Blog Posts by HybridHer

However cute it may be when your little 4 year old runs naked around the house after bath time shouting "you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man", many parents wonder when and how to set limits with nudity. I think the most difficult aspect of parenting is learning how to say things to our children so they won't be upset, ashamed or embarrassed-nudity definitely falls into this category.

Puberty is a difficult time for a child and parent. Your daughter can be playing with Barbie dolls in the morning and trying on a bra in the afternoon. The issue of modesty and nudity is the perfect time to begin to teach your daughter about her body. Explain to her that her body is getting prepared for puberty and she can anticipate many changes. Sometimes she will want to play and at other times she will want to be alone and treated like a teen. Sit and talk to your daughter about what she may be feeling at this time. If you are uncomfortable with

A controversy is raging about whether (or when and how) you should discipline someone else's child. This issue is divisive because it is more complex than meets the eye. The factors involved include parents' differing perspectives on:

1. parenting (risk-averse or laissez-faire),
2. what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behavior in a child,
3. what methods of behavior redirection are acceptable, and
4. whether a child is the sole responsibility of his/her parents or if it truly takes a village to raise a child.

Let's address each of those factors individually.

1. Some parents are risk averse. They are uncomfortable taking chances with their kids, so they inform their kids of acceptable behavior and consistently reinforce those boundaries at each opportunity provided. Their goal is to ensure that they raise kids who adhere to the expectations that the parents believe will help their kids survive and thrive. On the other hand, some parents are

Most days I'm glad we choose to parent as partners and that I married a man who is smart and thoughtful about the way he parents. Most of the time.

Other times I just want him to say, "Go ask your mother."

I'm at home full-time with our two small children as I launch a new business, so I'm the parent on duty most of the time. This was true of my mother while I was growing up, but she was solely responsible for us kids: diapering, feeding, bathing, clothing, nutrition, hair-care. She made decisions autocratically. My father was called in for special projects: softball, grilling, pictures for prom, groundings. My mother read child development books and articles on the most modern potty training methods. If my father had an opinion on any of these matters, he never expressed it.

My Dad got more involved as we got older. He was a master at the "now that I've had a semester at college I know everything" debate. He's wonderful at walking brides down the aisle: serene, tender,

A frequent question I hear is, "Should I divorce?" How do you know when your marriage is over? It's a difficult question, and one no one can answer for you. For one couple, a cheating spouse may be the final reason. For another couple, cheating may be worked through, but the in-laws may be the reason for divorce. I usually advise couples to wait and put every ounce of energy they can into salvaging the marriage. I also ask them to think about issues: How will your children fare? What will your friends say, and will they take sides? What about the in-laws? Will you still be able to see them, and if you loved them how will they deal with the divorce? Are you really prepared for the dating scene? How will you feel when you are all alone? Can you make it financially on your own? What has this spouse done that you ultimately cannot forgive? Until you are clear with these issues, you may want to wait with a divorce. Divorce means the final end. There is no going back, so it is not a

Ever hear this (or maybe you've already said this),
"Everything was great, UNTIL…"
"She hit 6th grade."
"He entered junior high."
"I went from being the best mother/father ever, to being the biggest embarrassment on the planet!"

What happened?
For countless families coast to coast, it usually unfolds like this:
Babies are adorable.
Toddlers are feisty and fun.
Preschoolers are adventurous and excited about life.
Grade school kids are filled with love and adoration for their amazing, brilliant, incredible parents.
So, what happens when middle school hits?
How do parents going from being absolutely "in" to being so tragically and unequivocally "out?" And most importantly, what can you do about it?

If you feel like you're in unchartered land with your pre-teen or teen, you only have to look at the quizzical (shocked and devastated!) faces of other parents around you to know you are not alone! You are in good company and you

We all know that rainy days can be stressful when your kids are stuck inside, desperate for activities to occupy their time. They need a creative outlet to unleash all that pent up energy. Happy kids mean happy parents, so we've made a list of 25 great activities to keep your kids entertained on those gloomy days, without breaking the bank.

1. Build a Fort: This can be easily done with a few creative maneuvers on your part. Push the couches closer or bring the chairs from the kitchen table into the living room to use as support. Drape sheets and blankets over them, and let your kids decide how to use their newly built kingdoms. It even creates a fun place to read or get homework done while still feeling like play time.

2. Bake Treats: Turn rainy days cheery by involving your kids in kitchen activities. Teach them read the instructions and measure out ingredients. The simple task of baking cookies can be a great educational activity-with a very delicious reward!

3. Play

With technology we are all connected all the time. We can Skype, text and talk to people anywhere in the world. It is amazing that with all of this technology our relationships have not gotten smarter. In fact, we are still trying to date married people. Married people posing as possible dates on social networks are as common as pollen in the spring. Every week I hear at least one story from someone who believes they have found their soul mate in a married man or woman they met online. When you are infatuated with someone, they can lie to you more easily. The lust or infatuation hinders the ability to comprehend the truth. Your new soul mate will tell you all kinds of things. They may tell you they were living with someone, but never loved them. They may tell you they cannot leave someone due to their small children. There is a reason for every lie, and the lies are numerous.

Clues Your Man is Cheating

There are ways you can tell if someone you met on line is married. The

We all know that childhood is a once in a lifetime occurrence and relatively speaking it goes by pretty fast. One minute your child is a newborn, the next they are walking, and when you blink it's time for kindergarten.

Don't get me wrong, I know there are many sleepless nights, thousands of diaper changes, and a million bed time stories in between but when we look back we all say the same thing: "It went by so fast."

This is why photographs are so important. I am very lucky to be commissioned by families to photograph their children and document a very special time in their lives. Naturally, I think hiring a professional photographer is worth its weight in gold and not just because I am a photographer but because there is a big difference between a snap shot and a photograph taken by a professional.

That being said, we can't all have a live in documentarian photographing our everyday lives BUT we can all learn to take great pictures of our kids. Pictures that you can