Blurry Vision by Sharon O’Donnell
July 27th, 2019
Is it really the end of July? Six weeks ago when my youngest son, Jason, graduated from high school, the summer seemed to stretch out lazily ahead of us. His freshman year of college was over two months away, and there seemed to be plenty of time to do and say ...
The Joys of Raising Boys: The Good, the Bad, and the Hilarious: A Memoir by Diane Auten (Book Excerpt)
May 10th, 2019
Relationships TEACHING BOYS HOW to love is one of the most important jobs that we have in this world. So many boys grow up unable to express themselves, whether it comes from societal influences, peer pressure, or parental shaming, it is a norm that as a society, we must turn around. Without ...
My Son’s Best Birthday by Sharon O’Donnell
July 7th, 2018
Just returned to Raleigh area yesterday from a wonderful trip to Washington, DC to visit my oldest, Bill, 27, who has been living there for a year. Went with my husband and 17-year-old son, Jason, and our beloved 13-year-old long haired dachshund, Fenway. Our middle son, David, 24, picked up ...
Toys R Us Brings Back the Memories by Sharon O’Donnell
December 24th, 2017
My three sons are ages 26, 23, and 17. I've spent many Christmases buying Power Ranger toys, video games, and Red Sox merchandise, particularly if the Sox won a championship as they did in '04, '07, and '13. I spent much time at the local Toys 'R' Us, roaming the ...
The Raising of the Soft and Entitled… aka the Millennials…. By Vicky Dal Molin
July 21st, 2015
It hit me recently that I have been playing into what I have come to realize has become a generation of parents who just don’t parent anymore. Where and when did having to actually parent disappear? It’s a Saturday afternoon and my almost 3 year old decides to start arguing with me ...
A Special Place by Sharon O’Donnell
August 9th, 2014
The past few weeks have been hectic but fun. First, my middle son and I accompanied my oldest son to Charlottesville, VA for an orientation meeting for grad students in his Masters of Accounting program. I absolutley LOVED traveling with my two oldest sons and reveling in the kind of ...
Shy or Rude? by Sharon O’Donnell
July 12th, 2014
The other day I was at the mall with my 13-year-old son trying to find him some sunglasses to take to Scout camp. As we were standing there looking at sunglasses at a kiosk in the middle of the mall, I heard a female voice call out to my ...
That’s Because He is a Guy by Sharon O’Donnell
June 14th, 2014
On June 22nd, I am having my middle son's girlfriend's family over for a cook-out. Even though they are rising juniors in college and have dated since they were sophomores in high school, this will be the first time we have all gotten together. Over the past few years, things ...
GUEST BLOG POST: Limiting Screen Time While Keeping Your Relations with Your Child Intact by Cynthia Gill, Co-Author, JUMP-STARTING BOYS
September 1st, 2013
What is more important than the relationship with our children? I can’t think of too many things. But most parents make one of several mistakes. The first is they tend to focus more on the behavior than the child’s heart, correcting in ways that do not nurture the relationship. Punitive, ...
