Each week in Moms Talk, our local council of been-there-done-that moms debate issues, give advice and share solutions to common parenting dilemmas.  So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question about easter traditions. It’s Easter time. Yellow peeps have lined the store shelves, Easter egg hunts have cropped up in the county, and let’s not forget that the Easter Bunny rearing his furry head in our local malls.  My family didn’t make a big deal out of easter baskets or peeps, but we did have a tradition of cooking a big meal and cleaning our house …

Each week in Moms Talk, our local council of been-there-done-that moms debate issues, give advice and share solutions to common parenting dilemmas.  So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question about school cafeteria nutrition.  Last Friday, the Fairfax County public school district announced that it would once again sell chocolate milk in elementary school cafeterias. At the beginning of the school year, the school system stopped selling chocolate milk as part of its efforts to increase the availability of nutritious choices in the cafeterias.  But…

When I was a teenager, I had several friends who would complain about how much their parents relied on them to babysit their younger siblings.  And while teenage gripes about babysitting are nothing new, there may be other family members who are hesitant to be the go-to caretaker when parents need a break.  But there are others who might argue that babysitting, like other things, is just another family obligation. Do you think babysitting is a family obligation? Are family members the family members the first people you call when you need a babysitter? Do you set limits on how much family …

Each week in Moms Talk, our local council of been-there-done-that moms debate issues, give advice and share solutions to common parenting dilemmas.  So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question about birhtday parties. There is no doubt that birthday parties can be a special event for kids. Not only are they turning a year older, but they also get to celebrate the milestone with friends and family.  And tips on how to throw the “perfect birthday party” are endless; Pick a theme, get a clown or a moon bounce, or hire a caterer, just to name a few. The…

Each week in Moms Talk, our local council of been-there-done-that moms debate issues, give advice and share solutions to common parenting dilemmas.  So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question sparked by a recent television show.  Tuesday night's episode of Glee reignited a debate among parent activists and media organizations about what is appropriate content for young audiences. The episode "Sexy" centered on a sex education class taught by a substitute teacher (played by Gwenyth Paltrow). The episode featured sexual dancing and songs, …

Last Thursday, the Fairfax County School Board asked Gov. Bob McDonnell to veto a bill that would mandate 150 minutes of physical education per week, per student, in graded K-8 by the 2014 academic year. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Ralph Northam (D-Norfolk) is aimed at combating childhood obesity rates which have soared last decade, due in part, it is thought, to the phasing out of programs like PE in public schools. The obstacle to the bill’s success is that the mandate in unfunded and would require an estimate $18 to 24 million for additional instructors and supplies or to pay current …

Welcome to Moms Talk. Each week in Moms Talk, our local council of been-there-done-that moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions to common parenting problems. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a prompt about breastfeeding in public: Recently, a group of mothers staged a “nurse-in” at the Hirschorn Museum in D.C., after a mother nursing her baby on a public bench in the museum was told by a security guard to find a more private place. The guard even suggested she sit on a toilet in the ladies room. At the time the mother in question …

Welcome to Moms Talk, a new feature on Fort Hunt Patch designed to serve local parents. Each week in Moms Talk, our local Moms Council of experts and been-there-done-that moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions to common parenting problems. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a prompt about a new documentary: Vicki Abeles documentary “Race to Nowhere” has been popping up in screening across Northern Virginia. It will be shown at Mount Vernon High School on March 10th.   Through firsthand accounts, “Race To Nowhere” sets out to prove …

 Each week in Moms Talk, our local Moms Council of experts and been-there-done-that moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions to common parenting problems.  So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a question commonly asked to Mary Porter: My son or daughter has finally gotten over a terrible cold that seemed to last forever, but he still has this horrible cough! Nothing seems to help. This happens to my kids and I’ve tried a lot of approaches. It could be that he or she has a lingering upper respiratory virus that needs a prescription …

Welcome to Moms Talk, a new feature on Fort Hunt Patch designed to serve local parents. Each week in Moms Talk, our local Moms Council of experts and been-there-done-that moms take your questions, give advice and share solutions to common parenting problems. Moms, dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community will have a new resource for questions about local neighborhood schools, the best pediatricians, 24-hour pharmacies and the thousands of other issues that arise while raising children. Moms Talk Q&A will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest …