Share Your Mother's Day Photos!

Upload photos with mom and the kids here.

Mother's Day is the perfect time to celebrate being a mom or showing off yours. Upload your photos of motherhood here, and don't forget to leave a caption!

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Parent Talk Q&A

Trick-or-Treating Safety Tips this Halloween

This week's Parent Talk topic.

Each week, our council of experts and smart parents take your questions, give advice and share solutions in this parenting column. This feature will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a topic and question: Halloween is a few days away, and that means trick-or-treating time for kids. How will you make sure they stay safe this Halloween? At what age do you let them go on their own, if at all? For that matter, how old is too old to go out trick-or-treating? Please comment in the box below, and check Norton Patch every Wednesday at 1 p.m. for this segment. Want to win a trip to New York or Los Angeles, meet Heidi Klum and …

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Parent Talk Q&A

How to Keep Lines of Communication Open with Children

This week's Parent Talk topic.

Each week, our council of experts and smart parents take your questions, give advice and share solutions in this parenting column. This feature will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a topic and question: The question: "How was your day at school?" The answer: "Fine." This scene is fairly common when kids come home from school. How do you elicit a better answer to that question from children? Or do you ask other questions that get conversation going about how your child's day was? How do you keep the lines of verbal communication open in your household? Please comment in the box below, and check Norton Patch every …

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Annemarie Holloway

3:16 pm on Wednesday, September 21, 2011

PS: In addition to asking about the best part of their day.. they each get a turn to answer, "what was the worst part of your day?"...   more ›

Parent Talk Q&A

Kids and Jealousy

This week's Parent Talk topic.

Each week, our council of experts and smart parents take your questions, give advice and share solutions in this parenting column. This feature will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a topic and question Your kids look at how their friends families live and may feel jealousy - they have a nicer home, go on nicer vacations, drive nicer cars, have cooler toys, etc. How do you help children understand this? Please comment in the box below, and check Norton Patch every Wednesday at 1 p.m. for this segment.

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Parent Talk Q&A

Bus Stop Safety

This week's Parent Talk topic.

Each week, our council of experts and smart parents take your questions, give advice and share solutions in this parenting column. This feature will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a topic and question: The school bus stop is always a tricky subject. On one hand, you don't want to embarass your child by waiting with them until they get their license, but on the other you worry about bullies, kidnapping and general bad behavior. At what age should kids be allowed to wait for the bus without parental supervision? How do you ensure their safety? Please comment in the box below, and check Norton Patch every Wednesday at 1…

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Parent Talk Q&A

Disciplining Your Children

This week's Parent Talk topic.

Each week, our council of experts and smart parents take your questions, give advice and share solutions in this parenting column. This feature will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a topic and question: Disciplining children is a neccessary part of them learning right from wrong. Which methods do you think are most effective? Time outs? Grounding? Chores? If you have any creative ways, please share. Also, what do you do when you and your partner do not agree on methods? Please comment in the box below, and check Norton Patch every Wednesday at 1 p.m. for this segment.

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Families Enjoy Fun-Filled Frenzy Day [VIDEO]

Indoor play area now open to the public.

Frenzy, an indoor play area for kids and teenagers, lived up to its name during the business’ grand opening Sunday, July 17. About 300 kids raced through the inflatable obstacle course, jumped around in the bounce house, got thrown off a mechanical bull and more.  Ed MacMillan and his fiancé Karen Goodburn are co-owners of Frenzy. Having three kids and not knowing what to do with them locally got them thinking.  “There was nothing in Norton for kids,” MacMillon said.  MacMillon worked for Roche Bros. Supermarket, and his hours were severely cut. Even through the temp agency the hours were inconsistent and the pay was not enough to make ends meet. So he and Goodburn, who as the owner of Children’s Haircuts has experience with kids, decided …

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AN INSIDE LOOK

Grandson Learns a Lesson - Don't Mess With Mom

Grandpa may be an easy mark, but mom will always outrank him.

My 3-year old grandson (did I mention his name is William?) is already well on his way to becoming a lawyer or politician. As his amazing vocabulary increases, so does the skill with which he wields it in an ongoing attempt to do what all 3-year-olds try to do:  Get what they want. Will was at our house with his parents recently, and they were obviously cramping his style.  He is accustomed to calling the shots at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, and was not happy Mom and Dad were standing in the way of his normal plans.  This unhappiness peaked when he got hungry and asked Grandpa if he could have one of his favorite snacks. “Can I please have a bar treat, Grandpa?” he asked with that winning smile that always melts me.  I was about to give …

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Bob Havey

5:00 pm on Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Way to go, grandpa! You did your job. I've heard it said that grandkids are so close to their grandparents because they have a common enemy.   more ›

Parent Talk Q&A

Curing Those Summertime Slumps

How to keep children active during the summer.

Each week, our council of experts and smart parents take your questions, give advice and share solutions in this parenting column. This feature will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a topic and question: It's almost summer vacation time, and after the hype wears off, many kids will start saying how bored they are, or will spend a lot of time watching television or playing video games. How will you keep your kids active this summer? What are some good programs or things to do in the area? Please comment in the box below, and check Norton Patch every Wednesday at 1 p.m. for this segment.

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Annemarie Holloway

6:20 pm on Tuesday, June 28, 2011

https://mail.google.com/mail/?hl=en&shva=1#inbox/130d822258cbf52d Another great resource for trips into Boston!! (Can you tell I am originally from the south shore?) I guess, I could use some R.I. resources for kiddos activities during the summer!   more ›

Parent Talk Q&A

When Should Children be Allowed to Start Dating?

They always want to start at a young age, but when is too young?

Each week, our council of experts and smart parents take your questions, give advice and share solutions in this parenting column. This feature will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a topic and question: Even in kindergarten I remember having a "boyfriend." Of course, it didn't get more serious than playing together at recess. But at a young age we learn that part of becoming an adult is dating. Though elementary school relationships don't really count, kids really do start worrying about that sort of thing in middle school. Or at least in my middle school they did. When should children be allowed to start dating? And …

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