| Leslie Morgan Steiner is the editor of the best-selling anthology Mommy Wars and the brand new memoir Crazy Love. Steiner is a frequent guest on the Today Show, MSNBC, and regularly contributes to The New York Times, Newsweek and Vanity Fair. She lives with her husband and 3 kids in Washington, DC. In this column, she will offer her Two Cents on issues relating to modern motherhood. |  |
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Are We the World's Worst Parents?
From reading American newspapers, listening to our media, and eavesdropping on mom bookclubs these days - it seems the natural conclusion is that Americans are the worst parents ever. We all should immediately give up our children for adoption, preferably to parents in France or China. more
Why I Caved on Facebook
When my son, who is now 15, was in 7th grade, I became appalled by the amount of time he and his friends spent online. None of them had Facebook pages. All the timesink occurred via gateway drugs like Google Buzz and iChatting and other communication vehicles I had never heard of.
I was also alarmed by their public “conversations” and the idiotic things they wrote. They were all nice, smart kids. But from reading their chats, one could logically presume they were homicidal, racist, sexist thugs. more
Five Thousand Dinners
I recently calculated how many dinners I have prepared for my three children, who are ages 15, 13, and 9. My best estimate is 5,000. When I cook, I also do their dishes and clean up the kitchen, so I’ve also done that at least 5,000 times. (Although sometimes the kids do bring their dishes to the sink.) If you count the breakfasts and lunches I’ve whipped up and cleaned up, we’re getting up to 15,000 meals.
How Group Dynamics are Different for Women
What’s always puzzled me is how reluctant women in groups always seem to be when it comes to expressing our opinions. If even one man is present, I find women wait to listen to his views before expressing ours. more
Is Motherhood Wasted on Moms?
You know that saying "youth is wasted on the young?"
Well, my latest opinion is that motherhood is wasted on moms. At least moms like me. more
Alone and Loving It
Did you know that more than 32 million Americans live alone today? One mom explores the possible factors driving this trend and finds herself understanding why people who can afford to are choosing to live in their own space, alone. more
Life, Death and My 25th College Reunion
Moms, Kids and Sex
The best way to handle having "the talk" with your kids is to start talking early and often. Kids need the facts, sure. But they also need at least one knowledgeable, trustworthy adult in their lives who can pass along the news that sex under most circumstances is highly enjoyable, can actually be fun, and is one of life’s great gifts when appreciated responsibly. more
How to Discipline Other People's Kids?
When it comes to criticizing another child's bad behavior, where is the line in the sand? One mother wonders if there's some kind of invisible guidelines for when you should approach a child directly, and when it’s appropriate to talk to the parent instead? more
Explicitly Wrong
My first child - the one who made me a mom - is a boy. I remember, among the mix of overwhelming, hormonally-charged emotions, feeling incredulous that my body had created not just a baby, but a boy. "I grew a penis!" I secretly exalted in my mind.
