Parenting techniques that may not work

You say tomato, I say tomato. You say French fries, I say papas fritas. Raising bilingual kids in English and Spanish can be a linguistic feast.

I couldn’t write a word. I tried. But I couldn’t. Then my children helped open my eyes to the wondrous world – and the big sand dunes – before me.

My son is an early riser. And loud. He tends to get the rest of us up even while trying to keep quiet. Is there a secret to sleeping in?

It is dusk and my kids are playing in the street with friends. Dinner is on the table. They don’t want to come in. Do I plead or play it cool?

My children have tried most of the tricks in the book to get money out of me. Then came the direct approach.