They say that those who fight the hardest are those who are the most alike, so perhaps it shouldn't have surprised me that when it comes to parenting, the English and the French have quite a bit in common.

Raising my children to be safe and secure in their world includes many things, like how to cross the streets, how to protect their bodies from strangers, how to use digital media responsibly. It also means educating them about the world's realities, one of which is violence.

I look at my little girls and I think about how every single person started this way: innocent and precious, naturally inclined to do good.

The world being safe for you is one thing. For your tiny, vulnerable little person -- the person who you would do anything to protect -- is the world safe for them? What kind of world will they grow up in? we ask.

There's been waaaaaaay too much talk of bad dudes in the news lately. It's got me thinking about what goes into making a perfect person, about what ingredients we need to have in our parental pantries, if you will, to help us raise a great child.

It's not our job as parents to decide who our son will be; it's our job to help him become the best version of that person he can.

There are countless methods of raising children, and many of them are perfectly healthy. Yet, no matter how many books we read, rules we make, or goals we set, there is one thing that will impact our children above all else, and that is how we feel within ourselves.

Written by Adrienne Hedger for NickMom You probably didn’t think it was possible to make public restrooms any less enjoyable ... and then you had...

There is no shame in being broke, theoretically. But that hasn't stopped me from feeling horrible shame at how broke my family is.

I have to be honest; I look at couples who have managed to stay married sans kids and am mystified by what keeps them bound in matrimony.

Six, you, like no other year before you, have filled this boy with confidence. This boy whose heart was still open at birth. This boy whose heart is the very biggest part of him. You've transformed him.

Maybe this disappointment will help her grow strong enough to handle further disappointments life will throw her way, regardless of how good she is. And maybe she'll grow to be so strong that disappointments won't scare her very much anymore.

This, all of this, is 4. Big, lightly kissed with small.

Upon this occasion (and just in case I drop dead tomorrow), I thought I'd tell you what my perspective on life is at this particular moment.

The girls played in the yard, but their restlessness and whining was gone. I could tell they felt satisfied -- the way you do when you've done something for someone other than yourself -- and they were made more content by the sunshine and crisp, cold air.

Yes, my body is broken. It cannot do what other women's bodies can. But my brokenness tested and strengthened me and my marriage. It has allowed me to share with my children just how much I want them.

I imagine that it must be hard to watch a friend get swallowed whole by a completely foreign set of experiences. Since I'm the one getting swallowed, I can't know what that's like -- but I can offer a few (entirely unsolicited) dos and don'ts to those who have not, as yet, procreated.

You often hear successful people saying "my parents pushed me to achieve." I wonder if there are more adults saying that to auditoriums full of admirers... or to therapists.

When the devil comes and entices you to shut down all the computers in your house, let the angel whisper truth, "Help your student understand the consequences of the decisions they make online." After all, it's the world they'll live in for the rest of their lives.

I think I speak for many moms of kids with special needs when I say we don't want pity; it's isolating. But a smile or words that say hey, motherhood is tough -- any kind of motherhood is tough -- are reassuring.

I will always remember what I've learned from our holiday letters and carry it with me as my family continues to grow.

Thanksgiving is a great time to introduce traditions around being thankful, but I would encourage you to look at this season as a jumping-off point. Think about incorporating some of these ideas into the rest of the year.