Articles written by Sara Mcgrath - Page 3

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About me - Sara Mcgrath

I live near Seattle with my husband and three daughters. I spend time exploring the area, hiking and biking, gardening, keeping house, and playing with the kids and cats.

I've written for various websites including Suite101 and Examiner and also for print

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Parenting & Pregnancy > Childbirth & Labor Family birth experiences: Having siblings present: 1 of 4
My first daughter was present at her sister's birth. She was two years old at the time, and the experience went so beautifully that I am currently preparing my second daughter to witness our new baby's upcoming birth. When I first considered having my two-year-old present while I labored and birthed, I had concerns such as: ... More..
Relationships & Family > Domestic Violence & Abuse Childhood abuse: How to move on: 7 of 27
Like many survivors of childhood abuse, I have had a difficult time letting go of the past and moving on. For years I thought I was doomed to suffer throughout my entire life, and I resented that. I felt ensnared in my history. With frequent reminders and triggers of the old feelings, how could I ever escape? Each time I saw... More..
Pets & Animals > Dog Psychology What to do when your dog has separation anxiety: 5 of 18
I made a quick trip to the grocery store. I returned to the sound of my roommate's dog howling. I opened the door, and . . . oh no! The inside of my front door had been turned to sawdust. My plants were overturned. And, what was that smell? His name was Steel, and a steel door could not keep this dog from trying to escape fr... More..
Arts & Humanities > European History The truth about Christopher Columbus: 5 of 18
What kind of man was Christopher Columbus and what really happened when he arrived in the Americas? According to his own log, his first impression of the inhabitants of North America was that they would make fine servants. He wrote: "With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want." He wrote this... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: My father: 43 of 143
My father lives at the edge of the forest, aiming for feral, when he and my meth-addicted, teenaged mother give life to me. My mother tells me, "He looked like a wild man coming out of the shadows of the trees." I imagine that familiar spark of mischief in his wide-set eyes, and his thick auburn hair forming a lion's mane ar... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Discipline Strategies Disciplining your toddler: Beyond the time-out: 5 of 15
Most parents don't feel right about ignoring or withdrawing from their children, even for discipline's sake. This behavior doesn't teach your child not to do the undesirable behavior; it teaches him that your love is conditional, that you love him only when his behavior pleases you. This is frustrating and damaging to your c... More..
Education > Educational Philosophy Unschooling: What it is and isn't: 2 of 6
We all know what schooling is. We know what it looks like regardless of whether it is done at school or at home. The children involved hunch over a worksheet, furrowing their brows as they work at problems. The worksheets are assigned and the children have to complete them on schedule. Unschooling, then, doesn't look like th... More..
Local Guides > Seattle Aquarium reviews: Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, Washington: 1 of 3
When Dangerous Encounters, the National Geographic show, used the "secret" underwater research station at the Seattle Aquarium to film an episode on sixgill sharks, my six-year-old daughter declared her ambition to become a marine biologist. With that goal in mind, we have made several recent visits to the aquarium. One of t... More..
Style & Beauty > Acne & Blemish Understanding seborrheic dermatitis: 1 of 3
What is seborrheic dermatitis? Seborrheic dermatitis, also called dandruff or eczema, is an inflammation of areas of the skin where oil-producing sebaceous glands are present (oily areas). What are the symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis? Mild forms of seborrheic dermatitis are characterized by a fine, white, powdery scale, us... More..
Travel > Travel Planning & Advice Easy alternatives to using MapQuest driving directions: 1 of 3
Everyone knows Mapquest. It remains the most popular online mapping service. However, it is not the only, nor the best, mapping service on the Internet. Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft, and Ask.com offer online mapping services with more features and customizations than Mapquest. According to Hitwise, Google Maps is the number two... More..