There are just a few days left to ring in a new decade, so it is somewhat obvious that you will read a lot about top 10 decade lists over the next few days. And yes, there is also a top 10 Parents list – the St. Louis Today website was first to come out with such a list. Limiting an entire decade to just ten (types) of parents might be a bit difficult, so take this list with a grain of salt.

A national parent teacher association has found that parents are happier parents if they find ways to reduce their levels of stress. That applies to married parents, but even more so to single parents, where it is critical that you can recover and find some time for yourself.

Teaching your child respect for others is among the most difficult tasks you will encounter in parenthood. It is hard enough to go through this lesson in a traditional family environment, but it gets even more complicated in single parent families. A struggle with what we perceive to be a lack of respect in our children is a growing problem these days – not just for single parents, but for children as well.

And if you are among those who do not know how to answer disrespect and even feel helpless at times, you may not like to hear that there is a good chance that the origin of this disrespect can be traced back to not so great decisions you have made in the past. However, the good news is that most cases of disrespect in children have a common foundation and there are ways you can work with your child.

Book Review – Occasionally, you stumble over true treasures on the Internet. Earlier today, I downloaded a free eBook out of pure curiosity. I have learned my lesson in you-get-what-you-pay-for, so I wasn’t expecting much. However, I now know that How To Be A Better Single Parent is among the best general advice books I have read since the separation from my spouse.

It is tough reviewing a book that is provided to you as free with the same measure as you would review a book you would pay $20 or more for. But I have no problem claiming that the advice provided can hold its own in such comparisons. Expect exactly what the title promises: A guide how you can become a better single parent.

There is an obvious answer, of course, to that question. But really: Who are the heroes of today’s teenagers and who would be on those wall posters if they could choose any person? Here’s a hint: Oprah didn’t make the top spot. Take a good guess before you open the article.

Children who are leaving their home to live somewhere else is a dramatic step not just for the children themselves, but for the parents as well, especially if they are singles. Think about it: You have longed for the free time from fighting children, laundry, nursing the sick one at home, or demanding husbands who were having a bad day which made us exhausted.

Now you have the energy and time so let’s begin the wish list. Here are Natalie’s ideas what to do with your time.

I know, I know, I’m going to get mail, but, hey, today IS ‘Balloons Around the World Day’ and so it’s incumbent upon me to be the messenger for my craft and share how you send ‘Wish Balloons to the Sky Dragons.’

See, the Chinese believe that there is a great dragon in the sky that has the power to propel your wishes into the cosmos so that your heart’s desires can return to you on the wind. But first you have to send those wishes out in a specific and certain way.

Take a deep breath and pat yourself on the back … you are now a single parent. I know, what you are thinking. “Why would I pat myself on the back, this sucks!” You would be accurate with your first reaction, but let’s take a step back and quiet your mind for one second to reflect on the gift you just received.

The first thing you should do is put on the happiest face you can muster and be grateful that you NOW have a second chance to start your life over. You have been given the ultimate gift. It may not seem like it. It may seem like your heart was ripped out and your emotions and self confidence are there on the floor. As you look at your self esteem (or what’s left of it) on the floor you have a choice to make. This choice will determine the rest of your week and the rest of your life.

Let’s face it, there’s just one word that our culture bestows on a woman who unrepentantly values a career every bit as much as she values being a loving mother: the B-word.

No wonder so many women simultaneously crave and fear their ambitious goals. No wonder that high-achieving women all harbor the same dirty little secret, no matter what our backgrounds. We all struggle with socially sanctioned failure to fully and unambivalently embrace our ambition. We all have the same pernicious audio loop playing between our ears:

In times of stress, frustration, transition, I often find myself succombing to body loathing, as if all of my challenges are the result of my squishy belly or my ample booty. Here are three tips that I use to shake myself out of the body loathing funk.

Since today is considered ‘World Vegetarian Day’ I thought that I’d roll out a little folklore accorded to a certain juicy fruit and this lovely month of October.

There’s an ancient Celtic legend that has lasted until this day that says that you should only eat blackberries until the 11th of October and never after that. The belief holds that on October 11 the devil himself fell into a thicket of blackberries and cursed the thorns of the fruit forever from that day forward.

An interesting question, if you think about. In a common scenario, we may believe that your IQ does not matter, but in extreme cases there is the clear perception in our society that it absolutely matters – whether that means that high IQs will be the reason for intelligent children and low IQs are reason for concern that a parent may be unfit to raise a child.

This morning I have come across a story today that is likely to make you rethink what role IQs play in raising your child.