Here are 5 pieces of information to get you over the hump on this Wednesday and to help make you the smartest person at your breakfast table. 1. Your 3-Day Local Weather Forecast: According to the NWS, today there will be a slight chance of showers before 8am. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 71. North wind 6 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tonight A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 46. South wind 10 to 13 mph. Chance of …

Moving can be traumatic for anyone. It can be especially traumatic for children, who have to leave friends, their school and sometimes, even family members. This week, the Tewksbury Patch Moms Council tackles this delicate subject. Question: If you have young children, how do you go about explaining to them that you are moving to a new new house and maybe a new town and leave everything they know? Answers: Lisa Spinelli-White -- I grew up moving around a lot and my daughter (and future kids) might wind up doing the same for a while too. I think it all depends on if you are moving back to the …

Recently, the web site parentdish.com posted a link to this report from Good Morning America. The topic was a debate over whether parents should allow their teens to have sex with their girlfriend or boyfriend in their home. Parents who supported allowing it believed that it created a safe environment for something that was inevitable. Other parents firmly disagreed, stating that to do so was to give in to their children and shirk their responsibility as parents. We asked members of of Moms Council to view the report and then answer the question, "Do you think it's a good idea for parents to …

The Tewksbury Patch Moms Council is made of of moms throughout the community from all different walks of life. Each week, the moms tackle a different question posed by readers of Tewksbury Patch on issues of life, family and motherhood. This week, the moms tackle the issue of safe protection for infants against mosquitoes. The QuestionThis is my six month-old's first summer. My husband and I enjoy outdoor activities and are looking forward to sharing these with our daughter. I know how to myself protected from mosquitoes when we go on a hike but I'm a little concerned about using something …

The Tewksbury Patch Moms Council is made of of moms throughout the community from all different walks of life. Each week, the moms tackle a different question posed by readers of Tewksbury Patch on issues of life, family and motherhood. This week, the Moms answer a question that has sparked strong debate in several countries. Should circumcisions be banned? The Question There is a growing debate in this country and globally about the practice of circumcision of male babies. Should circumcision be banned as an unnecessary procedure? The Answers Maureen Castiglione -- Some studies have shown it…

The Tewksbury Patch Moms Council is made of of moms throughout the community from all different walks of life. Each week, the moms tackle a different question posed by readers of Tewksbury Patch on issues of life, family and motherhood. This week, the Moms tacklle one of the most basic questions new parents face -- cloth vs. diposable. Dear Moms, Taking into account comfort and health of a baby plus impact on the environment, which is a better choice, cloth diapers or disposable? The Answers: Sue Panilaitis -- As I see it, there are four things to consider:  cost, environmental factors, skin …

The Tewksbury Patch Moms Council is made of of moms throughout the community from all different walks of life. Each week, the moms tackle a different question posed by readers of Tewksbury Patch on issues of life, family and motherhood. This week, the Moms address whether or not there is such a thing as a video game that is good for kids. Dear Moms, It seems like there are more and more video game/activity systems and games out there. I know a lot of them are useless or harmful but can you recommend any video games that are actually helpful to kids physical or mental development? The Answers…

The Tewksbury Patch Moms Council is made of of moms throughout the community from all different walks of life. Each week, the moms tackle a different question posed by readers of Tewksbury Patch on issues of life, family and motherhood. This week, the Moms answe a question about a problem dating back to the Garden of Eden. Moms, What are some ways to handle sibling rivalry? The Answers: Sue Panilaitis -- As parents of 6 boys, we believe “friends come and go, siblings are forever”.  To minimize tension, we use several different tactics including keeping household interactions positive, …

The Tewksbury Patch Moms Council is made of of moms throughout the community from all different walks of life. Each week, the moms tackle a different question posed by readers of Tewksbury Patch on issues of life, family and motherhood. This week's topic is about deals with allowances. Are they a rite of passage or do they set a bad precedent. Here is our question of the week. Dear Moms,I have three children. Two of them (7 and 9) have started asking for an allowance. At what age should a child start getting an allowance and is there a rule of thumb about how much a child should receive at …

The Tewksbury Patch Moms Council is made of of moms throughout the community from all different walks of life. Each week, the moms tackle a different question posed by readers of Tewksbury Patch on issues of life, family and motherhood. This week's topic is about deals with bullying. Not about your child being bullied but about what to do if your child is, in fact, the bully. Dear Moms, I have a two-month old daughter. It's my second baby, my son is 4. I've been depressed and my doctor has said i have postpartum depression. This doesnt make any sense because I was fine after my first baby. My…

Mothers are always looking for ways to make sure their babies thrive both after they are born and while they are still in the womb. But how much of the "tips" that are passed down are fact and how much are fiction. This week, the Mom's Council takes on a question about the sounds babies are exposed to while still in the womb. Dear Moms, I've heard it said that playing classical music or reading to your baby while you are pregnant is supposed to help make your baby smarter. Is there any real benefit to that? The Answers: Lisa Spinelli-White -- Short answer is no. Linda Rowe -- An obstetrician …

Welcome to Moms Talk! The Tewksbury Patch Moms Council is made of of moms throughout the community from all different walks of life. Each week, the moms tackle a different question posed by readers of Tewksbury Patch on issues of life, family and motherhood. This week's topic is summer vacation spots. Dear Moms Council, I have three children under age 6. Where would be a good, kid-friendly place in New England to go for summer vacation? The Answers: Sue Panilaitis -- Besides the beloved Santa’s Village and Story Land in the White Mountains of NH, consider a trip to Cape Cod or Martha’s …

The Tewksbury Patch Moms Council is made of of moms throughout the community from all different walks of life. Each week, the moms tackle a different question posed by readers of Tewksbury Patch on issues of life, family and motherhood. This week, the Moms take on television. Well, not the entire industry (that's a topic for another day), but the question of how much is too much. Dear Moms, How much TV is too much TV for a child? Here's what the Moms had to say: Lisa Spinelli-White -- IMO, for an infant, more than a few hours, 3-4, of background tv per week is too much. Older kids I'm not …

Bedtime is a tricky time for the parents of young children. What time is the right time for bed? When do you take a child out of a crib and put them in a "big kids" bed? This week, the Moms Council tackles another bedtime problem -- the issue of kids wanting to hop into bed with mom and dad every night. Here's the advice the council provided to one mom dealing with this issue. Dear Moms Council, My three-year-old son has gotten into a habit where he will only fall asleep if he goes to be between me and my husband. This has been going on for three weeks and I know its not a good habit but I …

The Tewksbury Patch Moms Council is made of of moms throughout the community from all different walks of life. Each week, the moms tackle a different question posed by readers of Tewksbury Patch on issues of life, family and motherhood. This week the moms take on the topic of allowances. Dear Moms Council, "President Obama has declared April "Financial Literacy Month." Any parents out there have success handing out allowances? If so, how much?" Here are what the moms had to say: Sue Panilaitis: Unfortunately, my husband and I would go broke if we gave allowances to each of our six kids.  …

The Tewksbury Patch Moms Council is made of of moms throughout the community from all different walks of life. Each week, the moms tackle a different question posed by readers of Tewksbury Patch on issues of life, family and motherhood. This week's topic is parents dealing with babies that suffer from colic. Dear Moms Council, What is the best treatment for a baby with colic? Here's what some of our moms had to say. Lisa Spinelli -- Didn't happen with us thank God! But I heard fresh air is the number one thing that calms all babies down even if just a smidgeon. Gripe water, I have heard, also…

What to do with the kids? That's a quandry that every parent faces at one time or another. This week, the members of our Moms Council answer a question posed by a mom who has anxiety over the upcoming April School Vacation. Dear Moms Council,With April School Vacation coming up pretty soon, what are some of the best places to take my kids for day trips that will be fun and educational. I don't want to have to drive more than 90 minutes each way. Here's what our Moms had to say: Maryann Fezzuoglio-Frisella: What I have found that works for our family is instead of taking a vacation we take "…

The subject of death is one that is always challenging for parents to discuss with their children. But when you have a tragedy the scope of the one earthquake and tsunami in Japan, it is that much more difficult. This week, members of the Tewskbury Patch Moms Council tackle that subject. Dear Moms,The tragedy in Japan has my children (9, 7, 4) asking a lot of hard questions. How can I explain the awful things going on over there without scaring them. Sue Panilaitis -- Recently, we have had this very conversation with our own kids.  Although it would easier to ignore discussions in an effort …

The Tewksbury Patch Moms Council is made of moms throughout the community from all different walks of life. Each week, the moms tackle a different question posed by readers of Tewksbury Patch on issues of life, family and motherhood. This week's topic is about deals with vaccinations. Do they do more harm than good? Are they worthwhile? Dear Moms Council, A columnist on Patch wrote on Sunday about a bad reaction her son had from a vaccination. Some people have said that vaccinations are connected to causing autism. But other people say vaccinations are really important for your children. What…

Welcome back to Moms Talk Q & A. Each week our Moms Council take on an issue brought to them by our readers, regarding the challenges of being a parent in the 21st century. Today's question, however, deals with a subject parents have been wrestling with for generations -- potty training. Dear Moms,What is the best age to start potty-training a child? How can I tell if she is ready for potty-training and what is the best method to use. Jennifer Lentini -- Well, my daughter never really showed any complete interest in potty training so at 2 years, 9 months, I took it upon myself to start the …