Are All Cliques Bad?

Charged with negative connotation, the word “clique” may immediately drop you back into the ether of adolescence, recalling personal instances of cliquey behavior. But, are all cliques bad? According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, a clique is a “small group of people who spend time together and who are not friendly to other people.” It is also […]

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Protect Yourself from the Energy Vampire

(This post originally appeared in my October newsletter. Click here to subscribe.) October may be the month of spooks and ghouls, but are you actually haunted by an energy vampire? What is an energy vampire?  Energy vampires are individuals who can drain the life energy right out of you. They may be well-meaning individuals, but

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Online Moms’ Groups: Helpful or Hurtful?

As enthusiastic as I was about finally embracing motherhood, it took me awhile to adjust to my role. The perfectionist in me was haunted by the questions: Am I doing any of this right? Are my mothering instincts good enough? Am I doomed to turn out a kid who will be on parole before his

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How to Be a Friend to a New Mom

Last year, media reports suggested that a baby boom was in the works courtesy of the naughty and risque book trilogy 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James. In a less titillating argument, others credit the economic recovery for spurring a U.S. baby boom. In fact, according to a U.S. Fertility Forecast report released by Demographic Intelligence,

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Before You Volunteer, Ask These Questions

As the new school year begins, plenty of volunteer requests are going to be pushed under your hand (if they haven’t already). Finding ways to volunteer in your school, church or community is a wonderful way to connect with other people who share similar interests and to integrate into the community. Volunteering also sets a

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