The school year is upon us, and while summer weather may continue here in San Diego, the rest of any young student’s life is about to go through a major change. Classes, new friends, meaningful teachers, and hopefully hobbies, talents and interests new and old will emerge as the school year progresses. Our idea for [...]

Whether you follow sports regularly or not, the Summer Olympics is always captivating. During the London 2012 Olympics, it’s been hard to miss the story of Gabby Douglas, a 16-year-old who won the gold medal in the All Around Championships for Women’s gymnastics last week, the first African-American to do so. Gabby’s mom was watching [...]

During the summer months, doctors’ offices are full of kids, usually healthy and rambunctious. They are either there for their check up or having to tag along as their sibling gets his or her check up. For some kids it is fun. For others it is agony. I remember a certain family who came in [...]

Maurice Sendak, the children’s book author most famous for authoring ‘Where the Wild Things Are,’ passed away recently at the age of 84. While my main roles in life are as wife and mother, pediatrician, and community health educator, I am also an author. If you have ever been to my office you can see [...]

Hello everyone,   I hope April has been good to you so far. As we think about ‘Creative Kids” particularly for parents of kids ages 8, 9, and 10 – aka 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders – creativity is a big deal. Brain science shows us that it’s at this age that the prefrontal cortex expands, [...]

Lately, I’ve been thinking about all the things in my life I am grateful for. The unique privilege that is my calling – to teach mothers and daughters about puberty, birth and conception, and to serve my community as a pediatrician. A recent thank you note I received meant a great deal to me, and [...]

Valentines Day can feel like a stereotypical “Hallmark Holiday” loaded with chocolates, red roses, and other romantic symbols. But for parents of young kids, Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to not only show special love to your child, but to discover how they give and receive love best. What do I mean by this? [...]

Welcome 2012. It is always so exciting to start a new year: new goals, new ideas, just a clean fresh start. Of course many folks make resolutions and then put pressure on themselves to keep them. So I’ve decided my only resolution for 2012, which will be very easy to keep, is to have more [...]

I love the Holiday Season. Everyone is in a good mood, the kids are full of expectation and excitement and families get together to celebrate the essence of our society. Usually, during visits to my pediatric office, there is lots of chatter about Santa, Christmas trees and gifts. I’ve taken to ask the children, “What [...]

This year I attended the TEDMED conference. TED.com stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. A given conference can then be narrowed down to Global, Medicine, Woman, Technology etc. TEDMED is in its third year being held at The Coronado Hotel right here in San Diego. I just couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to be [...]

I’ve just returned from a trip to Italy. A long waited, detailed planned trip prepared by my husband who everyone knows is a “foodie” and from Italian parents. He spent the last two years researching his heritage, taking Italian classes and determined to learn to make fresh pasta. But above all (I hope! LOL) the [...]

Listening takes time, effort and a lot of patience.  In my early years as a pediatrician, I was always worried about making sure that I didn’t miss something in the physical exam; the kidney mass, the absent femoral pulse or the delay toddler that wasn’t talking.  The mantra in the background “above all, DO no [...]

Over the past several months, I’ve had the privilege of participating in each of the above celebrations.  Yes, even a funeral is a celebration of life.  These are the rituals of life that keep us grounded and make us realize how lucky we are to be part in one another’s life events.  With each of [...]

Most of us become mothers at some point in life. Some don’t. But I did choose to be a mother never realizing what the job entailed. There was an innate desire and I am embraced it not knowing anything about “the job.” No one teaches us how to be a mother, perhaps in our mind [...]

If you have an elementary age child, you will soon be receiving the permission slip to sign that allows your child to attend the basic health education course that schools provide to fourth and fifth graders.  These classes are barely one hour and a DVD is shown that describes puberty.  This is a complicated topic [...]

As a general rule, I always find some time during my week to exercise.  Of course, running around after three young children was plenty of exercise, but even so, I still made it to the gym or local pool on a weekly basis.  Now that my kids are grown up and out of the house, [...]

I recently had the sad yet heart-warming experience of helping my family say goodbye to an elderly relative, my aunt.  As a pediatrician and wife of a pathologist, life and death is always part of our conversations, but dealing with it personally was still a very difficult experience as it is for anyone else. Children [...]

Another year – where does the time go? As the children get older, time just seems to move on so much more rapidly.  I trust you have all had a wonderful Holiday season with family and friends… and as we look forward to another New Year, we always try to set new goals, new resolutions [...]

This is the season we celebrate by giving gifts.  We do this to show others that we care, however, showing that we care doesn’t always have to be in the form of gift giving.  In fact, there are well established ways in which ALL of us feel loved.  Let’s look at these different ways in [...]

Many of you know that I teach a seminar for mothers and daughters about puberty, menstruation, birth and conception. Before I start each seminar I ask each mother to introduce her daughter (often to the girl’s embarrassment!) by describing her in a single word. This simple task can be truly revealing, and what I’m actually [...]

The school year is in full swing and your child is adjusting to once again being in that unique social environment. It’s always important to strike a balance between involving yourself in your child’s life and allowing them room to develop a sense of independence. Socializing at school can be the first time they form [...]

Another summer has passed and the kids keep growing.  One of the sure ways to keep our children healthy is to immunize them according to their age-specific needs.  We all know about the dreaded kindergarten shot…and then we feel we are done.  But not so fast!  There still are serious diseases out there than can [...]

It’s that time of the year once again.  Not just the holidays, but those close of the school year celebrations — from recitals to end of year school parties to graduations.  Everybody is excited, and if not at least a little relieved that another school year has come to an end.   And we all say [...]

As I’ve traveled across the country from San Diego to Washington, DC to Bakersfield and other places, I speak to mothers from all walks of life and from all cultural backgrounds, from the USA, the Philippines, Mexico,  and Puerto Rico.  It never ceases to amazing how very consistent and similar we all are as human [...]

In the past weeks, I’ve been asked several times about my opinion about the healthcare reform legislation and how it will affect us all, especially the children.  But who has time to read the enormous manuscript, let alone interpret it and put all the pieces together?  It is daunting even to us in the healthcare [...]

Throughout the years, there has been a lot of talk about abstinence programs and their effectiveness.   A recent study showed – without a doubt to the medical world – that abstinence education does work in help teens delaying sexual activity.  But the advice doesn’t stop there.  More studies are needed that will include a [...]

As I listen to the news and try to make sense of the enormity of our national deficit, it is daunting.  I can’t quite grasp what a trillion dollar really means!  But back to reality and in regards to money, how do we help our children keep on track with this aspect of their lives?  [...]

We all go through the steps, now that the year is over, and a new year begins. We reflect back on how quickly the time has gone by and what little time we might have left. What do I still have to do? How can we make the world better place? Have I done all [...]

Dear Families, During this time of festivities and busy schedules, let us remember to take time, slow down, and enjoy the real meaning of the season. Allow me to share one of my favorite poems with all of you. What shall we give the children? What shall we give the children? Christmas is almost here, [...]

What a stressful season this has been. What, with sick kids, information about the flu flying all over the place (the media, the neighbors, the schools), and the lack of vaccines at the pediatrician’s office.  Talk about frustration! This year’s season is more noticeable because we are all susceptible to this new strain.  No one [...]

As early as age 8 or 9, parents may begin to notice that their children start selecting a “best friend,” and they begin to identify and imitate one another, almost to exclusion; the friend may become the child’s sole source of attention. As the child gets a bit older, say age 11 or 12, their [...]

With summer here, your kids are either spending more time at home or away at camp or off visiting relatives. This is an excellent time for parents to take account of what you’re doing in the way of Time In. One of the best ways to instill life lessons about a variety of important issues [...]

In honor of Father’s Day, let’s look at the role fathers can play in their daughters’ lives as their little girls go through puberty and become women.  It certainly is not easy for dad at this stage. (It’s not entirely easy for moms either – but somehow we get through it and have more in [...]

Perhaps your family has celebrated Mother’s Day in some special way over the years. In this same manner, a mom can celebrate her daughter’s first period – her blossoming girl’s rite of passage to womanhood. The more comfortable and open you are discussing the topic, the more comfortable your daughter will be.  Some girls are [...]

While the weather is warming up, now is as good a time as any to address these issues as your growing pre-teens head towards summer. And, although it is sometimes hard to discuss these less than pleasant physical occurrences with our kids when their active hormones have kicked in with mood swings and all, we [...]

Peer pressure often starts at an early age and never really ends. While frequently viewed as negative, it does not have to be. Consider this: Youngsters who spend time around other children with similar values can share positive influences and reinforce exemplary behaviors – such as accepting people’s differences, volunteerism, and more. As youngsters begin [...]

The earlier children learn to appreciate their bodies, the stronger will be the self-image they feel and project as pre-teens, teenagers and later, as adults. At a very early age, children learn that bodies differ in size, shape and color.  Parents are in the position to teach their children to accept and take pride in [...]

While uncomfortable to address, we have a responsibility to our child’s well being to discuss sexual abuse and prevention. Informing our kids about the potential for abuse without causing unnecessary fears or anxiety is one of the most difficult and delicate balances a parent must try to achieve. However, the health and safety of our [...]

A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics (Nov., 2008) brings our attention to what we as parents have suspected — that too much exposure to programs with sexual content is a risk factor for early pregnancy. Over three-year period, U.S. teens ages 12 to 17 were followed and later interviewed.  Those who reported frequent [...]

No topic proves more of interest to the pre-teen girl as knowledge of how to wear a pad, liner or tampon.  Most girls have seen these items in mom’s bathroom drawer and have a vague idea but are not quite sure how the whole thing comes together. It is recommended that mom purchase a variety [...]

Rites of passage are ceremonies a society observes to celebrate the passage of its young individuaals into a new sage of adult life.  Many cultures and religions celebrate in a variety of ways. As I’ve spoken about this concepts many mothers have joined in with their ideas as to how to celebrate a child’s passage.  [...]

During the summer time our hectic lives slow down and parents are reminded of yearly check ups for sports and school.  These are great opportunities to review with your daughter and your health care provider the changes that will be coming with puberty.   Here are some pointers: There will be changes such as breast development [...]

When should I start talking to my child about sex? The earlier you start, the easier it will be. Remember that children don’t have the same perspective as we adults. Many children have a natural curiosity by age 4 or 5. How much should I say? Will I overwhelm my child with too much information? [...]

Talking to our 9-12 year old daughters about puberty, periods, and conception can be thought-provoking for many mothers. We tend to reminisce about our own life, how it went for us, and what and how we were told about the facts of life. Regardless of what our experiences were, I have found that all moms want [...]