Like most of America, I have to admit to watching at least some of Lance Armstrong’s interview with Oprah last week. I’ve seen bits and pieces replayed on the news and watched videos of the interview on various websites around the internet. Perhaps the most poignant moment for me was when Armstrong described the pain he felt while admitting to “doping” to his 13-year-old son.  As Armstrong explained, it was when he heard his oldest son, Luke, defending him that he knew he had to admit what he had done to him. Without a doubt that was likely the moment that Armstrong won over the hearts of …

  Lately there has been a lot of talk about increasing the length of time that students spend in the classroom each day. Recently, it was announced that a pilot program will be introduced in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Tennessee and Colorado that will allow some cities and towns to lengthen the school day. The goal is to determine if the move to a longer school day will help students to achieve more academically. Here in Massachusetts, two towns, Lawrence and Fall River, are expected to participate in the program which will add approximately 300 hours of learning time to the school …

  Every year, New Year’s arrives, and we as moms feel obligated to make promises to change our lives. We vow to stay ahead of the laundry pile, to make healthier meals for our kids, to keep our home completely clutter free and, of course, to fit back into our skinny jeans. This year, however, I don’t think I’m alone is saying that I’m tired of the same old pressure to make the New Year a perfect one. As a matter of fact, I’m very content to admit I’m not perfect and simply move on. Yes, it would be nice to wake up every day knowing that no one would need to rifle through the laundry basket to…

  Let’s face the facts; motherhood is not an easy job.  The take home pay is non-existent, the hours are grueling and, frankly, the benefits package doesn’t always seem to measure up. No two stages of motherhood are alike and, sometimes, it can seem like the toughest job on earth. As the mom of a 13-year-old I sometimes look at old pictures and wonder how my son could possibly be a teenager already. While some moms I know long for their kids to be babies again I have to admit that I have enjoyed watching my son grow into a self-sufficient and independent young man. Unlike a lot of moms that I…

  These days it seems that there is a bit of competition when it comes to holiday traditions. Without a doubt, Santa is still the number one man when it comes to Christmas but, alas, there is a new kid in town when it comes to getting attention. Lately it seems that someone a little smaller than Santa has also moved into the hearts of children. That someone is The Elf on the Shelf. As the mom of a teenager I have no experience with this little elf. As a matter of fact I had to enlist the help of a friend to learn exactly what this new tradition is all about. It seems that these elves, like …

  As moms we all know how much we have to be thankful for. Our children’s health, a safe community to live in, a school system where students can learn and grow all top most moms’ lists.  What we don’t always think about, however, is why all of these things are possible.  As moms we work hard to drill the words “Thank You” into our children’s’ heads but, alas, we often forget to use it ourselves. We don’t always think about how lucky we are to have our freedom and to live in a nation where we can raise our children with confidence that they, too, will always be free. Simply put, we don’t …

  From most of us moms, the first moment that we discovered we were expecting a baby was also the first moment that our number one priority in life changed. Suddenly, as if on cue, life becomes all about protecting our child. We are no longer our own number one priority and probably never will be again. Life becomes an effort to keep our children safe from harm under any circumstances. As Sandy barreled up the east coast this week and people all over New England prepared for the worst it got me thinking about how much information is too much for children to process. Yes, we want our kids to …

  Moms always comment how fast time flies as we raise our children and, this week, I can truly vouch for that. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I find that I am the mother of a 13-year-old boy.  Yes, it happened, my son went and had a birthday and officially crossed the line to being a teenager. Looking back I’m not truly sure how it happened. It seems like just yesterday I was expecting a baby and, today, that baby is 13 years old. So, I’ve had all these years to prepare myself, but the question remains. Am I really ready for the teenage years? I guess the best answer comes in the form of yet …

  It’s hard to get through the month of October without realizing that it is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It seems that for 31 days everyone wants to wear pink in support of breast cancer education, research and awareness.  Originally founded over 25 years ago, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is, as their website explains, “a collaboration of national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies working together to promote breast cancer awareness, share information on the disease, and provide greater access to services.” With a number of …

Last weekend I had what could possibly be one of the most harrowing experiences that a “work form home” mom could possibly have. My cell phone stopped working.  Ok, it might sound like a simple fix to some of you out there but when your cell phone is your lifeline to both your job and your kids, losing it is anything but simple. Let’s face it the facts here. Text messages, emails, and calls are probably the most important forms of communication that we have at our disposal these days. Being able to take those communications everywhere we go is simply a “given” these days. Yes, I return emails…

Ok, I’ll admit it. I am likely the only mom in my town who didn’t realize that school begins next week. Yes, I knew that, traditionally, we always begin before Labor Day and, yes, I knew that it wasn’t far away. But, even so, I was absolutely shocked when another mom at the football field this evening mentioned the first day of school. Like many of the kids in town I guess I was simply in denial. As crazy as it sounds I don’t look forward to “back to school.”  I said it last year and I will say it again this year. I love summer vacation. I enjoy the freedom, the chance to hang out with my son…

For as long as I can remember, I have been a baseball fan. My dad was a baseball fan, my uncles were baseball fans and, yes, they inspired me to become a baseball fan. Some of my best memories of growing up involve heading to Fenway Park with my father and his brother, Joe. My son has inherited the same love for baseball. Despite the fact that my father died many years before my son was born, I like to think that, somehow, baseball and my father are still one in the same. I like to feel that, even though they never met, my son and my father share a very special bond in the game of baseball. …

As parents we try to help our children become successful. We teach them to set goals, work hard and achieve the best. Sounds simple enough, right?  Well, reality is, just like every other aspect of parenting teaching our kids to find success isn’t always an easy task. Let’s face it there’s a fine line between encouraging success and simply pushing kids too hard. How, exactly, do you encourage kids to have goals but, at the same time, remind them that they may not reach each and every one of them? As the mom of a 12-year-old boy I find that many of the lessons I try to teach come in the form …

For many of us we spend all year waiting for our summer vacation. That one chance to get away with no cooking, no cleaning and a little peace and quiet, right? Well, perhaps it isn’t quite that simple. Truth of the matter is that, sometimes, family vacations can be more stressful than just staying home. Small children, faraway places, long car rides and too little sleep can be a recipe for vacation disaster. Right after my son was born we began our annual pilgrimage to Martha’s Vineyard. Sure it’s close to home but, reality is, the trip can be somewhat grueling. I’ll never forget the first …

By now we have all seen the latest viral video to hit You Tube. The scene was hectic as a Marlborough hockey mom, upset that the referees weren’t responding to a fight quickly enough, walked out onto the ice, pocketbook and all, to take matters into her own hands.     It seems that hockey mom, Gina O’Toole, had seen enough and decided that if she didn’t step out onto the ice and set the referees straight, the situation would continue to get out of hand. As a matter of fact she even went so far so far as to “order” the referee off the ice. Needless to say he wasn’t impressed. In an interview …

As moms we know all to well that children go through stages. Not every child goes through every stage but, reality is, they all have ups and downs. There are babies who can’t bear to give up binkies and bottles, toddlers who want nothing to do with anyone but their mom, kids that cry every day as they leave for kindergarten and an endless variety of daily crisis that only a mom can fix. No two kids are the same, no two stages are the same and no two moms handle things the same way. Somehow we all survive and, as if by miracle, seem no worse for wear in the long run.  Yes, it’s a dark little …

Motherhood is a funny thing. You can study the books, read the articles, think you are preparing yourself but, until that first moment when see your baby, you have no idea what being a mom really is all about. What is it that turns an ordinary woman into a mom? Is it experience? Is it training? Is it pure instinct? Is it, perhaps, a combination of all those things? Experts around the world offer advice and theories but, reality is, motherhood was around long before expert advice was and, amazingly, it all seemed to work out. The other day I was at the gym, busily enjoying my workout when I …

Editor's note: The specifc Little League activities referenced in this column relate to Wilmington Little League, where the author lives. The advice, however, can apply to parents everywhere. We have been waiting months, but spring is finally here and that means that baseball is in full swing. The Opening Day festivities are behind us and, from here on in, weekends and evenings will be filled with baseball. I’ll admit it. I am a die hard, tried and true baseball fan. I have spent my whole life cheering on the Red Sox and, no, I’m not the least bit quiet about it.   There is no way for me to …

This weekend I was lucky enough to have a mother and son St. Patrick’s Day and, once again, take my son to see The Dropkick Murphy’s. Yes, for those of you who follow “Life in the Mom Lane,” this was our second trip to see The Dropkick Murphy’s this year. Everything was perfect and we had a great day but I was reminded of something that, at this stage of motherhood, I had almost completely forgotten about. As moms and dads of small children know all too well, there are certain obstacles when you are one parent out with an opposite sex child.  For us, security at the concert posed a bit of a …

One of my best friends, Eileen, and I have a unique relationship. We have not lived in the same state in over twenty years. Actually we haven’t lived on the same coast in twenty years. We are however, in spite of the distance, closer than most sisters and completely in tune with each other’s lives. We speak at least several times a week and share just about every detail of our children’s lives with each other.  That, of course, doesn’t mean that we always agree. Long ago we “agreed to disagree” when it comes to politics and have an unwritten rule to simply respect each others viewpoints and …