopus’s tentacles (which I insisted on calling testicles), and seaweed by the time I […]

You Look Good in Glasses… And That’s More Than an Optical Allusion

My daughter just got glasses. She was so excited to get them. This excitement didn’t stem from finally being able to see properly. No, she just really wanted glasses because they are trendy. I try very hard to not do the “back in my day” stuff, because I don’t feel like “my day” was […]

Talking To Children About Tragedy

The pivotal moments in history that are frozen in our minds are, unfortunately, usually laden with heartbreak. My mom remembers exactly where she was when she heard about the assassination of John F. Kennedy. I remember feelings of fear, dread, and horror when I watched the space shuttle Challenger explode. And, of course, the more […]

The Humor of Children has Groan in Significance

People like to be laughed at… when they are telling a joke. Even kids. Unfortunately, little kid jokes are not often funny. They don’t quite get timing… or delivery… or the joke itself – they’re often just parroting something they heard other people laugh at, so they assume it’s funny. Nothing kills a joke faster […]

Gather Round Kids, It’s Time for our Weekly Podcast

Remember the good old days, when the family used to gather around the stereo for the latest episode of their favorite radio show? The good old days like … last Tuesday. Podcasts. They’re the new radio drama. You’ve probably heard of at least a few podcasts out there: Welcome to Nightvale, TedTalks, […]

Allowing Allowances

I have a love-hate relationship with the concept of allowance. I love the idea of letting my kids manage their own funds: it gives them a realistic sense of the value of money and what things cost, and it teaches them how to save for things that are important. And I really love the idea […]

Would You Have Marched on Washington?

August 28th marks the 53rd anniversary of the March on Washington. This momentous event involved more than 200,000 protesters participating in a political rally that resulted in key gains in the struggle for civil rights. It is where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I have a Dream” speech and it is an iconic […]

Hold Your Horses: Have We Got a Story for You!

Hello from “Horse Country ” also known as Middleburg, VA. For those who are unfamiliar, Middleburg is a tiny little town in the outskirts of suburban VA that has become a mecca for anyone who wants horse statues, horse clothes (both the kinds you wear decorated with horses, and clothes literally FOR horses), horse shoes, […]

Being a Good Sport May Take Some Medaling

Did you know race walking is an Olympic sport? Seriously, it is. After learning that I had to ask: Do you train for that in a mall on Black Friday? Another interesting out-of-the limelight event is Steeplechase, which basically consists of a track with a giant puddle in the middle of it. Did you realize […]