As a young mother, I once made a list of what I called “The Ten Commandments of Parenting.” I’m not proud of this fact; it just shows how desperate I was for guidance. If I could distill the thousands of parenting decisions I had to make each day into a manageable number of principles, I […]

Tie-dying clothing long has been a favorite pastime for many. A few supplies, short instructions and a couple of hours and you have a handmade beauty!

Bill Johnson isn’t afraid of the dark. He makes the dark scary. As one of the top designers of frightening characters for Netherworld Haunted House, Johnson creates characters who are bloody, mangled, gory – just plain scary. And each year, because the characters and themes change annually, he gets to create something new. Werewolves and […]

I was thrilled when the Yogurt Tap opened in Decatur, but I had to have a hysterical mom moment before I embraced the place my 3-year-old daughter now calls the Treat Store. I composed a brief, desperate e-mail to the owner: “Is your product sweetened with corn syrup? No judgment, just wondering!” She immediately responded […]

These tunes about backyard animals are catchy without being grating, educational without being boring. Characters range from the sweet, such as a red bird and lightning bug, to the slimy, such as a toad, snail and slug. My 3-year-old loves every song. The title track is her favorite. “Slimy neighbors slinking by the front door […]

Caspar Babypants sounds familiar because you’ve heard the singer before. Only then as the lead singer of The Presidents of the United States of America. Chris Ballew has put out his third album of catchy, upbeat children’s tunes. They’re reminiscent of the simplicity of his rock ‘n’ roll songs (think “Peaches”). In addition to originals […]