marybeth hicks

That rumbling sound you hear isn’t a snow-removal truck, a low-flying plane, or a train inadvertently chugging through your backyard.
No, it’s the low, slow churning of civic discontent, fomenting thanks to the decades-long trend toward educational mediocrity and resulting…

The subject line of the email from my daughter read, “I shudder.”
The text said only, “You won’t believe this,” and included a link to a video that my 14-year-old freshman, Amy, wanted me to see.
The video that prompted…

Just how frustrated are American parents with the leftist Kool-Aid being passed off as curriculum in our nation’s public schools?
It’s come to this: Last week, the New Hampshire legislature overturned a gubernatorial veto of a bill that will allow…

There’s a radical idea surfacing in the world of psychology, and it may turn out to be a game changer when it comes to parenting in America.
Thinking.
That’s right, thinking. But not just thinking: smart thinking.
Imagine what might…

Set New Parenting Trends in the New Year

by Marybeth Hicks December 30, 2011

It’s that time again — time to predict trends for the new year. Prognosticators from every sector are saturating cyberspace with predictions in virtually every arena, including politics and economics, climate, technology, education, recreation and fashion.
But my favorite trends…

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A Mother’s Hopes on a Silent Night

by Marybeth Hicks December 23, 2011

When I climbed into bed, the sheets felt like thin strips of refrigeration. I pulled the comforter up to my ears and shivered as I waited for my body to generate enough heat to turn my toes from blue to…

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The State Giveth — And Taketh Away Freedom

by Marybeth Hicks December 15, 2011

Cable’s Home and Garden Television (HGTV) appears to have a new reality show about what happens when the government buys itself the right to tell you what to do.
In theory, anyway.
According to HGTV.com, the new show “My House,…

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No, Virginia, the 9 PM News Isn’t “Suitable for Children”

by Marybeth Hicks December 12, 2011

Chicago news anchor Robin Robinson probably should expect to find some coal in her stocking this year. At least that’s the consensus of most of the folks who learn about her recent on-air gaffe.
Last week, the local Fox affiliate…

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Can You Quantify Gratitude?

by Marybeth Hicks December 1, 2011

Putting our fingers to the wind being a national pastime, Harris Interactive has quantified thankfulness for 2011.
In a survey of 2,463 adults conducted last month, only a third of respondents reported having more to be thankful for than they…

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Maternity Leave Stats: Good News for Moms, Bad News for Families

by Marybeth Hicks November 17, 2011

It’s good news or bad news, depending on the headline. Last week, Census Bureau statistics on the percentage of working new mothers who receive paid maternity leave prompted two kinds of stories.
There’s the “glass is half full” variety, such…

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