This is an article in which I got to be my own expert. My husband and I have had plenty of experience traveling with our two small children. Many of our friends and family think we’re crazy (and some of our trips have occasionally bordered on insanity), but we love having the opportunity to expose them to new things. I’m
This was an easy one — not much writing or interviewing. I just found a bunch of parenting experts and asked each one the same question, “What’s the most important thing for new parents to know?” Here’s what they said. “Expert education tips for new parents”, ParentMap, October 2005
BabyMap runs a regular column called Decision Digest, where they summarize all sides of important issues that expectant and new parents face. In this issue, I tackled two questions: whether to bank cord blood for personal use, and using cloth diapers versus disposables. “Decision digest — Private cord blood banking and diapers”, BabyMap, Fall/Winter 2005–2006
Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS is a global Campaign to alert the world to the fact that children are missing from the global AIDS agenda. It provides a platform for urgent and sustained programs, advocacy and fundraising to limit the impact of HIV/AIDS on children and help halt the spread of the disease. Policymakers and the global public must
Here’s one where I have some hands-on experience — maintaining a healthy marriage after kids join the family. My extraordinary husband and I will celebrate our 10th anniversary this year. We make time to care for each other and our relationship, as well as for our two young children. “Keeping love alive after baby arrives”, ParentMap, September 2005, pages 13–14
I picked up this book because the picture on the cover looks like my own daughter. When I read the back notes and learned that she was dead, I quickly put it back down. I didn’t want to read about Eleanor Vincent’s devastating loss. For some reason, though, I felt compelled to try to comprehend her experience. What I found
I love hiking, but my bike has been parked for years and jogging has never been my thing. To look at me is to clearly see that I am not a great authority on fitness. Nevertheless, I accepted an assignment for an article on exercising outdoors with a child under two. Yes, I actually got out the sneakers and went
All of the articles I’ve written before this one have been on topics that I already knew something about or have had some firsthand experience with. Not this one! It was really fun to do, though. Most of the research came from interviews, so at first I was a little nervous. Everybody I talked to was so helpful and inspiring,
Here is a very short article about a topic I am quite passionate about, umbilical cord blood. Several major hospitals in our area have teamed with the blood bank to collect and store the stem-cell rich cord blood and donate it to individuals in need through a national registry. Now something that is typically discarded can instead save lives —
It’s always nice to receive compliments on your work. After doing the article and school profiles for Judy’s Book Greater Seattle, Liesel Pollvogt wrote: Thanks Laurie–you did an *awesome* job on these. I was impressed with your quick turn-around, quality of writing, and how you instantly “got” what this was all about and were able to get started without a bunch