Addiction: Waiting for That Phone Call

August 5, 2011 Throughout her relatively brief career, media reports seemed to focus as much on British singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse’s troubled life as on her music. Last month, her father, outspoken about Amy’s drug and alcohol addiction, depression, early stage emphysema and legal woes, received the call he had anticipated, informing him his daughter had…

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Roots, Wings and Guardianship

July 8, 2011 Helping our children to feel both grounded and independent is a fundamental tenet of parenting. So we give them roots and wings by imparting skills and values. We harp on them to buckle their seatbelts, eat their veggies, and treat others with respect. After we’ve counseled them on how to do their…

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College Costs Involve Family and a Plan

March 22, 2011 It’s the time of year when high school seniors and their parents weigh their options and decide upon a college. They sort through myriad emotions, balancing long-term economic considerations against the hopes and dreams of teens with minimal experience making decisions. Dan Getsch has been a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial for…

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Look Me in the Eye

March 12, 2009 Last year I stumbled across a book called “Look me in the Eye.” As a parent who spent years trying to get her son with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to do just that, the title intrigued me. The insights of author John Elder Robison were even more fascinating. Robison was diagnosed with…

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Time to Visit the Void

October 22, 2007 All around me, parents fight the October blues that set in after their high school grad officially becomes a college freshman, leaving an empty spot in their hearts and their homes. Phone calls, e-mails, and visits help families make the transition so by the time the autumn leaves have stopped swirling and…

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