Write. Edit. Repeat.

• Wal-Mart and their workers: Will the $40M settlement change anything?

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  My newest gig launched today at All Voices, where I'm one of a handful of journalists from around the world hired to report for them as a Provoice Correspondent.I'll be focusing on business, workplace issues, and work-life balance for the citizen journalism site and its 4 million monthly readers. My [...]
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  Posted: December 07, 2009, 2:56pm EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Cooking with kids: A delicious way to learn

  Number of comments: 1
  It’s usually easier to get dinner ready yourself than it is to let your kids help, but if you constantly shoo them out of the kitchen you’re missing a valuable opportunity or two. For one thing, now that our oldest kids are teens I can say for certain that the [...]
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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 12:09am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Help for the holidays: Give more for less

  Number of comments: 1
  Like most families, we're trimming our holiday budget, trying to economize in any way we can. My good financial intentions fell by the wayside, though, when I saw the Christmas tree at my youngest kids' preschool the other day. It was decorated with tiny colored lights and pairs of red [...]
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  Posted: December 02, 2009, 6:04pm EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Great deal: Restaurant.com gift certificates -- for free!

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  I've used Restaurant.com a few times, to score bargain-priced gift certificates for friends and family. There are plenty of places to choose, from family-friendly fare to ethnic cuisine. Save even more by using their promo codes (keep an eye for the latest on Mir's great shopping blog, Wantnot.net -- right' [...]
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  Posted: December 02, 2009, 12:31pm EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Taking every opportunity I can find

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  I recently decided that I was going to consider every single career opportunity that came my way. Even the ones that I knew I couldn't manage would get a closer look, just in case it turned out that there was some way for me to glean some good out of' [...]
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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 9:34am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• A pre-k take on the meaning of Thanksgiving

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  My youngest kids' have been learning about Thanksgiving at preschool all week, and today was the main event: pajama day and a party, with a traditional Thanksgiving "dinner."When we arrived this morning, bearing stuffing and rolled-up slices of turkey from the deli (much easier to serve in a classroom!), I' [...]
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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 1:12pm EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Just in time for Thanksgiving...

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  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, no question about it. All the togetherness -- and all of the food -- and nothing to wrap (or unwrap) but leftovers.Big gatherings are a major source of stress for many people, though, and for busy people who already have plenty on their plates, cooking [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 12:15pm EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Book review: Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

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  When I find time to read, I usually reach for something that will either transport me to another world or give me a vivid look at someone else's life. Michelle Moran is one of my favorite authors, because her books do both, and more: Her meticulously researched novels are fiction [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 10:43am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Do you have the energy to manage your stress?

  Number of comments: 1
  I usually gripe about not having the wherewithal to exercise, to sleep, to make time for myself. Turns out I'm not alone. The same survey by the American Psychological Association that took a look at teen stress levels shows that 75 percent of adults reported experiencing "moderate to high levels'" [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 3:11am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Do kids have the right to peacefully protest?

  Number of comments: 1
  A 10-year-old Arkansas boy is refusing to say the Pledge of Allegiance at school until our country does a better job of living up to its ideals.“I've always tried to analyze things because I want to be lawyer,” Will told The Arkansas Times. “I really don't feel that there's currently [...]
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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 11:26am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• "Little Lady"? That's a big problem

  Number of comments: 2
  When I was looking to buy my first car, nearly 15 years ago, I was just a year out of college and thought I knew everything. I especially thought I was on firm footing when it came to cars, since I had just spent two years editing automotive stories in [...]
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  Posted: November 22, 2009, 9:06am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Working mom + older kids = rediscovered social life

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  Earlier this year, I dove back in to the Mommy Dating Pool via a playdate with my youngest daughter's best friend and her mom. It's been really good, but lately we've decided to see other people. A lot of other people. And all at the same time.Our daughters have entered' [...]
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  Posted: November 20, 2009, 3:01pm EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Do parents of biracial kids face special challenges?

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  When social scientist Marion Kilson's children were born, in the 1960s, she assumed that they would identify as African American, like their father, not European American like herself. "I was still in graduate school," she remembers. "I wrote my term paper on slave revolts. I assumed my children would be" [...]
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  Posted: November 19, 2009, 1:13pm EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Study: Teens are stressed, but parents don't seem to notice

  Number of comments: 1
  A new survey by the American Psychological Association says that teenagers are more stressed out than ever before. But their parents, for the most part, haven't noticed. According to the survey, which was released Nov. 3, pressure at school and financial problems at home have had a greater impact on' [...]
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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 10:57am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• How often do you work for free?

  Number of comments: 1
  My husband regularly works long hours and even pulls all-nighters in order to clear his plate at the office. I do, too -- but not as often as I used to. A pay cut made me take a second look at how much my time was worth, and what I [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 10:50am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• On freelancing, branding, and the media

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  Dan Schawbel, the bestselling author of Me 2.0 and the publisher of Personal Branding Magazine, interviewed me today for his award-winning Personal Branding Blog. He asked some great questions about freelancing, branding, and how to pitch the media -- no wonder he was dubbed "the personal branding guru" by the [...]
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  Posted: November 14, 2009, 5:27pm EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• 10 ways to liven up your lunch box (or your kids'!)

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  Over at Work It, Mom! I've pulled together 10 easy and interesting ways to liven up your kids' lunchboxes (or yours). Check it out!10 Easy Lunchbox Ideas [...]
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  Posted: November 12, 2009, 4:17pm EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Pumpkin Spice Bread (or What are you going to do with your Halloween pumpkins?)

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  If you're the type to butcher your pumpkins after Halloween and now have a ton of fresh pumpkin puree on your hands, you can whip up several loves of this delicious pumpkin bread with very little effort. The extra loves freeze well (or make fantastic hostess gifts). And though you'd [...]
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  Posted: November 10, 2009, 12:34pm EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Should your boyfriend discipline your child?

  Number of comments: 1
  Rachel Sarah at Single Mom Seeking brings up the issue, now that her boyfriend is becoming more of a fixture in her and her daughter's lives."I’m honest about this: Discipline has not been my strengths, and I work hard at setting boundaries," she confesses. But, "my daughter is feeling so" [...]
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  Posted: November 07, 2009, 1:45am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Procrastinating my way to productivity

  Number of comments: 0
  I noticed recently that when there's something on my to-do list that I really want to avoid, I start searching for something else -- anything else -- to do instead. Sometimes that means I end up baking banana bread at 2 in the morning. Sometimes I discover an awesome new [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 9:25am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Mini and Maxi Kick Scooters: Fast and fun, no training wheels required

  Number of comments: 3
  My youngest kids have a need for speed. Alas, they also have a need for training wheels. The Maxi Kick Scooter and it's smaller sibling, the Mini, were perfect bike substitute on a recent, rare, sunny New England day.Unlike almost everything else my kids have, these scooters can be assembled [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 3:20am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Tricks for using up those Halloween treats

  Number of comments: 2
  Now that Halloween is over, I want to get rid of the metric ton of candy that's still sitting in my house. I could bring it in to the office, but if I can't resist the siren's song of the fun-size Snickers bar in my pantry, how can I turn' [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 4:49am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Of course Sarah Palin's on LinkedIn. You should be, too

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  The Huffington Post reported last week that former vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin has posted her resume on LinkedIn.I have to admit, I don't really see the point in the snark about this. For all I disagree with her politics, the former governor is super savvy when it comes to social' [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 2:50am EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• The baby's coming -- and the internet is invited

  Number of comments: 2
  Plenty of first-time parents have questions about what really goes on in the delivery room. And plenty of mommy bloggers document every detail of their pregnancies on their blogs. But Lynsee, a 23-year-old teacher in Minneapolis, is taking things further by sharing her entire first pregnancy -- including the birth [...]
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  Posted: November 01, 2009, 12:56pm EST
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Is Halloween a religious holiday -- and should it be celebrated at school?

  Number of comments: 0
  Tomorrow is Halloween, and this morning I dropped an adorably ferocious dinosaur and a sparklingly happy winged fairy off at preschool. They have been looking forward to their class parties all week, proudly making decorations and planning games and treats (a pinata shaped like a ghost! Slightly spooky stories at [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2009, 5:26pm EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Working moms raise unhealthy kids, study says

  Number of comments: 0
  My friend Nataly over at Work It, Mom! sent me a link, and I had to take a couple of deep breaths in order to get past the first paragraph of this BBC News story: "Children whose mothers work are less likely to lead healthy lives than those with 'stay'" [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2009, 10:44am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Yelling vs. spanking?

  Number of comments: 0
  I read the New York Times article last week about how, for some parents, shouting at kids has replaced spanking, and I immediately felt guilty.I've been solo-parenting for the past week while my husband is with our oldest kids, out of state. I've noticed that I've been yelling much more' [...]
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  Posted: October 28, 2009, 12:47pm EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Which is more offensive: Nudity or violence?

  Number of comments: 0
  My post at Child Caring about Hillary Swank being nude around her boyfriend’s child sparked some interesting discussions, one of which took place on Twitter. “Nudity is natural. Violence isn't," one person wrote. Others shared stories about parents who covered their kids' eyes during a brief nude scene but let" [...]
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  Posted: October 26, 2009, 3:03am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Family field trip to Great Brook State Park

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  Some gorgeous summer weather a while back prompted a trip to Great Brook Farm State Park (which, of course, prompted me to write about it for The Boston Globe)...Farm-fresh conesBy Lylah M. Alphosne, Globe Staff WHO: Lylah M. Alphonse, a member of the Globe Magazine staff, and two of her [...]
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  Posted: October 25, 2009, 12:23pm EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Book review: Diary of an Urban Farmer

  Number of comments: 0
  I fell in love with our house when I saw the huge eat-in kitchen. I looked past the hideous, dark-wood, 1970s-inspired "rustic country" decor and goldenrod-colored appliances and saw potential.Similarly, my husband fell in love with the land. He looked past the overgrown vines and tumbled rock walls, focused in [...]
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  Posted: October 23, 2009, 12:21pm EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Drug-free ways to soothe cold and flu misery

  Number of comments: 0
  Let's face it: Whether you get the flu shot or not, and whether you're worried about H1N1 (a.k.a. Swine Flu) or not, chances are you and your kids are going to be facing some flu-like symptoms this season.Why? Well, even if you've gotten the vaccine, it can take as long [...]
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  Posted: October 22, 2009, 12:15pm EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Dealing with military deployment, and helping kids cope

  Number of comments: 0
  The American Psychological Association estimates about 700,000 children under the age of 18 have a parent deployed overseas for military duty; according to the Department of Defense, more than 30,000 teenagers have at least one parent in the National Guard deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.I'm in awe of the way' [...]
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  Posted: October 20, 2009, 2:32pm EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Decreased flexibility equals increased productivity?

  Number of comments: 0
  I was working from home, playing "beat the clock" with my to-do list, doggedly trying to get as much done as possible before I had to pick my youngest kids up from school and take them to karate. With my connection to my office up in one window, a layout [...]
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  Posted: October 19, 2009, 9:42am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Naked in front of your kids? What if the kids aren't yours?

  Number of comments: 1
  Over at Boston.com's Child Caring column, I'm talking about the buzz over Hillary Swank's interview in November's Marie Claire, in which she tells Joanna Coles that she sleeps in the nude -- even with her boyfriend's 6-year-old son around.Our society is a little over the top when it comes to' [...]
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  Posted: October 16, 2009, 4:13am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Looking to get -- and stay -- organized? Look online.

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  Way back in 2003 -- nearly a lifetime in the online world -- I wrote an article for The Boston Globe about using online tips and tools to get organized. Here's an updated version of the story (the original is still up at Boston.com). Though much as changed, the basics [...]
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  Posted: October 15, 2009, 11:46am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Searching for a little work-life inspiration

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  I have a thing for inspirational quotes. It started back when I was in high school, I think -- in the yearbook, seniors each got an entire page to do with as they liked, and it was traditional to include at least one, usually several, quotes. So I started collecting [...]
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  Posted: October 14, 2009, 6:08am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Do you and your kids have the same last name?

  Number of comments: 2
  Last week, supermodel and Project Runway star Heidi Klum has filed a petition to take the name of her husband, Seal.The singer's full name is Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel.No word on whether their oldest child, 5-year-old Helene "Leni" Klum -- who was legally adopted at birth by Seal [...]
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  Posted: October 13, 2009, 9:20am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Women are becoming more unhappy, surveys say. Is it by choice, or because we have choices?

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  If you're not happy right now, take heart: You're not alone.According to the newest data from the United States General Social Survey, women today are less happy then they were back in 1972. Moreover, the survey found, women today become increasingly unhappy as they age compared to men, whose happiness [...]
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  Posted: October 12, 2009, 12:09pm EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• The early literacy crisis in America

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  In spite of certain lawmakers who liken universal preschool to government-funded "babysitting," there's no denying that there's a real need for solid early education in the US. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 35 percent of children enter kindergarten without the skills they need to learn how to read. [...]
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  Posted: October 10, 2009, 3:55am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Dealing with "The Terrible Teens"

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  After talking with friends who have college-age kids, and now that I have a couple of teenagers in my own house, I've come to the conclusion that teens and toddlers are similiar in many ways. Teens would probably chafe at the comparison (toddlers would probably be pleased), but there's no' [...]
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  Posted: October 09, 2009, 9:00am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Why the increase in autism rates? More awareness? Or more misdiagnoses?

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  A Department of Health and Human Services report released Monday says that the autism rate in the U.S. is higher than previously believed -- about 1 in 100 children have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the report says, up from the previous estimate of 1 in 150.The details are even [...]
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  Posted: October 08, 2009, 11:24am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Why "color blind" isn't the best we can do when it comes to race

  Number of comments: 0
  As a child, I never gave the color of my skin much thought. I grew up in a very sheltered community, and my parents sacrificed a lot to send my brothers and me to a wonderful private school. I thought of myself as half Indian (from India) and half Haitian [...]
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  Posted: October 06, 2009, 3:58am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• An easy baby shower gift you can make yourself

  Number of comments: 0
  A few weeks ago, when I was stumped about what to get my brother and sister-in-law for a baby-shower gift, I asked my readers at Boston.com what they thought new babies really needed. So, what did I end up getting? Nothing from the registery (I just couldn't bring myself to' [...]
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  Posted: October 02, 2009, 3:44am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Parenting by lying: Where do you draw the line?

  Number of comments: 0
  Parents have long rated honesty as the top trait they hope to teach their kids. But when the child loses a tooth or is late for school, the parents are the ones putting bicuspids under pillows for fairies or coming up with convincing excuses for teachers.So, is lying learned behavior [...]
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  Posted: October 01, 2009, 9:34am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Your marriage or your career?

  Number of comments: 1
  West Indian Girl singer Mariqueen Maandig is giving up her gig to marry Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor, her bandmates declared in August. WWE announcer Lilian Garcia announced her retirement Monday after 10 years with the WWE Divas, trading the wrestling ring for a wedding ring. And over [...]
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  Posted: September 30, 2009, 12:48pm EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Jambalaya: A super-easy, gluten-free, economical, one-pot wonder

  Number of comments: 0
  I love to cook. When I was in college, after a stressful day of juggling jobs and school I'd come home and cook, the same way other kids would go out and drink. My roommates used to say they could tell what type of day I'd had just by looking [...]
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  Posted: September 28, 2009, 11:59am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Kids' fashion goes too far: High heels for toddlers?

  Number of comments: 0
  I have a 4-year-old girl at home, so this item caught my eye for all the wrong reasons: Suri Cruise, 3, was seen traipsing around Boston with her mom on Monday wearing shimmery high-heeled silver shoes.Granted, the heels were only about an inch-and-a-half high. (Mom Katie Holmes, interestingly enough, was [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2009, 12:25pm EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• No work to do? What to do instead?

  Number of comments: 1
  The other night, I was sitting in my family room, TV on, my husband at his desk in the corner, tapping away on his laptop. I settled down on the couch, reached for my own computer, and realized... I didn't have any work to do.Here's the sad part: I didn't [...]
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  Posted: September 23, 2009, 11:53am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Some kids know how to network instinctively

  Number of comments: 0
  I picked my youngest kids up from preschool the other day and decided to stop by the local farmers' market on the way home. My kids love the farmers' market -- it's bright and noisy and colorful, and they always get some treat to munch on while I search for [...]
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  Posted: September 21, 2009, 12:07pm EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse

• Back on the fence about the flu shot

  Number of comments: 0
  One after another, my kids have come down with flu-like symptoms this summer. Two of them ended up with pneumonia (one mild case, one severe), and when I took my 4-year-old in to have her pediatrician listen to her lungs yet again, we discovered that she might also have a [...]
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  Posted: September 16, 2009, 11:56am EDT
  by Lylah M. Alphonse