“Okay, now remember, look ahead to your exit. When you do that, the turns will be easy,” said David, our downhill biking coach. My husband, older son and I were at the Trestle Bike Park at Winter Park, Colorado. It was a beautiful July morning with bright sun, puffy clouds, gorgeous wildflowers and a mountain [...]

In the midst of an intense discussion or at the end of a difficult day, we don’t always say the right things to our children.
But what we say can make a big impact, good or bad. Here’s a list of things you should never say to your kids.
“I know exactly how you feel.”
This is a [...]

Should parents of extremely obese children lose custody for not controlling their kids’ weight? A provocative commentary in one of the nation’s most distinguished medical journals argues yes, and its authors are joining a quiet chorus of advocates who say the government should be allowed to intervene in extreme cases.
It has happened a few times [...]

This summer, 1 million brand-new books will be given to children during health clinic visits across the United States. The goal is to hook kids under age 5 on a lifelong passion for books and create a solid foundation for reading success in elementary school.
But the 20-year-old program has another fringe benefit: The parents of [...]

It’s that time again, Colorado. Dig to the bottom of the drawer, pull out your favorite piece of Lycra, and pray that your birthday suit still fits into your bathing suit.
We’ve rounded up a sampling of some of the best outdoor pools in the metro area for your enjoyment. So go ahead. Grab your suit [...]

Ah, the salad days of summer. Toss together one of these big, fat, fresh salads today — you won’t want anything else for supper at all.

Southwestern Salad With Shrimp
Recipe from Everyday Food magazine. (Copyright 2011, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.) Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 [...]

Sunday. The Central City Opera casts a spell on kids in two family friendly performances of Handel’s “Amadigi di Gaula” at the Children’s Museum of Denver. The opera tells the tale of two knights, Amadigi and Dardano, who compete for the affections of princess Oriana. Meanwhile, an evil sorceress has other plans for them. Each [...]

“How’s it going?” I asked my husband over the phone. “Great,” he answered. “Unbelievable actually. The boys are riding really strong and everyone we see is so super, so supportive.”
It was the fourth weekend in June and my husband and our two sons, ages 14 and 12, had just finished the first day of the [...]

If anyone knows the best trails for hiking with kids in the Denver-area, it is guest blogger Joy Opp. She started Colorado Mountain Mamas in 2003 when her daughter Amanda was a baby and it has evolved from just a hiking group for moms to include toddler hikes, stroller walks, mountain biking and snowshoeing…all for [...]

My niece was visited us in Colorado’s Western Slope from Denver last month. She is 8 years old, full of energy and loves to be outdoors. So do I.
So on a cool Saturday, despite the threat of rain, my mom and I took her hiking on the Colorado National Monument. Here is our report from [...]