How do you get a picky kid to eat spinach (or anything other than PB&J!)? Which uses less water—hand-washing the dishes loading up the dishwasher? Can you parent too much? Moms Meet groups have tackled these questions—and a whole bunch more—with our monthly discussion features. Check them out for yourself, then share one (or more!) the next time you meet with your mom group.
Advice magnet
My son, Elliot, has always been a very little boy. After three years of specialists, weigh-ins, tests, and lots of butter, we’ve discovered that he is healthy, developmentally on track—and small for his age. But while professionals express no concern, countless lay-pediatricians still can’t resist sharing their opinions on Elliot’s size.Home delivery
Melissa knew she wanted a midwife when her baby was born (a midwife delivered her and her sister). But where would be the best place to deliver? She ruled out birthing centers, which she found uninviting, and hospitals, because she was worried she’d be pressured into drugs or a C-section. She loved the idea of a home birth because during labor, she’d be able to shower in her own bathroom or go out for fresh air—and once the baby was born, snuggle up in the family bed.Happily ever after (with allergies)
Once upon a time, a child with food allergies was an anomaly. He might have been the only one in his class who couldn’t touch certain foods, and even other family members often didn’t really understand what he could and couldn’t eat. Now, all that’s changed: One in 12 children under 18 have a food allergy (reactions to peanuts, milk, and shellfish are the most common), according to a major national survey recently published in the journal Pediatrics. But this doesn’t have to be a grim fate: Here’s how families live with allergies every day.Helping Hands
Let’s face it: Keeping a home and family running smoothly is a lot of work. So get some help from people who really know what they’re doing—other parents.Peace on Earth
Christie Haskell’s 7-year-old son will be decorating a tree, lighting candles, and singing about snow this holiday season—but not for the same reasons most other kids will.The Haskell family doesn’t celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa. Instead, they celebrate Yule. And though the term “Yule” is often used as a synonym for “Christmas” or a generic winter holiday, it has specific significance for the Greeley, Colorado, family of four, as well as for many other Pagan and Wiccan families.




http://www.greenmomsmeet.com/2012/01/fresh-from-facebook-spending-time-as-a-couple/